Monday, March 05, 2012

Irish-Americans' fury over 'arrogant and disrespectful' novelty St Patrick's Day T-shirts at Urban Outfitters

We read:
"It is rarely disputed that the Irish enjoy a drop or two of Guinness on St Patrick's Day.

The country, known for its jovial pubs and fondness for celebration, is used to being associated with merriment - but when it comes to being labelled as 'drunken', some see it as a derogatory step too far.

Urban Outfitters have offended a swathe of Irish-Americans who have not taken a range of St Patrick's Day T-shirts, mostly featuring jokes about drunkenness, lightly.

The bright green statement tees have a range of loud slogans and images printed in their fronts. 'Kiss Me, I'm drunk, or Irish, or whatever', reads one, costing $24. A $20 cap depicts a man vomiting and is accompanied by the statement 'Irish Yoga: Downward facing upchuck.'

A second tee, $24, is glaringly unsubtle: 'I'm a F****** Leprechaun' it says, the obscenity's 'U' replaced by a four-leaf clover.

The largest Irish-American organisation in the U.S., the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America, is far from pleased with the garments, reports My Fox NY.

Seamus Boyle wrote: 'There are those few who use this day as an excuse to over celebrate but that does not give you or anyone else the right to defame and debase a whole race of people by selling the garbage that you display in your stores.'

Source

I have got plenty of Irish blood in me so you will never hear an ill word about the Irish from me and nor do I tell Irish jokes. But for a long time the Irish were tolerant of jokes at their expense -- which is in my view a credit to them. Amid the increasing "sensitivity" which characterizes our age, however, it seems that even the Irish have now joined the ranks of the "offended".

11 comments:

Bird of Paradise said...

All this assuming ST PATRICKS DAY and DRINKING is total absurd

Anonymous said...

What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

Use the Name, Luke said...

Is it that the Irish have gotten less tolerant? Or that the jokes have become more offensive?

Based on the examples given, the latter seems to be true.

Anonymous said...

Luke, simlar logic to your comment on Ben & Jerry, isn't this PC silliness? Besides, when was Irish a race? It's a heritage but not a race. A race is normally defined as a distinct characteristic. I do believe that the Irish have the same as most other caucasians, especially the British (which they were once part of, and some still are).

jonjayray said...

Yes. I doubt that there is much genetic difference between the English and the Irish -- but it might not be safe to say that in an Irish bar!

Anonymous said...

A good friend of mine would "wear the Orange" on St. Patrick's Day (he's of the proud "English race").

Anonymous said...

Yeah - good luck with any kind of intellectal conversation in an "Irish" (or any other kind of bar)!

Use the Name, Luke said...

re: Anon 5:34

Oh wow! I have my own personal stalker/troll. I feel so honored!

kfd211 said...

Didn't Know "IRISH" was a race! Always thought it was a Nationality

Anonymous said...

IRISH is a mindset, usually with a grudge of some sort.

Go Away Bird said...

Theres always has been all those irish police chiefs