Urban Outfitters Offends Jews with T-Shirt Design Like the Yellow Star of David Holocaust Badge
American clothing retailer Urban Outfitters is facing criticism for selling a yellow T-shirt with a patch over the breast pocket that resembles the yellow Star of David that Jews were forced to wear by the Nazis. The badge was one of the most recognisable symbols of anti-Semitism during the Holocaust. A spokesman for Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust Memorial and Museum, said the design was "in bad taste," and especially with the recent commemorations for Holocaust Remembrance Day, the sale of the shirt provoked strong reactions among Israelis. The Anti-Defamation League sent an email to the CEO of Urban Outfitters which called the shirt "extremely distasteful and offensive." The civil rights group demanded the company stop selling the "Wood Wood Kellog Tee." The Danish-made T-shirt features a six-pointed star which is clearly similar to the Holocaust badges, and it can be found on urbanoutfitters.com for 100 USD. Urban Outfitters is no stranger to controversy, and it has been accused of offending African Americans, Mexicans, and the Irish, among others. In 2004, the ADL complained about another T-shirt which they said reinforced negative stereotypes about Jews and money. That shirt read "Everyone loves a Jewish girl" with images of dollar signs and hearts surrounding the phrase. The company subsequently discontinued that shirt, but Urban Outfitters has not yet responded to the ADL's most recent letter.
American clothing retailer Urban Outfitters is facing criticism for selling a yellow T-shirt with a patch over the breast pocket that resembles the yellow Star of David that Jews were forced to wear by the Nazis. The badge was one of the most recognisable symbols of anti-Semitism during the Holocaust. A spokesman for Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust Memorial and Museum, said the design was "in bad taste," and especially with the recent commemorations for Holocaust Remembrance Day, the sale of the shirt provoked strong reactions among Israelis. The Anti-Defamation League sent an email to the CEO of Urban Outfitters which called the shirt "extremely distasteful and offensive." The civil rights group demanded the company stop selling the "Wood Wood Kellog Tee." The Danish-made T-shirt features a six-pointed star which is clearly similar to the Holocaust badges, and it can be found on urbanoutfitters.com for 100 USD. Urban Outfitters is no stranger to controversy, and it has been accused of offending African Americans, Mexicans, and the Irish, among others. In 2004, the ADL complained about another T-shirt which they said reinforced negative stereotypes about Jews and money. That shirt read "Everyone loves a Jewish girl" with images of dollar signs and hearts surrounding the phrase. The company subsequently discontinued that shirt, but Urban Outfitters has not yet responded to the ADL's most recent letter.