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Back to search resultsResolution 110214

Calling on Spencer Gifts to stop selling merchandise offensive to St. Patrick's Day and the Irish People.

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File details

Status
Adopted
Type
Resolution
Introduced
March 17, 2011
Sponsors
CKCouncilmember KrajewskiCKCouncilmember KellyCRCouncilmember RizzoCPCouncil President VernaCBCouncilmember BlackwellCDCouncilmember DiCiccoCGCouncilmember GreenleeCMCouncilmember MillerCRCouncilmember Reynolds BrownBrian J. O'NeillCGCouncilmember GreenCKCouncilmember KenneyCCCouncilmember ClarkeCTCouncilmember TascoCSCouncilmember SanchezCurtis Jones, Jr.

Full Bill

WHEREAS, Spencer Gifts LLC, a lifestyle retail company operates two national brands, Spencer's and Spirit Halloween throughout the United States, Canada and online; and

WHEREAS, Spencer Gifts LLC, is located locally at Franklin Mills Mall in Northeast Philadelphia, Cherry Hill Mall and King of Prussia Mall; and

WHEREAS, For several years, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, America's oldest Catholic fraternal organization has asked management of Spencer Gifts LLC to cease and desist selling and profiteering from the offensive and degrading images they adorn on t-shirts that mock St. Patrick's Day and the Irish heritage; and

WHEREAS, during the last weekend in February of 2011, local Philadelphian AOH divisions peacefully protested at the Spencer Gifts Store at the Franklin Mills Mall asking customers to not patronize Spencer Gifts due to the items that debase, mock, embarrass and ridicule the Irish faith and nationality; and

WHEREAS, Spencer Gifts sells a T-shirt for $14.99 that depicts a drunken leprechaun urinating, his middle finger up and he wishes everyone a “Happy F*cking St. Patrick's Day”; and

WHEREAS, Kevin Mahoney, legal representation for Spencer Gifts LLC has defended this anti-Irish and racist shirts by saying that they are meant to be humorous and not offensive and Spencer Gifts LLC refuse to stop selling the merchandise; and

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia and the Irish citizens just celebrated the 241st St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday March 13, 2011 and Philadelphia is proud of its Irish people and their history with organizations like the AOH, The Emerald Society, The Hibernian Hunger Project and the Jack Costello Boxing Program to name a few; and

WHEREAS, No other ethnic group would allow this kind of offensive remarks and merchandise to be sold from a national company but it seems that the defense of Irish Catholics are lackadaisical and empathetic; and now

THEREFORE, The City Council of Philadelphia asks that Spencer Gifts LLC refrain from selling the offensive t-shirts that mock and stereotype the Irish and degrade the history and religious holiday of St. Patrick's Day.

End

Timeline

File history

A file can move through several public steps, including introduction, hearings, amendments, votes and final action. This timeline puts those events in date order, groups routine entries from the same day, and attaches published member votes to the action they record.

  1. Council ActionCITY COUNCIL

    ADOPTED

    Other recorded action without a published tally.

    Official action detail

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation

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  2. UnanimousCITY COUNCIL

    Introduced and Ordered Placed On Next Week's Final Passage Calendar

    Marked unanimous; no member-by-member tally published.

    Pass
    Official action detail

    A motion was made by Councilmember Krajewski that this matter be Introduced and Ordered Placed On Next Week's Final Passage Calendar. The motion carried unanimously.

    Source: LegislationDetail.aspx · gridLegislation

    View official action on Legistar ↗