
What does it mean to be political on a t-shirt? What does it mean to be a person?
The person is political. Each time you clothe yourself you are setting out to define yourself as a person, thus revealing at least some of your political leanings. If I choose to wear a crisp white shirt and tie to work, I am at least saying that I am okay enough with my company not to publicly protest against it.
“Ich bin ein Berliner” is my favourite t-shirt at the moment. I went through a phase recently (like anyone else) where I did not want to wear labels, did not want to explicitly define myself with brands or kitschy slogans. But fuck it, you’re going to define me anyway so at least I’ll have some fun with it.
Translated as, “I am a Berliner”, this t-shirt bears a quote from J.F.K – one of the nicer leaders this world has had, and surprisingly, a U.S American.
I like this quote. I like it because of what it represents – U.S Americans are not all ethnocentric imperialists with a negatively geared political agenda. Here, the leader of the U.S is actually saying that he can identify with a foreign culture and people.

I think a lot of us have forgotten that a lot of good things have come out of the U.S. We’ve forgotten this because of recent history and leadership. Its difficult to imagine George W. Bush addressing an assembly in Iraq and proclaiming, “I am an Iraqi!”, but this is the literal equivalent of what J.F.K proudly proclaimed to the German people assembled at the Schoenberg Rathaus shortly after the construction of the Berlin Wall. And of course, the States had their own political agenda for wanting to support a Western capitalist Berlin against the Eastern Block, but the fact is that no matter how we want to romanticise it in order to be subversive, not many people would choose to be a Soviet over a U.S American citizen.
But what does it mean for a foreigner to identify as a Berliner? For me, proclaiming to be a Berliner has different layers of meaning. First of all, I like Berlin. It’s my favourite city so far – full stop. It also has a great history, and really, the most important history for this century in terms of lessons to be learned and for an analysis of the politics of war and Leftwing vs. Rightwing relationships. I also like the metaphorical subtleties associated with the Wall: division within oneself; trying to escape to another part of oneself; breaking down barriers; creating a change within oneself; etc.
I like that the Wall was built, because if it hadn’t have been built, then it could never have been broken down. These are important symbols for the self as well as for society and the world as a whole.
So this is why I wear the 'Ich bin ein Berliner' t-shirt: to show my allegiance to the city-state of Berlin; as a symbol of inner duality; and as a comment on the politics of East and West. So yes, the person is political, and I shall wear this shirt on my person.