OT warning -Penzey's Spices Diatribe - OT warning

bettysnephew

I just received an email from Penzey's Spices regarding the presidential election and how hurt they are regarding Mr. Trumps election. Is it just my misunderstanding or have corporations now earned the right to vote and have somehow become sentient beings? Penzeys has good products and I have bought them for years but I personally don't give a hoot about their sexual preferences or who feels bad about what happened. Whether they like it or not, he IS their president for the next four years and they should at the least respect the office if not the man. Buck up people or risk losing customers! I respect free speech for individuals but feel granting it to a nonentity is going too far. Stepping off my soap box now. If this gets me banned, it's been nice knowing you folks but I cannot keep quiet about this, it absolutely infuriated me..

johnkitchens

There was a post about this a couple of weeks ago. Bill Penzey is D-bag in my opinion. He will never see any of my hard earned money. 

Photo Egg

The owner of a privately owned company can say whatever they want...just like Trump does. Lol

johnkitchens

Photo Egg said:

The owner of a privately owned company can say whatever they want...just like Trump does. Lol

He sure can at the risk of pissing off customers and leaving money on the table. Stupid move if you ask me. 

Skiddymarker

johnkitchens said:

Photo Egg said:

The owner of a privately owned company can say whatever they want...just like Trump does. Lol

He sure can at the risk of pissing off customers and leaving money on the table. Stupid move if you ask me. 

Well I guess that's the issue. In Penzey's latest message, they claim some sales are up and he has received some nasty emails based on the first go around. Bottom line, I think current results, the way he sees them, have strengthened his resolve. 
Saw an article regarding a place in Texas somewhere. That refused to serve anyone with neck or facial ink. I've heard the phrase no shirt, no shoes, no service - but facial ink?
Do not understand some businesses. 

johnkitchens

He has the "right" to do what he wants. His business. His call. I for one am glad he did it. I may have accidentally purchased from him prior to him letting me know how he feels. Now I will never be a customer. 

GATraveller

And you know how "racist" we'd all be, as business owners,  if we'd sent out a letter saying how regrettable it was that Obama was elected?!?! 

NPHuskerFL

That's the beauty of a privately owned business.  He can do and say what he likes.  It may piss some folks off (possibly even  shareholders).  Clearly he feels strongly enough about it that he assumed that risk.  Maybe he is a DB but, he's passionate about his position and has made that abundantly clear.  I think @johnincarolina personally made their sales numbers increase after the email But, I've personally never bought any of their products in the past so....

stlcharcoal

I am all for speaking you mind and standing up for what you believe in, but using your company / brand to INSULT, ACCUSE, SHAME a group of people is downright wrong.  I really feel sorry for his employees, as they are the ones that have to field all those hate emails, irate [former] customers, etc that he says he got.  I can't imagine the second store here in STL stays open--not in that very nice part of town.

Thing is, he could have just supported his causes, bragged about it, and that's it.  He didn't have to go on the attack.  Rather than telling all the Republicans to hit the unsubscribe button, he could have just continued to take their money then laugh when he donated it to the ALCU, DNC, or whatever he wanted.

BTW, don't ask me what I spend and donate the RW money on--I'm not tellin!!  Ok, I will.  It feeds my four kids, gets donated to a lot of good charities, and gets reinvested in the company.  I don't want lose any of you based off my views or yours.....if your money is green, I love ya!

Photo Egg

johnkitchens said:

Photo Egg said:

The owner of a privately owned company can say whatever they want...just like Trump does. Lol

He sure can at the risk of pissing off customers and leaving money on the table. Stupid move if you ask me. 

I agree, very stupid. But he has enough money that he does not care.
I just feel bad for anyone that works for his company that is fired or laid off from dropping sales. 

Dobie

Hungry Joe

Get over it.

bgebrent

Old news.  Let's make America Great Again.

bettysnephew

Hungry Joe said:

Get over it.

I have, I no longer do any business with him. He is going to have a lot harder time getting over having a heterosexual white male (his words in the letter) leading this country for the next four or eight years.

jtcBoynton

bettysnephew said:

.... Is it just my misunderstanding or have corporations now earned the right to vote and have somehow become sentient beings? ...

It won't be long.  The Supreme Court has pretty much said they have all the rights a person has with some of their recent rulings. It will be interesting to see how many votes a corporation gets.

Cookinbob

He clearly stated that he does not want customers who don't think like him.  I unsubscribed from his emails and will no longer be purchasing there.  Besides that he features crappy cooks in his catalogs and cookbook.

Acn

All I can muster.

Eggcelsior

Cookinbob said:

He clearly stated that he does not want customers who don't think like him.  I unsubscribed from his emails and will no longer be purchasing there.  Besides that he features crappy cooks in his catalogs and cookbook.

Hey! Don't be mean to Midwestern grandmas!

blasting

Any business, actor, or tv show that attempts to ram their political opinion down my throat is on my boycott list.  That goes for the left or right.   @stlcharcoal has a good outlook above.

JohnInCarolina

There is some irony here about complaining over folks expressing their political opinion in a context one doesn't expect to see them.

Admittedly we have a lot of this kind of stuff going on this year.  Folks are boycotting Home Depot or Target or Kellogg's cereals or Broadway shows based on political statements someone with the organization made.  It's not healthy IMO.  All we're accomplishing is to strengthen our respective bubbles.

fishlessman

could really care less what his political views are is everyone living in a bubble or is it just me its just so horrifying isnt it

YukonRon

Boycotts really work for bubble structural integrity. So does using foil lined stainless steel bowl for hats.
Or vanilla beans to flavor bourbon. 
Pick your battles.

Chef_Hobo

It's probably a ploy to drive up sales.  Worked for Chick-Fil-A on the opposite end.  I enjoy both products (Chick-Fil-A and Penzey's) and will continue to enjoy both because I don't let petty politics influence my decisions.

fishlessman

JohnInCarolina said:

There is some irony here about complaining over folks expressing their political opinion in a context one doesn't expect to see them.

Admittedly we have a lot of this kind of stuff going on this year.  Folks are boycotting Home Depot or Target or Kellogg's cereals or Broadway shows based on political statements someone with the organization made.  It's not healthy IMO.  All we're accomplishing is to strengthen our respective bubbles.

i find the bubbles interesting some make no sense to me whatsoever

JustineCaseyFeldown

i remember chick-fil-a had a little PR issue too.  people thought it was odd to boycott them for simply airing their own views.

if a privately held business wants to preach (lib or con), it's up to them. let the chips fall where they may.

GATraveller

Kudos for having the cajones to stand up for what you believe in by drawing a line in the sand.  I have no issue with that whatsoever.  Like @johnkitchens said - now I know and can make my choice as a consumer to support his company (or not).

stlcharcoal

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

i remember chick-fil-a had a little PR issue too.  people thought it was odd to boycott them for simply airing their own views.

if a privately held business wants to preach (lib or con), it's up to them. let the chips fall where they may.

The thing was, it wasn't the company's rules--it was the owners religion.  They never said "Our Company.....", it was a quote from one of the Cathy family members about their religion's beliefs that set everything off.  The company is not refusing to serve anyone, refusing to employ anyone, etc.  Owners are strict Southern Baptists, and give a lot of their money to their chosen religion's charities.  Their money come from Chik-fil-A obviously, so I suppose you could say Chik-fil-A funds it.  My four kids go to private school affiliated with a religion, doesn't make RW a "hater".  We're in a crappy public school district and my wife & I wanted them to go through the same education we did.....that's all. 

YukonRon

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

i remember chick-fil-a had a little PR issue too.  people thought it was odd to boycott them for simply airing their own views.

if a privately held business wants to preach (lib or con), it's up to them. let the chips fall where they may.

Airing is one thing, actively investing in the pursuit of their demise is another.
Either way, they do not agree with my views, therefore, they are always wrong. Whatevs.

caliking

johnkitchens said:

He has the "right" to do what he wants. His business. His call. I for one am glad he did it. I may have accidentally purchased from him prior to him letting me know how he feels. Now I will never be a customer. 

That's an odd strategy. Do you know the political or other views of the owner of every gas station you buy gas from, for instance?

stlcharcoal

caliking said:

johnkitchens said:

He has the "right" to do what he wants. His business. His call. I for one am glad he did it. I may have accidentally purchased from him prior to him letting me know how he feels. Now I will never be a customer. 

That's an odd strategy. Do you know the political or other views of the owner of every gas station you buy gas from, for instance?

Nobody does that, but let's say that gas station owner very publicly said "If YOU did X, you are a Y, and I don't want Y's shopping at my store!!!!"  You don't know the guy, he doesn't know you, but he just incorrectly profiled (and thus insulted your integrity and values) then hell yeah you would stop shopping there.  

You can have whatever political, religious, etc views and customers never are the wiser--and even if they are, most don't care.  You attack then and tell them to spend their money elsewhere, then buckle up for the counterattack.

Thread is sinking by the way...........
 

DaveRichardson

stlcharcoal said:

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

i remember chick-fil-a had a little PR issue too.  people thought it was odd to boycott them for simply airing their own views.

if a privately held business wants to preach (lib or con), it's up to them. let the chips fall where they may.

The thing was, it wasn't the company's rules--it was the owners religion.  They never said "Our Company.....", it was a quote from one of the Cathy family members about their religion's beliefs that set everything off.  The company is not refusing to serve anyone, refusing to employ anyone, etc.  Owners are strict Southern Baptists, and give a lot of their money to their chosen religion's charities.  Their money come from Chik-fil-A obviously, so I suppose you could say Chik-fil-A funds it.  My four kids go to private school affiliated with a religion, doesn't make RW a "hater".  We're in a crappy public school district and my wife & I wanted them to go through the same education we did.....that's all. 

Right there with ya, Jonathan.  The Cathy family are good friends.  The statement was made at a religious event and some weasel reported asked about gay marriage.  What the hell kinda answer did he think he was going to get at a Southern Baptist convention?

I think the Penzy's thing works perfectly for me since I'm about to buy a good deal of spices for (gasp) my church for a function I'm cooking at.  Nothing astronomical, but maybe 900 hundred bucks worth.  The local store 5 minutes from my office here in Atlanta was going to love me for it.  Their loss.

Same with the schools situation.  I still pay my taxes to the county for schools, but out district sucks monkey nuts.  Something about the neighboring country's schools losing accreditation and all the family fleeing their county and moving into any structure they could in my county.