The other day, thumbing through a worn-out copy of -National Geographic- at a secondhand bookstore, a picture of the Statue of Liberty leaped out at me, almost vibrating with a kind of quiet strength. It got me thinking about freedom, and how different that idea feels depending on where you’re standing, you know? My grandfather, he escaped everything, hopped on a ship as a young man with just a knapsack, he always told stories about Ellis Island, even though I’ve never been. It was probably just the grit in the newsprint, but the image felt powerful.

Statue of Liberty announcement no fear no hate no ice in our state shirt , hoodie, hoodie and long sleeve tee

Then I saw one of those protest t-shirts online, the kind you buy after you’ve had one too many bad days reading the headlines. It had this message, Statue of Liberty announcement no fear no hate no ice in our state shirt, and initially, I was a little skeptical. Another slogan to add to the pile? I was tired of everything feeling so loud. The color scheme was eye-catching, though, simple black lettering on a faded blue, almost like the ocean at dusk.

After some thought, something shifted. It struck a chord within me, even though I’d always considered myself someone pretty neutral about politics. Maybe it was the yearning for a safe space, a world where the idea of building barriers, emotional or physical, felt fundamentally wrong. Honestly, I’ve seen enough winter to last a lifetime, and the shirt’s reference to “ice” immediately clicked. The idea of frozen hearts and closed borders, that’s what felt scary, not the rhetoric.

I found myself idly imagining actually wearing the shirt. The tactile sensation of the cotton against my skin, and the shared feeling of solidarity with whoever else might buy one. The shirt, I imagined, wouldn’t just be an item of clothing, it’d represent something real, a visual reminder of what matters: compassion, acceptance, and a genuine chance for everyone. It sounded like something I could get behind, a simple statement against the forces that seem determined to divide us, and I wanted to be a part of it.

How to buy this Statue of Liberty announcement no fear no hate no ice in our state shirt

Later that week, while waiting in line at the coffee shop, I saw a woman wearing a similar shirt. I almost blurted out something friendly, I couldn’t help but notice her; she was cradling a baby and chatting animatedly on her phone, and I imagined the shirt represented the world she hoped her child would grow into. I just smiled at her, instead, because sometimes you don’t need to say anything; just a shared glance is enough.

Maybe the shirt isn’t the ultimate solution to the world’s problems, it’s just a tangible reminder. It might feel a bit silly to some, but at the end of a long, frustrating week, it resonated. It’s a little like planting a seed of hope, you never know when it will bloom. It’s just an indication of values, and that’s a decent starting point, isn’t it?