I pick offensive to make a point. Personally I think its funny. My fantasy football team is the Drinking Irish. Then again, I'm Irish, so its ok for me to caricature my culture right?
I say offensive because if that were a bunch of clothing using alcoholism and native americans this would be an issue.
We already have an issue with people getting pissy when native american names are used as a team logo - something positive that fans support. So I can only imagine "Indian Olympics" shirts with a stick figure with a head dress bent over puking would be.
White people may be the majority - but the Irish were a subset that were treated very poorly for quite a while here and worldwide. But we've grown up and its all good now.
I think everyone should have more of a sense of humor about their own cultures and the caricatures that exist. For Gods sake so many shows that involve either gay characters or gay "reality" characters play into stereotypes.
Urban Outfitters' St. Patrick's Day Apparel: Funny or Offensive?
SodaHead Living
2012/03/16 17:00:00
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327 votes
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131 votes
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St. Patrick's Day is upon us, which means that Irish people -- and those who simply can't resist a good party -- will be getting their green on. St. Patrick's Day commemorates Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and celebrates Irish culture in general. But let's face it: These days, it's all about the booze. Urban Outfitters tried to get in on the fun by selling a T-shirt with the slogan, "Irish I Were Drunk" and an "Irish Yoga" hat featuring someone puking in "downward facing upchuck".
Well, a group of New York politicians wasn't amused, calling on the clothing chain to stop selling the St. Patty's Day-themed items. "By selling and promoting these items, Urban Outfitters is only fueling stereotypes that many Irish-Americans, as well as the people of Ireland, work so hard to dispel," said Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens/Bronx) said in a statement obtained by Politicker.
Crowley and other members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs also wrote the following letter to the Urban Outfitters CEO: "We understand that such items may have been created with the intent of good humor. And, as members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs, we know that Irish and Irish-Americans often revel in self-deprecating and blunt humor. However, we believe these items represent a step too far, crossing a line into stereotyping and denigration."
Do you think Urban Outfitters went too far? Or is getting drunk just part of the fun on St. Patty's Day?
Well, a group of New York politicians wasn't amused, calling on the clothing chain to stop selling the St. Patty's Day-themed items. "By selling and promoting these items, Urban Outfitters is only fueling stereotypes that many Irish-Americans, as well as the people of Ireland, work so hard to dispel," said Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens/Bronx) said in a statement obtained by Politicker.
Crowley and other members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs also wrote the following letter to the Urban Outfitters CEO: "We understand that such items may have been created with the intent of good humor. And, as members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs, we know that Irish and Irish-Americans often revel in self-deprecating and blunt humor. However, we believe these items represent a step too far, crossing a line into stereotyping and denigration."
Do you think Urban Outfitters went too far? Or is getting drunk just part of the fun on St. Patty's Day?
Top Opinion
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Superman 2012/03/16 20:09:51
I get the joke, ha ha.
But would it be as funny if it was any other ethnic group?
Like how the Germans are supposed to be really anal about... well... pretty much everything.
Or how the French are supposed to be really rude to everyone.
Or that Italians are supposed to be constantly trying to screw everything that moves.
Or how the Chinese are supposed to be super geniuses when it comes to math and the hard sciences, but can't drive to save their lives.
Hell, most people think Icelanders are rude and obnoxious vikings who go around drinking, boasting, stealing all the pretty girls, robbing people blind and leaving the place in ruins when they're done. But are we offended? Not particularly, no. We've even made t-shirts that poke fun at ourselves. And why would we do that; you might ask. Well, mostly because we've seen how we act when we go on vacations abroad. We act like we own the place and we treat people like they were put on this earth specifically to serve us and to cater to our every need and desire. You know, kind of like how I've seen Americans behaving abroad. ;-)
:o)
slight bit of irish from me hippie mother's side of the tree as well!
Timothy
:o)
I do find it funny considering that most Irish people I know drink, and many of them went out to the bars for St. Patrick’s day. Then again, maybe I can’t say that because I don’t know any full blooded Irish people, where I live we’re all mutts, haha. Scottish, Irish, Finish, German, Croatian, ect. I am all of the above, but I’m hardly Irish at all (About 7% according to my family tree), so I don’t know if can make fun of it? Oh, to be politically correct is a complicated thing~
Sorry, I forgot. It offends us to have our Jameson's watered.
Make light of it and celebrate.
You can't offend anybody...must if them are too
drunk to notice.
Then again, I'm not Irish, I only have Irish friends, so it probably isn't my place to say.