Urban Outfitters St. Patrick's Day Clothes Cause Outrage (PHOTOS, POLL)

Urban Outfitters has done it again: offended a cultural group through derogatory clothing.

The fashion store recently started selling clothing targeted towards St. Patrick's Day that include a t-shirt that states "Irish I Was Drunk" and a trucker cap that reads "Irish Yoga" with a photo of a stick figure regurgitating. The clothing has attracted negative attention from Irish and Irish-Americans, who want the clothing pulled from the shelves.

Congressman Joe Crowley (D-NY), along with members of the Congressional Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs, sent a letter Urban Outfitters CEO Ted Marlow demanding the store to cease selling clothing and accessories which negatively depict the Irish Community and St. Patrick's Day. According to Politicker:

"We recently learned of images used by Urban Outfitters in its St. Patrick’s Day clothing line that depict severe and negative stereotypes of Irish and Irish-American people as well as may promote binge drinking. We strongly urge you to end the sale of these items."

A similar situation arose last year during the St. Patrick's Day season when Old Navy was forced to pull its St. Patrick's Day clothing for offending the Irish community.

This outrage comes on the heels of a lawsuit which was presented to Urban Outfitters in December by the Native-American group Navajo Nation, for selling clothing that had the word "Navajo" in its description. Urban Outfitters removed the word "Navajo" from its line but kept the products in question on its site.

Urban Outfitters has yet to remove the St. Patrick's Day clothing from its site. Take a look at the items Urban Outfitters is selling. Do you find them offensive?

Quick Poll

Are these St. Patrick's Day items offensive?

Yes! They stereotype the Irish community

No, the items are all in good fun.

VOTE

Share your vote on Facebook so your friends can take this poll

(Via Fashionista)

Comments

[Kath Gallagher]

10:46 AM on 03/10/2012

If anyone reads their history they would find these stereotypes arose during the influx of Irish into America as a result of the famines during the 1840s and 50s. Stereotypes are hard to end, as in the case of some of the ones mentioned previously. However, that does not mean that it is acceptable to continue them. Granted, in Ireland SPD is a religious holiday and in the US it is an excuse to get drunk and be inappropriate. However, to self-perpetuate the stereotype only does more harm than good. I get tired of people telling me the same, tired, inappropriate jokes about drunk, fighting Irish. I rarely drink.

[Ieatpopplers]

02:50 AM on 03/07/2012

Don't find it offensive. I'm of Irish heritage and I Irish danced competitively for 9 years and everyone plays up the stereotypes in the weirdest ways. This is no different and at least they're something different from all the clique sayings people use now. American St. Patrick's day is it's own thing entirely, I live in Chicago and it's crazy everywhere, out of towners seem to look at it like mardi gras, which isn't that also technically a religious holiday?

[anastasi]

10:17 AM on 03/05/2012

The entire American version of St. Patrick's day is an offense to Irish Americans. If you want to celebrate it like they do in the Old Sod, go to church.

[themightylemur]

03:29 PM on 03/05/2012

as an American of Irish heritage: no

I'll celebrate it however I want. it's my holiday

[fredimessina]

12:38 AM on 03/05/2012

Isn't it funny how people always say "lighten up" until they're the target of the joke?

[RecreationalPilot]

06:10 PM on 03/04/2012

I vote... Let people make up their own minds whether to wear them or not.

When they get their butts kicked at an Irish pub one night, they might develop critical thinking skills.

[Bigdaddy Milkman]

09:14 AM on 03/05/2012

That statement only supports the stereotype of the "drunken Irish fighter".

[jamuelle]

01:18 AM on 03/04/2012

What? We're not ALL Irish on St. Patrick's day?

[JoeDoorman]

11:42 PM on 03/03/2012

These clothes are for the large Irish population. If an Irish girl or guy walked into an Irish bar on SPD with these hats and shirts, it would get a laugh... part of the holiday is a good joke.
Its when these items are on the shelf a month before the holiday... I can see how some see it distasteful. Its a timing thing... the question is... do people shop for a SPD hat a month in advance?
I'd hold off a bit... its not like X-Mas.

[LeeLoPink]

06:46 PM on 03/03/2012

I'm confused, isn't the point of St Paddy's day to go out to an Irish Pub & drink green beer? That's the only think I ever relate to the day. I say lighten up.

Sincerely,
An Italian American no the least bit offended by the Sopranos.

[LeeLoPink]

06:46 PM on 03/03/2012

Oops, I almost forgot - I'm also 1/4 Irish.

[ssullymets]

05:31 PM on 03/03/2012

If this Urban Outfitters is truly not being biased lets see their Muslim
selection? How about I'm Muslim & I'm about to BLOW UP !!!

[lop7693]

02:00 AM on 03/07/2012

that could get you arrested by homeland security.

[shortdwarfcom]

03:10 PM on 03/03/2012

whether they are midgets, blacks, irish, et al, somebody is bound to be upset about something, dwarf tossing, inappropriate clothing or affirmative action, whatever... in the meantime, we've taken our "disadvantage" and used it to our "advantage." we've taken our lemons and made lemonade, whereas the whiners have taken their 'sour grapes" and made a cheap bordeaux.

[efrallyn]

02:53 PM on 03/03/2012

whats offensive is how incredibly skinny that model is wearing the shirts!!i don't get it, there's no way that's natural..i know naturally skinny people and they still look healthy..it doesnt make me want to buy the shirt at all..most irish people i know joke about how much they drink, whats the big deal?everyone, or should i say most educated ppl, know not all irish ppl are alcoholics..this is silly

[billsjag]

12:46 PM on 03/03/2012

I'm half irish and do not find this offensive. There is no difference between this and Billy Crystals black face skit except the shirts and hats are funnier.

[dingleholiday]

01:04 PM on 03/03/2012

Well I am Irish and I do find this offensive....the stereotyping of the Irish goes on and on..
I remember an appalling episode of Star Trek : The Next Generation .(made back in the late 1980s) where it was obvious they were portraying the Irish as lazy drunken louts. There was even references to poteen in the episode.

[billsjag]

04:03 PM on 03/03/2012

Did you find Billy Crystal's black face skit offense?

[Ieatpopplers]

02:43 AM on 03/07/2012

Dude it's a holodeck program thats malfunctioning, not an accurate representation! I'm part Irish and don't find either offensive.

[jpaulg]

10:18 AM on 03/03/2012

Complaints of racial insensitivity are too many, too fast and overblown. The "Navajo" line was tasteful and the "Irish" shirts, although tasteless, are a little humorous and unfortunately have a grain of truth. Alcoholism is higher among the Irish than many other people.
I just think people need to settle down and let some water run off their backs a little more. People are "using" racism as a cover to control others and to garner attention to themselves.
Take it EASY.

[dingleholiday]

11:56 AM on 03/03/2012

"Alcoholism is higher among the Irish than many other people." Do you have stats for that ? If not please retract the statement. BTW the English have a serious 'drink culture' ! Of course if there were hats/shirts making fun of the Tea Party in relation to how much alcohol they drink , there would be uproar

[jpaulg]

06:51 PM on 03/03/2012

Remember I said "a GRAIN of truth". Obviously as time goes on and populations meld in the United States the ethnic genetics of alcoholism become less clear in sub populations. Classic work by "Greely and McCready, 1978 and 1980" as well as "Vallient circa 1983" have looked at the susceptibility of individuals to alcoholism. Those of Irish decent were seven times more likely to become alcoholics as compared to those of Italian decent, who allowed children to drink in a family meal setting but frowned on adult drunkenness more.
When looking at the studies of ethanol metabolism and variants of Alcohol Dehydrogenase genes, those who have defects in metabolism, such as some Asian cultures and a higher percentage of Jewish decent (around 1% alcoholism rate), tend to have strong reactions to alcohol at lower levels of consumption which seems to protect against alcoholism by making the experience more distasteful. Muddying the statistics are ethnic attitudes toward self control in a world where other ethnic groups view another with chronic suspicion.
When looking at alcohol consumption by country, Ireland is near the top of the list per capita. Although the old stereotype of the "drunken Irish" may be somewhat exaggerated it seems to be fairly well established in the literature.
Some have theorized that the problem is more related to social and religious attitudes toward alcohol use, ie traditional Protestantism vs traditional Catholicism, and also with modern American "Irish" identifying with Irish cultural drinking traditions.

[lop7693]

02:04 AM on 03/07/2012

Sadly noone in authority incurages melding in america anymore liberals are incuraging multiculturalism in order to divide and concure.

[Susan Byron]

06:14 AM on 03/03/2012

Lighten up folks....& it's not all about leprechauns, shillelaghs or crocks of gold either?

http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/st-patricks-day.html

[Symphysodon]

01:35 AM on 03/03/2012

The article describes this as an "outrage." Don't think so. In almost every instance, we would all be better served just to take a deep breath and mellow out. That way, when real outrage occurs everyone is ready to take action. A funny shirt... NO. Rush Limbaugh's asshattery... YES!!