WITH less than a month to go until St Patrick’s Day 2018, shops and websites around the world are stocking their shelves with all things green.
But one disgruntled Irish-American man is fronting a campaign to clear the shelves of any t-shirts pushing stereotypes about Irish people and alcohol.
Kevin Westley, a radio host and Irish dancing teacher from Long Island, hit the headlines in 2015 when he successfully lobbied his local Walmart to stop selling shirts with slogans such as ‘I’m so Irish I sweat alcohol,’ or ‘Irish car bombs make my clothes fall off’.
Westley bought hundreds of the “offensive” items to get them off the shelves and then, per Walmart’s exchange policy, returned them all on March 18.
Now, the proud Irish-American is taking on Walmart’s website over a number of stereotyping St Patrick’s Day shirts that are available there.
Taking to his Facebook page, Westley asked others to join him in his boycott of Walmart’s online store.
Two examples of St Patrick's Day t-shirts available on the website (Picture: Walmart)"In 2016, 2017 and 2018 local Walmart stores did not sell any offensive stereotypical drinking T-shirts for St. Patrick’s Day,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the Walmart website is selling offensive drinking Irish stereotype shirts for 2018.
“I have called and tried to contact them through the website several times. Never get a reply”.
Westley said he had seen a number of insulting t-shirts on the site, emblazoned with phrases like “I’m so Irish my liver hurts”, or "Need help with a drinking problem? Give us a call today. Irish Anonymous".
He added: “All stereotypes are bad, regardless what group they demean. Think of the thousands of job or housing opportunities have been lost because of them.
“If you agree with me, please call Walmart corporate office on their toll-free line at 1-800-925-6278. Better yet, “contact” them at help.walmart.com and let them know what you think about these T-shirts.”
