{"id":1299,"date":"2014-09-28T13:02:31","date_gmt":"2014-09-28T17:02:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aoh.com\/?p=1299"},"modified":"2014-09-28T13:02:31","modified_gmt":"2014-09-28T17:02:31","slug":"dont-be-tricked-into-supporting-irish-defamation-in-march-by-purchasing-from-spirit-halloween-in-october","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aoh.com\/2014\/09\/28\/dont-be-tricked-into-supporting-irish-defamation-in-march-by-purchasing-from-spirit-halloween-in-october\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t be \u201cTricked\u201d into Supporting Irish Defamation in March, by purchasing from Spirit Halloween in October"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Spirit\"<\/a>In a few short weeks, millions of Americans, particularly children, will be engaged in the joyous celebration that is Halloween. This festive holiday is another of the gifts that Irish Immigrants have brought to America; its origin and customs dating back to the ancient Gaelic holiday of Samhain, which was not only the start of that culture\u2019s new year, but had as its central message the struggle between the forces of light and darkness. It is with this in mind that the Ancient Order of Hibernians asks that all its members, their families and friends to boycott Spencer\u2019s Gifts affiliate Spirit Halloween stores when making their Halloween purchases.<\/p>\n

\"Defaming<\/a>Spencer\u2019s Gifts has a long and well established history of exploiting negative stereotypes and tropes targeting Irish Americans. Among the items recently sold at Spencer\u2019s were clothing emblazoned with such phrases as \u201cF**K Me, I\u2019m Irish<\/em>\u201d, \u201cIrish Girl Wasted<\/em>\u201d and a shamrock festooned shirt with \u201cEveryone Loves a Drunk Slut<\/em>\u201d among other items denigrating Irish Americans. Spencer\u2019s Website is currently selling an \u201cI<\/em>rish Chug O Meter<\/em>\u201d beverage bottlewith the settings \u201cSober, Buzzed, Drunk, Wasted, Irish<\/em>\u201d, another cup emblazoned \u201cDrink Til You’re Fu**n Irish\u201d, <\/em>and perhaps the winner in setting a new low \u201cYour Mom is not Irish, but I F**KED her anyway<\/em>\u201d. All Americans should be outraged at such ethnically based stereotypes, but additionally outraged that at a time when our nation is having serious discussions regarding sexual abuse and domestic violence Spencer\u2019s products are promoting a message conflating binge drinking and an abhorrently demeaning image of women.<\/p>\n

When in the past called to account for this promulgation of bigotry and defamation in pursuit of profit, Spencer\u2019s spokesmen have often invoked the \u201cIt\u2019s only a joke\u201d defense. It is interesting to note that it appears to<\/em><\/strong> be only the Irish<\/em><\/strong> that Spencer\u2019s Gifts singles out for such \u201chumor\u201d; it appears to be only our proud heritage<\/em><\/strong> that is profaned for profit. Spencer\u2019s has dismissed the protests of the Hibernians as we attempt to defend our culture and our heritage by saying we are not reflective of their demographic; i.e. that since most Hibernians have too much taste and sense to shop in Spencer\u2019s they can ignore our just and valid concern as they pursue their target audience of 18-24 year olds (half of whom are under age yet are being targeted by Spencer\u2019s binge drinking message). It is with this in mind that we ask you to boycott Spencer\u2019s affiliated Spirit Halloween stores.<\/p>\n

Spencer\u2019s Spirit Halloween stores, which pop up in unused retail space in shopping malls during the month of October, account for fifty percent of Spencer\u2019s annual revenue of $250 million dollars. No doubt some of the profits earned this October will be used to purchase the merchandise that will be for sale in Spencer\u2019s in March denigrating our noble heritage. While we may never shop in Spencer\u2019s, we likely do, particularly as parents and grandparents, make Halloween purchases. Sending a message that their defamation of the Irish in March hurts their bottom line in October at their lucrative Spirit Halloween shops should cause Spencer\u2019s to rethink their St. Patrick\u2019s Day merchandise choices as they place their orders now for March.<\/p>\n

We ask that you make an informed decision to not subsidize defamation of Irish Americans in March by patronizing Spencer\u2019s Spirit Halloween Stores in October, and ask your friends, irrespective of their heritage, to join us in saying there is no room in 21st<\/sup> Century America for the bigoted \u201cKnow Nothing\u201d stereotypes of the 19th<\/sup> Century by choosing another retailer for their Halloween purchases.<\/p>\n

In the ancient Gaelic spirit of Halloween join us in the light of sending a message of respect for all heritages and to reject the darkness of defamation and denigration that Spencer\u2019s promotes for profit<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Neil F. Cosgrove, Anti-Defamation Chair<\/em><\/p>\n

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