Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 16, 1990 TAG: 9003162049
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LARRY McSHANE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
Several organizations and individuals want a boycott of Recycled Paper Products, whose March 17 offerings included cards that show a drunk inside a bottle marked "Irish Whiskey" and a naked woman with a shamrock across her buttocks.
"I'm all for the First Amendment, but this stuff goes way over the top," said Niall O'Dowd, publisher of the weekly newspaper Irish Voice. "I don't mind some of the things - they're done in reasonable fun - but this . . . " The newspaper encouraged its readers to call or write in protest to Recycled. An Irish radio personality, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and other Irish groups called for a boycott of the company and stores selling the cards.
The company said it was aware of the complaints and might remove some of the cards before next year, but such talk failed to appease angry Irish-Americans.
"I was totally revolted, just revolted beyond belief" after seeing some of the cards, said Adrian Flannelly, whose radio show claims 1.2 million New York City-area listeners each weekend.
While greeting cards may seem like a small thing, the money they make could raise Irish eyebrows. St. Patrick's Day is the ninth most popular holiday for exchanging cards and the industry estimates that 20 million go back and forth.
Recycled is well aware of this; executive secretary Karen Thompson says her company is just catering to the marketplace. "We have different types because people want different types. . . . At no time did we want to offend anybody or pick on any groups."
But such talk didn't calm Nick Murphy, one of 250,000 members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. "A lot of people look upon St. Patrick's Day as a religious holiday," he said.
It's not the first time the company has been attacked for its St. Patrick's Day cards. Last year, the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations gave Recycled a "Golden Pit" award for a card illustrated with a vomiting bishop, and the card was discontinued.
The Irish groups hope the same happens to the rest of the offending cards. "We'll definitely be using the airwaves to make sure nobody buys anything from these people," said Flannelly.
by CNB