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Borders Books carries offensive products
produced by David
and Goliath. The two journals read "Boys
are Smelly" and "Chics Rule! Boys Drool." See
Borders
Gets on David & Goliath
Bandwagon.
Our Request
- February 17, 2004
Their Response -
March 16, 2004
Our Thank You - March
28, 2004
Final Request - March
28, 2004
Our Request
Here's what we snail-mailed and faxed to their CEO.
We'll let you know if and when we get a
response.
February 17, 2004
Ms. Tami Heim, CEO
Borders Group, Inc.
100 Phoenix Dr.
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Re: "Boys are Smelly" and "Chics Rule, Boys
Drool" Journals Your Bookstore's Carry
Dear Ms. Heim:
First of all, let me say how much we appreciate
the fact that your corporation thought enough about
men to have a separate "men's studies" section in
every Borders bookstore we've been in. For years,
we have promoted this fact on our web site and
actually spoken against Barnes & Noble for not
having such a section and not even wanting to
consider the possibility. (We have listed your
bookstores at
www.menstuff.org/bookstores/bookstores.html, which
is a listing of bookstores in the U.S. that have a
separate men's section.) While still a small part
of the total book market, directing men to a
section that (1) Does not make him stand in front
of a "self-help" section "asking for help", and (2)
Putting positive books that men might like to read
in one section instead of basically hiding them in
a section with all of the anti-male books like "Why
Men Don't Commit", etc.
We would like to point out, however, that you
are carrying a couple of Journals in your "All
Other" section, produced by David & Goliath,
for preteen and teenage girls that are demeaning to
boys and start girls off on the wrong foot with
boys at a time when both sexes are struggling to
understand the other in a positive light. I'm sure
there would be no question in your mind that if
these journals said "Girls are Smelly" and "Guys
Rule! Chics Drool" they wouldn't have made it on
the purchase order.
The basic direction of the David and Goliath
corporation (See the opening cartoon on their home
page at www.davidandgoliathtees.com.) produce a
number of items, some much more disparaging than
what you carry. "Boys are Stupid, Throw Rocks at
Them", "Stupid Factory, Where Boys are Made", and
others. We have been successful in removing them
from over 3,000 Claire's outlets across the U.S.
and we would like to inform those who visit our web
site at www.menstuff.org (over 60,000 hits a day)
that your chain no longer supports these kinds of
messages. We hope you agree with us and will let us
know, at your earliest convenience the action you
plan to take and we will report this to our
visitors.
Yours in continued growth,
Gordon Clay, Executive Director
Their Response
While many people got involved with the initial
campaign to remove offensive David
& Goliath products from retailer's
shelves, no one joined us, to our knowledge, to
address the issue with Border's Books. And,
according to the corporate office, we were the only
one, including all of their customers, to complain.
Just goes to show the power of one. Remember this
the next time you think that something is wrong.
Send a letter and see what happens. So, here is
their response. Click here
for a scan of the original document.
March 16, 2004
Dear Mr. Clay:
Thank you for your inquiry regarding a line of
journals produced by Daivd & Goliath sold
at Borders Books & Music stores.
While the journals have sold well and we have
yet to receive complaints from our customers about
them, the negative nature of their message has led
our gifts and stationery merchandising staff to
determine they will not reorder stock of these
products. The existing stock on our shelves will be
sold through.
If you should have any other questions regarding
this product and our stores, please don't hesitate
to contact me.
Jenie Dahlmann
Manager, Public Relations
Brokers Group, Inc.
jdahlman@bordersgroupinc.com
734.477.1665
Our Thank You
Dear Ms. Dahlmann:
While we would have hoped that Borders would not
continue to sell the two offensive David &
Goliath journals, we do appreciate the fact that
(1) Borders will no longer carry the item after
stocks have been depleted, and (2) that, because of
this, the gifts and stationary merchandising staff
will be more sensitive when similar products are
presented by manufacturers. We also appreciate
Borders taking this action even though we were the
only customer, to your knowledge, who complained at
any of your 400+ Borders retail outlets.
Yours in continued growth,
Gordon Clay, Executive Director
Final Request
Take a minute and thank thepeople at Borders for
acting to remove negative interactions between boys
and girls without having an onslaught of complaints
to force their hand. We appreciate it. We believe
fathers everywhere appreciate it, and we feel it is
one more step to bring the sexes together rather
than continuing to find ways to keep us separate.
After you send Borders a thank you, check out the
most
recent action we are asking you to consider and
"Take Action!"- Gordon Clay
Related Actions: Rotten
Cotton and Future
Wife Beater T-shirts plus
David
& Goliath and It's
Happy Bunny items and Flatline
stickers
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