My response is below. Not very tactful, but my dander is up, as the Lorax
said.
***
I just read the article in the L.A. Times about your rude and illegal
policies against breastfeeding mothers and babies, and I am totally SHOCKED.
I have spent thousands of dollars in your Columbus (OH) stores. If I had
ever known this I would not have given you a dime. I can assure you I will
never set foot in your stores again for any reason.
Good heavens, what is wrong with you people? Do you realize that the
magazines on your shelves show more skin than a breastfeeding mother (who
generally shows none, and who is using her breasts in the intended purpose,
rather than to sell things)? Ironically, about two years ago, I remember
asking one of your employees if they needed to have a particular
international magazine (which showed a woman nude from the waist up) on the
display stand by the front door. He told me no one else had complained. I
asked him if he would mention to the manager that he (are they all male?)
might want to move it back on the regular magazine racks. The magazine
stayed on the display rack by the door. I didn't really care about it and
didn't pursue the complaint further, but the juxtaposition between the two
events is certainly telling.
You understand, do you not, that you are discriminating against women and
against babies who are lucky enough to get their nutrition through
breastmilk? Are bottle-feeding mothers asked to feed their babies in the
restroom? What if someone complained, saying that bottles offended them
because of the millions of taxpayer dollars spent on WIC formula subsidies
and higher medical bills for sicker formula-fed babies?
Hmm, if you're throwing innocent babies out, who's next? What about the
woman with body odor -- if I complain, will you ask her to leave? What about
that fat man over there? The woman with the short shorts? And what if I
don't happen to like children at all, especially those who make noise --
will you ask them to leave?
I cannot believe, either, that once the actions of the Glendale employees
were exposed, your spokesperson actually defended them and revealed that
this was indeed company policy. Let me just say: THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONESTY!
I'm so glad that I know not to give my business to a bunch of bigots.
Amazon.com and B&N, here I come, with money and a voracious appetite for
books. I'll have to make a point to write to those companies and see if they
have obnoxious anti-women and anti-child policies, and (if they don't --
which is a safe assumption in this day and age!) let them know they should
advertise their openness to all customers. I will do my part to help them.
Sincerely,
Janice Berry, Westerville, OH

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