This morning I went into my local W H Smith book store, part of a publicly quoted company.
So angry was I, that I tried to contact the company's corporate website, but to no avail, these executives hide behind layers of departments designed to deflect customer dissatisfaction.
Not deterred, I sent an open letter to The Daily Mail newspaper, the text of which follows:
Stephen Clarke
Managing Director
WH Smith plc
Dear Mr Clarke,
I had occasion to go into your store in Alnwick today. In the course of my browsing for Christmas presents, I came across, what purports to be a game for all the family, during the festive season.
It goes by the name of Pass the Bomb!
What kind of crass idiot do you employ, who considers this to be a good idea, when people and soldiers around the world are being mutilated and killed by such devices.
Since it appears impossible to e.mail you direct, I am using this conduit to contact you.
At the very least I would suggest that you remove this product from sale and issue a statement apologising to families who have suffered the effects of bomb attacks.
Yours sincerely
Simon Holmes
http://wwwrainbowbank.blogspot.com
I would ask you all to express your indignation at a company that sees fit to make profit from such a product.
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Some people just don't consider other.
ReplyDeleteI'm alright Jack seems to be the way too many minds work in todays world.
But maybe it didn't mean bomb like an exploding bomb? Maybe it meant something like...another kind of a bomb...I don't know! Of course, its very inappropriate nonetheless, for the holidays! But you know, too many people are just plain inappropriate these days! Pff!
ReplyDeleteSimon,
ReplyDeleteI am certain that you check the game at length before writing anyone. This type of game is inappropriate at any time. We live in troubled times and Donald is right, however it seems that the world is out to "sell" at any cost. This cost being the spreading of war in the minds of our young people. It is our commercial world. Regards, A.J.
Simon,
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is definitely not a product for today. Yet have you seen the video games that are being sold to our teens? In the US they have ads of these on TV and they are so lifelike they could be videos of real battles. I wouldn't be surprised if they are taken from real battles. Is this right in a country where soldiers are dying every day?
I am against violence and war and selling war happens to be how it is propagated. This has gone on for centuries in one way or another. But at least today we have a chance to stop it. Good for you for writing to the CEO. I hope that the letter does reach him. I'm sure, though that he will not change anything at all. I would love to know how this progresses. But don't stop with one letter. You need to blanket the company and also create an economic hardship. Are you boycotting the shops? Or you could picket them or send a petition signed by a significant amount of people. If you are serious you have to continue. If not, at least you have expressed your indignation.
The operating morality is: Will it sell? Every other concern is insignificant or irrelevant.
ReplyDelete