In the ever-so-quickly changing news scape, I have been trying to get my blogs updated. But doing so has been like trying to cross a bustling, downtown, 4 lane road with a laundry basket on your hip and a toddler in tow. Each opportunity I've had to sit here and communicate some truths to you, I get a few lines down, go refill my coffee...and upon return there is yet something more. Something different. Something that demands attention. And, of course, something that I must check out before I spout it. <sigh> Truth is, I began another article the other night, connecting some of the dots with the child trafficking busts and personal experiences of my own. Then, as noted, I took a moment to check my Telegram and what I discovered sent me through the roof! One of my favorite companies joined the political bully band wagon against My Pillow. Chewy on this with me for a bit, because I'm not so sure folks understand how dangerous this is.
Choke on First Bite
For purposes of this article, I really do not care what your political affiliations are. I truly don't care, for what we have going on right now in this once great Nation is more detrimental than ideological and political disagreements. What we have occurring daily... Get that? DAILY. What is consuming our Nation daily is the plain fact of conditioning us to never disagree with the popular notions of the time. Are you with me here? Our First Amendment Right... Screw that. Our God-given right of free thought and resulting free speech is being crushed to smithereens as I write this. At the end of this article I will share direct contact I had with one of my favorite companies--who just added themselves to the list--on this very topic.
Anyone paying attention lately knows about such things as Amazon shutting down Parler's servers. The multi-billion dollar corporation just killed a small business quite literally with the flick of a switch. Why? Because, after President Trump was banned from Twitter, many freedom-loving folks flocked to Parler. There, we could post ad-nausiun about whatever with no apprehension of nazi-corporate retaliation. That was a huge splintered bone to choke down. Not really because I had any affinity for Twitter, per say. More so due to the fact that I was under the delusion that we live in a country where we are free to speak our minds and not be punished for doing so. I was silly enough to believe our small businesses were able to provide unbiased services for their customers without fear of being obliterated by another company upon which they are dependent.
Silly, silly me.
Now, I fully understand and have been aware for some time that this shit happens. One look at how small businesses have been attacked for, say, refusing to make cakes for a homosexual "wedding" is enough to see the tsunami rising. My point is, I really did not see it getting this far. I truly did not imagine that a larger business (who is under contract, btw) such as Amazon would attack a smaller business, like Parler, simply because consumers flooded over. Well, maybe it's not that simple. It seems clear, to me at least, that had those folks flocked to Parler in reaction to, say, Biden getting booted from Twitter, Amazon would have supported that. And this is the splintered bone that is choking the life out of liberty. Our liberty.
And these bully business tactics are being added to, daily.
An interesting side note: After making a purchase at My Pillow (dog pillows!! I'm so excited!!), I almost instantly received a stack of spam from Wayfair and Fingerhut (who are on the list above). lmho. Talk about desperate!!
Chew at Own Risk
Hopefully folks can see a clear difference with what's going on here. On one hand, we had individual consumers bringing suits against a private businesses because they feel wronged in some way. On the other hand, we now have corporations and larger businesses dropping, banning, blocking and shaming smaller businesses simply for the expressed views of one or more of owners and/or their customers. On both sides here we have degrees of insanity. But the latter is quite more dangerous for it bears out on the National stage overall. Just like bullies in middle school, they show everyone what will be done to you if you dare to be anything but submissive to the status quo. These bullies show everyone this by the utter destruction of one or two primary targets.
These detestable tactics are being played out on the stage at Capitol Hill this week in the Senate. These tactics of destruction are being played out on the National stage of corporate business. We see it with the Gamestop fiasco that ticked off Wall Street manipulators. Last year idiots tried to boycott Goya foods, which hysterically backfired. We see it with Facebook nazis, that escalated from last year to present. Lawyers are being targeted for disbarment, simply because they expressed an opinion. The list of businesses dropping My Pillow products grows daily. Senators' and Congressmen's families have been harassed, they and their homes attacked. Last election season I talked with neighbors who were even afraid to put signs in their yards for fear of being attacked. And even though the lame-stream media... Oops. Main-stream media isn't covering it, riots are still going on in various parts of our Country.
Can you see how these bullying tactics are no different from each other? These detestable, destructive tactics are all--ALL--in direct response to someone expressing an opinion different from the status quo. Period. Don't be stupid enough to believe you are immune to these bastards. They will come after you, too.
It used to be that free thought and engaging shared opinions was welcomed, encouraged, in this Country. Especially on the public stage. Now, such exercising such freedom is so risky that only the bastardly bullies share openly. Heck, I was on a new social media platform called Nextdoor and simply posted a few links to my blogs. Mind you, I posted links to my blogs. Hence, driving the conversation away from the platform to my websites. (Which is my only use for so-called social media.) Folks--bastard bullies--took it upon themselves to instigate confrontation on Nextdoor, to which I did not oblige. (Why argue with idiots?) Within hours of their instigation, Nextdoor had taken down all my posts.
Shit Lists
I know, I know. My language is a bit unsavory in this post. But understand this, there are some things in life that need to be called simply for what it is. And truly, if you look up the meanings to these words they are not as guttural as they seem. Bastards that bully are shit and fit the definitions quite well. I don't care whether that bastard is a teenager beating up on a smaller kid or a corporation using its position to destroy a smaller business. They're equally shit. Thus, we have a daily growing Shit List. The only thing we--consumers--need to do is decide what we are going to do about the shits. Clean it out? Or let it stink us out?
As consumers, I fear we have forgotten the power we hold. One very simple principal can put the bullies in their places. Without us, they lose business.
Weeks ago I closed my Amazon Prime membership. Truth be told, I did let the rest of the month, for which I already paid, play out. Though I am still trying to figure out how to get them to remove all my info and close my account entirely, I will no longer use them or refer others to their services. I do not do business with bastard bullies.
Amazon was a tough one to close, mainly because I can be quite lazy. But I did it because I believe I am responsible to do my part in every aspect of my life to combat the destruction of our Nation. Bastard bully tactics destroy free thought and speech. Thus, they destroy our Nation.
Bed, Bath and Beyond I used to love, but I will never shop there again. Kohl's and others similar, I can confidently stand my ground against. The one that truly breaks my heart is Chewy.com. Loyal customer for almost four years there and I'm almost feeling like I'm going through a divorce. When I found out that Chewy.com added themselves to the list of those banning My Pillow products it enraged me! I couldn't believe it! My pups and I were so upset! So, I sent them an email, hoping they would tell me that was untrue. Some mishap. Something! What they responded was far worse.
Blessings. I just heard that your company added itself to the list that have dropped My Pillow products? I certainly hope that is not true because I absolutely LOVE Chewy (as do my dogs) and through my website (apupstop.com) I have driven lots of folks to shopping with you. It would greatly sadden me to have to drop you folks because you feel the need to punish a great man and his business for political bs. I am way past tired of how too many can't seem to keep their political statements OUT of their services. Doing so hurts way more than the intended target. Bully a guy by weaponizing business practices ends up bullying *your* patrons as well. So, I really hope that was just a type-o or mistake and that you are not on that list. I would really hate to have to broadcast to my readers that I had to change my mind about Chewy.
Their rather prompt dodge #1...
Hi there C,
We greatly appreciate hearing from our customers and always welcome your thoughts. We strive to focus our services on the health and happiness of all pets and have no political affiliations. Please reach out if there's anything we can do for you or your pet in the future.
Warm regards,
Dannette M., Customer Service, Chewy
So, then I had to ask again...
Thanx so much for your prompt reply, but you still did not answer my question. Did Chewy drop My Pillow products from your online stores?
Their 2nd prompt dodge...
Hi there C,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We aren't able to provide that information, but will gladly share your message with the appropriate contact. We appreciate you reaching out. (emphasis, mine)
Warm regards,
Harley V., Customer Service, Chewy
Because I hate to be jerked around, I wrote them back, respectfully pointing out the fact that it was a simple question, deserving a simple response. I let them know that if they did not answer my question, I would be left to assume the affirmative and would act accordingly. My last correspondence to them was at 3:37 pm EST. I have yet to hear back.
To Coin a Phrase...
In closing, I believe the phrase, recently made quite popular, is quite appropriate here.
We must fight like Heaven! for our Country
..."peacefully", of course ;) Rise up. Pay attention and make those Shit Lists. Call, write to them and let them know you will not patronize bastard bully tactics. Tell your neighbors. Do not let the bastard bully bandwagon roll any farther!
No part is too small to be insignificant. Look at the vast, beautiful beaches--made of many, tiny grains. We got this!
