Brothers, I would like to update you on an item from the last issue of Hibernian Digest. As you will recall Walmart was selling several shirts fostering negative stereotypes and promoting ignorant misrepresentations of Irish Americans. Among the items sold was a shirt “I May Not Be Irish, but I Can Drink Like One”, another “Blame the Irish for My Behavior” and finally what has to be the hands down winner in the questionable judgment/bad taste award the shamrock festooned “Irish I Could Drink” Maternity top. We had sent a letter on February 24th and were acknowledge with a case number that same day.
Well, after several phone calls in the weeks leading up to St. Patrick’s day and promises of a response, I would like to report back that Walmart has finally deigned favor us with a reply: on April 4th (when I assume that they felt safe that they had milked the full commercial value of this year’s crop of defaming St. Patrick’s Day merchandise). The response was amazing in its condescension and patronization:
With more than 140 million people shopping our stores each week, we inevitably encounter a wide variety of viewpoints with respect to the merchandise we sell. We take our customers’ feedback seriously and incorporate it into our product selection. As such, we made a point to ask for our customers’ input on our St. Patrick’s Day merchandise several months before finalizing the items that we would carry.
We are always evaluating our product assortment, and the feedback you’ve shared is valuable to this process. We understand your point of view regarding the shirts you described, and our merchandise teams will continue to consider a broad range of perspectives as they work to serve our customers
Shelley Huff-Wolley
Sr. Director, Men’s Apparel
Walmart U.S.
We have since asked Ms Huff-Wolley under what mechanism were “customers asked for input” and approved such denigrating bigoted items as the “I May Not Be Irish, but I Can Drink Like One” shirt. Not surprisingly, given our past experience, we have not heard a response back.
Brothers, it is up to us an all proud Irish Americans to provide our input to Walmart concerning denigration of our heritage.
Please find a sample form letter to Walmart CEO Doug McMillon by clicking HERE
- ; you are free to use that or of course write to him in your own words. His mailing address is:
Mr. Doug McMillon, President and CEO
Walmart Stores Inc.
702 SW. 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716-8611
Fax: 479-277-1830
You may also wish to send a copy of you input as regards apparel that stereotypes and degrades Irish Americans to Ms. Huff-Wolley
Ms. Shelly Huff-Wolley
Sr. Director Men’s Apparel
Walmart Stores Inc.
702 SW. 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716-8611
executive.communications@wal-mart.com
Let’s give Walmart true input on what real Irish American think about merchandise that promotes negative images of Irish Americans for profit. If enough of us let our voices be known now we can prevent further negative targeting of Irish Americans and their heritage.
Neil F. Cosgrove, Anti-Defamation Chair