Etsy ad for 'Garfield 9/11' shirt targets 9/11 victim's daughter
9/11-themed shirt on Etsy sparks outrage
A 9/11-themed T-shirt being sold on Etsy is sparking outrage—especially after it was promoted in targeted ads to people who lost loved ones in the September 11 attacks. FOX 5 NY’s Jodi Goldberg spoke with Amy Stabile, whose father was killed on 9/11, after she came across the ad online.
NEW YORK - Amy Stabile, who lost her father in the September 11 attacks, is speaking out against an Etsy ad featuring a controversial T-shirt design that she finds deeply offensive.
The shirt depicts the orange cartoon cat Garfield flying into his favorite food shaped like the Twin Towers.
Stabile, a Long Island resident, is now calling for stricter policies on items that trivialize tragic events.
‘Garfield 9/11’
What we know:
Stabile encountered the ad while scrolling through Facebook and was shocked by the design, which she feels makes light of the loss suffered by thousands on 9/11.
"When I saw Garfield, I didn't even understand how it goes together," she said. "There are so many things you could put on a T-shirt. Why this?"
Amy Stabile lost her dad, Herman Charles Broghammer, in the 9/11 attacks
The T-shirt is sold by NelliesNestStore, an Australian-based seller with shipments from North Carolina.
The seller, whose profile reads "Silly Merch for Silly Dudes," boasts a five-star rating and offers the Garfield 9/11 shirt in several colors and sizes.
FOX 5 NY has reached out, but the shop owner has not responded.
Etsy's response
Dig deeper:
Etsy's policy prohibits items that "promote, support or glorify hatred, those that promote, support or glorify violence," but a spokesperson told FOX 5 NY that humor is subjective.
While the platform does not plan to remove the items, the spokesperson said they're taking a closer look to make sure these shirts don't end up in ads.
Amy Stabile speaks with FOX 5 NY
Stabile is urging companies featured on Etsy sellers' 9/11-themed shirts - including McDonald's, Target and Nike - to stand against such products and create policies that prevent profiting from terrorism.
‘You feel so crushed’
What they're saying:
Stabile is calling for companies to take action and support families affected by 9/11, questioning the timing and proliferation of these shirts.
"Maybe it's time to start creating policies where this goes against your company policies," she told FOX 5 NY. "You're making money off terrorism."
She emphasizes the need for humanity and consideration in how businesses make money, urging them to stand up for the families impacted by the tragedy.
"You feel so crushed that someone, anyone, could think that the loss of these lives is funny," she said.
The Source: This article uses reporting from Jodi Goldberg's interview with