Walmart now lists a t-shirt depicting a Nazi salute triumphantly positioned over a Black Power fist through its online marketplace for the low price of just $16.99.
The "Paper Beats Rock" shirt, available in sizes XS through 3XL, features bold white graphics showing an open palm hovering victoriously above a raised Black fist—imagery the Anti-Defamation League documented in 2024 as a white supremacist meme representing a Nazi salute "beating" the Black Power symbol. The design thoughtfully eliminates any ambiguity about its message by ensuring the flat hand appears in a dominant position over the symbol of Black resistance.
Walmart's third-party marketplace, which recent CNBC investigations revealed has dramatically reduced seller vetting requirements to compete with Amazon, has successfully created what industry observers call "the Wild West" of online retail. This innovative approach allows vendors like Carpe Omnia to offer products with minimal oversight, streamlining the process of connecting hate symbols with American consumers' credit cards.
The shirt joins an impressive portfolio of Walmart Marketplace offerings that have required belated apologies, including 2017's wig caps advertised with racial slurs. Each incident has demonstrated Walmart's consistent commitment to thoroughly investigating offensive products only after journalists notice them, a business strategy the company has refined over years of practice.
The retailer's marketplace policies, which impose fewer restrictions than competitors and require minimal documentation from sellers, have proven remarkably efficient at allowing racist merchandise to bypass any meaningful review process. This hands-off approach ensures that symbols of white supremacy can reach consumers with the same seamless shopping experience as groceries and household goods.
