Althouse: "Irish call for apology following 'Drunk Vomiting Shamrocks' clothing line."

February 23, 2012

"Irish call for apology following 'Drunk Vomiting Shamrocks' clothing line."

"Urban Outfitters' St. Patrick's Day products, including a trucker’s cap illustrated with a drunk vomiting shamrocks and a 'Leprechaun P***' beer jug have, angered the Irish community in the United States and Ireland."

21 comments:

traditionalguy said...: Their Irish is up!; 2/23/12, 10:43 AM
edutcher said...: Oh, Jesus Christ.

Having attended Villanova University, whose Irish Cultural society's logo was a Mick with a half-plastered look leaning against a keg with a pint in his fist, this is yet another of a small group of the perpetually-aggrieved wanting to make a cause out of somebody having a little fun (can't have that in Transformed America) and making a buck (we must all pay our fair share, you know).

Not unlike the 2 Chinese-American kids who whipped up a T-shirt with the sentiment,

Wong Brothers Laundry

2 Wongs will make it while.

They sold like hotcakes, too, until the spoilsports, claiming to be an Asian "cultural" group threw a fit.

Guess what?

No Asians, just white Lefties.

Willing to bet a similar situation here. If there are any Micks, they're all Protestants.; 2/23/12, 10:46 AM
Carol_Herman said...: Me guesses that the label got free publicity. So it's a brilliant stroke. And, it might even sell in the marketplace; if not on eBay.

A WINNAH, when money means more business with less costs.; 2/23/12, 10:46 AM
Bill said...: First reaction: That's a silly, overblown reaction. NOW they're getting upset? About THIS?

Second reaction: What do we expect? Grievance mongering has become effective, expected, and even profitable. At this point, anyone who doesn't jump on the bandwagon and express shocked outrage at their treatment in popular culture seems like they're missing out.

Third reaction: If they're really smart, they'll stage major protests, threaten violence, and start some Jackson/Sharptonesque shakedown schemes.

Fourth reaction: The third reaction might be largely indistinguishable from an average St. Patrick's day parade.; 2/23/12, 10:52 AM
Ann Althouse said...: More free advertising for Urban Outfitters.; 2/23/12, 10:55 AM
Rusty said...: Thank you citizen! For a moment there I was almost having fun.; 2/23/12, 10:55 AM
Aridog said...: Being of 100% Irish ancestry, I am always amused by the wee pseudo-Irish wonks who just must clutch at victim-hood now and then.

Now where an I get one of those beer mugs?; 2/23/12, 10:56 AM
Tibore said...: More proof that there's a segment of society out there that simply doesn't know how to laugh at itself.; 2/23/12, 10:59 AM
Christopher in MA said...: Edutcher, I had friends who went to Villanova. When they got plastered, they'd sing what they called the VU "theme song:"

V - for Villanova,
I - for intercourse;
L - for love, and
L- for lust, and
A- for anything goes;
N - for noogie-noogies,
O - for oral sex;
V - for venereal,
A - for alcohol,

Villanova's got it all!; 2/23/12, 11:00 AM
Dutch Canuck said...: There are many such parasites in Canada, claiming offence "on behalf of" some "protected group" or another. And as edutcher pointed out, more often than not, the aggrieved activist does not belong to the group on whose behalf they claim harm. And yet, they'll get the payday when fines are handed out by the federal and/or provincial "Human" "Rights" Commissions. A pretty good incentive.

I had no idea the Irish were a particularly hard-done-by group in America. Nor that contemporary Irish in Eire were such whining babies. In fact, I don't believe for one minute that "The Irish" are collectively upset.

My favourite line from the article:

"If they don't start being more careful they could seriously start to offend us all." Well, here's my reply.

If you want to know how badly these things have worked out in Canada, read "Shakedown" by Ezra Levant.; 2/23/12, 11:12 AM
Wince said...: "Do me a favor, Irish, switch places with this guy."; 2/23/12, 11:18 AM
Petunia said...: And yet they're apparently okay with the drunk, green-beer-addled, passing-out-in-the-gutter reputation of St. Patrick's Day.

BTW, has anyone else noticed that the WV is getting easier to read?; 2/23/12, 11:20 AM
edutcher said...: Dutch Canuck said...

I had no idea the Irish were a particularly hard-done-by group in America.

During the Civil War era, many social critics thought the Irish had it worse than the blacks.

Mark Steyn notwithstanding, "No Irish Need Apply" was the motto of many a native-born American. Some Lefty historians are trying to paper it over (not sure why), but anyone looking for confirmation need only consult "Roughing It", specifically the part where young Sam Clemens is working as a reporter for the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City. Also many a newspaper illustration from the era.

PS Christopher, never heard that one, but it doesn't surprise me a bit.

(when were your frineds there?); 2/23/12, 11:30 AM
Christopher in MA said...: Early '80s, edutcher; 2/23/12, 11:34 AM
Patrick said...: I keep waiting for some clearly offensive joke against a clearly identifiable group - racial, ethnic or religious, and the group saying "ow, c'mon, it's just a joke." I think the Irish were the last, best hope in this. But, I guess there's always some small but vocal group of the perpetually offended.

Most Irish, myself included, either thought this was funny or didn't give a rat's ass.; 2/23/12, 11:58 AM
Methadras said...: Boston is in an uproar. Again.; 2/23/12, 12:03 PM
edutcher said...: Christopher in MA said...

Early '80s, edutcher

Since I was mid 60s, it's good to see those hallowed traditions thrive.; 2/23/12, 12:10 PM
Beta Rube said...: The Irish drunks I grew up around threw up worse than shamrocks. This sounds like a nice improvement.; 2/23/12, 12:34 PM
tim maguire said...: A cryin' shame is what it is. For decades the Irish have held the distinction as the only ethnic group that just doesn't give a damn about politically correct sensitivity.

Insult us, hate us, stereotype us. Screw you, we don't care. This was a great source of Irish pride for me.

It was inevitable, I guess. Some people felt left out of the outrage fun. Dicks. (Damn, I almost made it through this post without profanity, but I'm just too disgusted.); 2/23/12, 12:37 PM
ricpic said...: There's an Irish community in the United States? The Irish have so successfully assimilated in America that with the exception of St. Paddy's Day - when the "Irish," who are now largely half or quarter or eighth part Irish martyr themselves by eating corned beef and cabbage - their Irishness is marginal and largely sentimental. This stink is being made by the professional Irish, a tiny tiny minority of all those who got off the boat and never looked back.; 2/23/12, 12:53 PM
Anonymous said...: Maybe they could try "Drunk Vomiting Fruit Flies." No one except PETA maybe could possibly object.

(BTW James O'Keefe's mock grievance about the Irish was pretty funny.; 2/23/12, 2:12 PM