
Article content
A shirt that appears to be making light of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 has sparked outrage with one woman who lost her father that fateful day.
Advertisement 2
Article content
Article content
Article content
Amy Stabile, whose dad was killed in the 2001 tragedy, was scrolling through Facebook when the Etsy ad for the tasteless shirt appeared.
It features the cartoon cat Garfield shaped like a plane flying toward what appear to be two trays of lasagna on their sides — resembling the Twin Towers.
The caption alongside the graphic reads: “9/11? Yeah! I’ll take 911… orders of lasagna!
“I just couldn’t believe my eyes,” Stabile told WNYW. “When I saw Garfield — I didn’t even understand how it goes together.”
She continued: “There are so many things you could put on a T-shirt. Why this? You feel so crushed that someone, anyone, could think that the loss of these lives is funny.”
The Etsy ad that appeared on Stabile’s feed was sold by NelliesNestStore, an Australian-based seller with shipments from North Carolina.
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
The store, whose profile reads “Silly Merch for Silly Dudes” and boasts a five-star rating, has since pulled the shirts from its store, People reported.
However, a quick search on Etsy for a “Garfield 9/11 shirt” pulled up at least three other stores selling the same graphic tee — with the design from one seller showing two actual buildings instead of lasagna, which makes even less sense.
Etsy’s policy prohibits items that “promote, support or glorify hatred, those that promote support or glorify violence,” according to their website, but a spokesperson told the outlet that humour is subjective.
The spokesperson added that they do not plan to remove the items, but will work toward ensuring the shirts don’t show up in ads.
Advertisement 4
Article content
But that’s not enough for Stabile, who believes the online marketplace should have stricter content policies.
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
“Maybe it’s time to start creating policies where this goes against your company policies,” she said.
“You’re making money [off] terrorism,” she continued. “Where are these companies? Stand up for the families of 9/11 and do something about this.”
Stabile’s dad, Herman Broghammer, had been attending a meeting on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center’s south tower when he died, according to his obituary.
Stabile added: “At some point you want to say, ‘Have some humanity and think about how you’re making your money.”
Recommended from Editorial
-
A timeline of what happened on Sept. 11, 2001
-
HUNTER: When will Canada emerge from its smug 9/11 terror slumber?
-
WARMINGTON: City of Toronto pulls controversial vaccination ad campaign within hours
Article content