Philadelphia, PA, March 15, 2006 … The Anti-Defamation League has expressed its outrage and disgust in response to Urban Outfitters selling yet another t-shirt with an ethnically-offensive message.  Urban Outfitters is stocking a t-shirt with the language “Erin Go F*** Yourself”, a corruption of the expression “Erin Go Bragh” this week when St. Patrick’s Day is being celebrated.

Barry Morrison, Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League office in Philadelphia said “The Urban Outfitters folks just don’t get it.  Yet again, they are treading on the sensibilities of ethnic groups.  It is unconscionable that they continue to put out products that offend, demean or disparage.  Attempts on the part of the League to have them understand why this is wrong and should stop have been to no avail.”
 
Morrison continued, “The Urban Outfitters people ought to know better than to do this.  Clearly, they are acting with flagrant disregard for the sensibilities of Irish-Americans, just as they have previously in offering merchandise offending Blacks, Jews, Mexicans and Mexican-Americans.  The more they continue to do so, the more they should hear from consumers and from people of conscience that their manipulative and crass marketing may help their bottom line in the short term, but in the long run, it is at the expense of the respect with which groups and citizens are held.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.