{"id":1534,"date":"2015-03-01T14:55:25","date_gmt":"2015-03-01T19:55:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aoh.com\/?p=1534"},"modified":"2015-03-01T14:55:25","modified_gmt":"2015-03-01T19:55:25","slug":"press-release-from-anti-defamation-chair-ancient-order-of-hibernians-condemns-spencers-gifts-for-their-promotion-of-defaming-irish-stereotypes-denigration-of-women-and-promotion-of-st-patr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aoh.com\/2015\/03\/01\/press-release-from-anti-defamation-chair-ancient-order-of-hibernians-condemns-spencers-gifts-for-their-promotion-of-defaming-irish-stereotypes-denigration-of-women-and-promotion-of-st-patr\/","title":{"rendered":"Press Release From Anti-Defamation Chair: Ancient Order of Hibernians Condemns Spencer\u2019s Gifts for their Promotion of Defaming Irish Stereotypes, Denigration of Women and Promotion of St. Patrick\u2019s Day Binge Drinking"},"content":{"rendered":"

For immediate release<\/p>\n

2\/23\/2015<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Ancient Order of Hibernians Condemns Spencer\u2019s Gifts for their Promotion of Defaming Irish Stereotypes, Denigration of Women and Promotion of St. Patrick\u2019s Day Binge Drinking<\/p>\n

New City, New York <\/strong>\u2013 2\/23\/15<\/strong> \u2013 The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH)<\/p>\n

The Ancient Order of Hibernians condemns the defaming Irish stereotypes and messages promoted by Spencer Gift\u2019s \u201cSt. Pat\u2019s\u201d [sic] merchandise line and the attempts by Spencer\u2019s to debase by their merchandise St. Patrick\u2019s Day into an excuse for binge drinking and licentious behavior. The Hibernians also condemn the fact that many of Spencer’s \u201cSt. Pat\u2019s\u201d [sic] items specifically target young women with denigrating messaging and encourage dangerously demeaning attitudes in connection with the celebration of Ireland\u2019s Patron Saint and the contributions of Irish Americans.<\/p>\n

Per AOH National Anti-Defamation Chairman Neil Cosgrove:<\/p>\n

\"02825974.interactive.a\"<\/a>\u201cIn what has become a sad yearly tradition, Spencer\u2019s Gift\u2019s once again seeks to profit by defaming the Irish American community. Yet again Spencer\u2019s has rolled out the same old bigoted tropes with hats and T-shirts emblazoned with \u2018Irish Drinking Team\u2019, and the \u2018Drunk-o-Meter\u2019 hat. In the past, spokesmen for Spencer\u2019s have attempted to defend these shameful products by attributing it to their irreverent style of humor, but the Hibernians note it appears that only Irish Americans are targeted by Spencer\u2019s for this \u201cirreverent\u201d treatment of their holiday and their culture.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Hibernians are also troubled by new merchandise that not only plumbs new lows in denigrating Irish Americans, but also promote a degrading and abusive image of women. At a time when Colleges and Universities across the country are confronting an epidemic of sexual assault and abuse, should Spencer\u2019s be selling a hat to their self-professed demographic of 18-24 year olds with the message \u201cI Came Here to Drink and F*ck B*tches\u201d as part of their \u201cSt. Pat\u2019s\u201d [sic] merchandise? At a time when the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has identified alcohol as \u201cthe most widely used date-rape drug\u201d should any firm irresponsibly target for the “greening of the till” 18-24 year old women with merchandise promoting binge drinking such as\u00a0 \u201cLet’s Get Shamwrecked\u201d or a shamrock decorated \u201cEveryone Loves a Drunk Girl\u201d cup? Finally, should any firm profit from promoting the bigoted\/exploitive message emblazoned on a Spencer\u2019s shot glass \u201cYour Mom\u2019s not Irish, but I F*cked her anyway\u201d? Would society tolerate it, and would Spencer\u2019s dare sell this abhorrent item, if \u201cIrish\u201d was replaced by another ethnic group? \u201c<\/em><\/p>\n

The Ancient Order of Hibernians calls upon its members and all who believe that in the 21st century there is no place for defaming ethnic based stereotypes nor the promotion of \u00a0 degrading and abusive images of women that Spencer\u2019s Gifts merchandise promotes \u00a0 to speak out by calling Acon Investments, the investment firm which owns Spencer\u2019s at (202) 454-1100<\/p>\n

About the Ancient Order of Hibernians<\/strong><\/p>\n

Founded in 1836 with some 40,000 members covering 38 states, the Ancient Order of Hibernians is the oldest and largestIrish-Catholic Organization in the United States<\/p>\n

Contact information (press members only):<\/strong><\/p>\n

Neil F. Cosgrove, National Anti-Defamation Chairman<\/p>\n

Ancient Order of Hibernians<\/p>\n

Neil.Cosgrove@AOH.com<\/p>\n

#ShameOnSpencers<\/p>\n

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