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by Anonymous User on 08:12 PM September 28th, 2005 EST (#1)
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Q: How do you fix a broken chimp?
A: With a MONKEY WRENCH!
HAHAHAHAHAHA...
Q: How do porcupines communicate?
A: By using SPINE LANGUAGE!
HA! HA! HA!
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by johnnyp on 09:23 PM September 28th, 2005 EST (#2)
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by mens_issues on 10:08 AM September 29th, 2005 EST (#3)
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To the customer service representative for Target,
I had decided to do some shopping this week at a local Target in order to purchase a few food items. I have bought many clothing and food items at Target over the past several years and appreciate the quality and value of your products.
While I was in the store I noticed that there was a packet of Carlton Cards collectible magnets in the greeting card rack. One was titled "Men - you can't live with 'em." Here is what was on these magnets:
-If his lips are moving he's lying, honey.
-Women are from Venus, men are disgusting pigs.
-If he wants a clean house he can go live with his mommy.
-Speak slowly - there are men in the room.
-Men only want one thing - well two things - I forgot about the remote.
-I suffer from PMS - Pathetic Men Syndrome.
Now, I'm all for humor if it's done in an appropriate way, but these magnets are unacceptable as they are demeaning to men as a group. The reverse (magnets mocking women) wouldn't have been acceptable, so why should this be? The same would be true if these magnets stereotyped other racial or ethnic groups.
I have become concerned with the acceptance of male-bashing (literally and figuratively) in the media, and magnets like this don't help. Furthermore, many people like me have been posting complaints about such offensive items in numerous men's issues groups online, which are viewed by thousands of people each day.
I realize that you have learned to market to a largely female customer base, but you need to realize that men are also a significant part of that base as well. Therefore, I urge you to remove these magnets before I shop at your store again.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I await your response.
Sincerely,
Steven G. Van Valkenburg
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My complaint:
Greetings,
I am a long time customer whom drives farther to go to the local Target store than I would were I to go to Walmart or Kmart in the local area.
I like your customer service, the cleanliness and style of interior design and to be frank, the typically more refined customers than I find at other department stores - specifically the 2 local super Walmarts.
I do, unfortunately, have a complaint though. I have recently been informed of Target carrying the anti-male Carlton Cards collectible magnets collection, that have statements on them which when replaced with a race or sex become completely unacceptable on the same level as peddling Neo-Nazi items.
Below are some of what these collectable magnets state.
-If his lips are moving he's lying, honey.
-Women are from Venus, men are disgusting pigs.
-If he wants a clean house he can go live with his mommy.
-Speak slowly - there are men in the room.
-Men only want one thing - well two things - I forgot about the remote.
-I suffer from PMS - Pathetic Men Syndrome.
I sincerely doubt you have a female bashing section of the collectable magnets? I find this entire line of merchandise to be degrading.
In short, if you are going to cater to the type of person whom would think this male bashing "humor" is acceptable then I see no reason not to go to JC Penny's right down the road for my future purchases.
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by Anonymous User on 10:59 AM September 29th, 2005 EST (#5)
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Dear Sirs,
I find your current store policies repugnant.
It is very unfortunate that you seem to endorse and promote anti-male propoganda. I find your support and promotion of Carlton Cards collectible magnets vile, disgusting, sexist, racist, and downright mean spirited.
You are currently marketing and endorsing the following sexist statements as provided by Carlton Cards:
-If his lips are moving he's lying, honey.
-Women are from Venus, men are disgusting pigs.
-If he wants a clean house he can go live with his mommy.
-Speak slowly - there are men in the room.
-Men only want one thing - well two things - I forgot about the remote.
-I suffer from PMS - Pathetic Men Syndrome.
Please know that I and my family and the families of many other tax paying, hardworking, family supporting MEN are NOT going to purchase anything from your stores until you:
1) Remove Carlton Cards and their collectible magnets
2) Provide a public apology to the tax paying, hardworking, family supporting MEN
Target will stand to lose business until this wrong is corrected!!! Freedom in America is the right and obligation of all citizens to be free of racist and sexist statements and be vigilant against the bias this breeds in the minds of our children.
Very Sincerely,
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by ArtflDgr on 10:35 AM September 30th, 2005 EST (#12)
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you guys are forgetting to add one thing.
that your wife is also offended and that you both have decided not to patronize the store if this kind of thing is allowed.
i buy lots of things at Target, so your X amount magnets will cost you the hundreds that i spend each and every year.
thank you for your previous service, i think somebody else wants my money more than someone who things hate speach toward me is funny.
would such things be ok if you replace man with jew?
-If a jews lips are moving he's lying, honey.
-christians are from Venus, jews are disgusting pigs.
-If a jew wants a clean house he can go live with his mommy.
-Speak slowly - there are jews in the room.
-jews only want one thing - well two things - I forgot about the remote.
-I suffer from PMS - Pathetic Menonite Syndrome.
these magnets are also sold at walmart and other chains.
either remove them, or add some that I can put on my fridge
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by Boy Genteel on 12:26 PM September 29th, 2005 EST (#6)
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...does anyone know of a card company that DOESN'T engage in sexist "humor" in their products? I was buying Gibson cards for a while, but my local supermarket stopped carrying them.
bg
Men are from EARTH. Women are from EARTH. Deal with it.
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by mens_issues on 04:03 PM September 29th, 2005 EST (#7)
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Well, I just got back from the local car wash, and discovered that they had a very offensive Leanin' Tree card in in their greeting card rack.
The card says in big letters "Chicks Rule," and beneath this there is a stick figure of a female punching a male's head off. She says "It's not like he was using it." On the inside the card says "Boys may come and go. But a good friend is forever!"
I noticed another anti-male Leanin' Tree greeting card at the same car wash several months ago. It wasn't there this time. I posted something about that at the time as well, but neglected to contact the car wash at the time about it.
Not this time.
It's too bad, because the car wash provides a good service otherwise. I even gave a couple of dollars as a tip to the guy who wiped down the car at the end because there were a lot of bugs on the front of the car from a long road trip that I just returned from. It's not his fault that they sell stupid anti-male cards like this.
It looks like I"ll have to write a letter to the car wash this time, as well as a hot note to Leanin' Tree.
Steve
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by mens_issues on 05:36 PM September 29th, 2005 EST (#8)
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My letter to the car wash:
To the customer service representative,
Today I decided get my car washed at your business. I was generally satisfied with the experience, except for one thing - a greeting card by Leanin’ Tree.
The card says in big letters “Chicks Rule,” and beneath this there is a stick figure of a female punching a male’s head off. She says “It’s not like he was using it.” On the inside the card says “Boys may come and go. But a good friend is forever!”
Now, I'm all for humor if it's done in an appropriate way, but this card is unacceptable as it gives the impression that it's OK for a girl to hit a boy simply because she feels like it. The reverse (a boy hitting a girl) wouldn't have been acceptable, so why should this be? Domestic violence is a serious concern in the United States, and statistics show that men are as likely to be assaulted by their partners as they are to assault their partners (though women are more likely to be injured and to report such injuries to the police).
There was another anti-male Leanin’ Tree greeting card at your car wash last year. It said “Men have often been compared to dogs, pigs and jackasses. But I just don’t think that’s fair.” On the inside it said “Why pick on dogs, pigs and jackasses?” I neglected to contact you at the time about it thinking it was an isolated occurrence, and that card wasn’t there this time anyway.
This letter is not intended to denigrate your car wash in general, because it provides a good service otherwise. I even gave a couple of dollars as a tip to the man who wiped down the car at the end because there were a lot of bugs on the front of the car from a long road trip that I just returned from. After all, it wasn’t his fault that anti-male cards like this are sold where he works.
I have become concerned with the acceptance of male-bashing (literally and figuratively) in the media, and cards like this don't help. Furthermore, many people like me have been posting complaints about such offensive merchandise in numerous men's issues groups online, which are viewed by thousands of people each day.
It is suggested that you remove this card and any others that are derogatory to men and boys as a group.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Steven G. Van Valkenburg
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by johnnyp on 06:05 PM September 29th, 2005 EST (#9)
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I would take a short cut - just deface the card.
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by Boy Genteel on 08:01 PM September 29th, 2005 EST (#10)
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Steve, did you read my anecdote about what I did to a similar display of magnets in a touristy store down in the South? I collected a bunch of them, put them in two neat piles on a counter, on top of a hand-printed sign that said, "SEXISM STILL SUCKS." Then I left. I felt like Amelie when she dons the Zorro mask! I recommend more things like that, just as long as you don't commit actual vandalism (or get caught rearranging things and leaving notes).
bg
Men are from EARTH. Women are from EARTH. Deal with it.
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by mens_issues on 08:29 PM September 29th, 2005 EST (#11)
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I thought I may have seen that post.
Good job!
Steve
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by Anonymous User on 01:06 PM September 30th, 2005 EST (#13)
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I hope that "Leanin' tree" falls over on the makers of these cards.
Thundercloud.
"Hoka hey!"
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by johnnyp on 06:59 PM October 1st, 2005 EST (#19)
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"just as long as you don't commit actual vandalism"
Why not? A feminist could get away with it.
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by Anonymous User on 01:29 PM October 2nd, 2005 EST (#20)
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>"Why not? a feminist could get away with it."
Yes, but that's because she's a woman.
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by SpikeRants on 06:43 PM September 30th, 2005 EST (#14)
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I sent my protest letter to them about 2 days ago, and have yet to receive a response. Anybody else gotten anything from them?
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by Anonymous User on 12:55 AM October 1st, 2005 EST (#15)
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Nothing yet....2 days and counting....
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by johnnyp on 07:44 AM October 1st, 2005 EST (#16)
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by Anonymous User on 11:54 AM October 1st, 2005 EST (#17)
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Same here.
Thundercloud.
"Hoka hey!"
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by SpikeRants on 04:41 PM October 1st, 2005 EST (#18)
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Good. I cheesed them off a few years ago with an Aquababies rant and was afraid they weren't going to respond to me.
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by JimToso on 09:03 AM October 4th, 2005 EST (#24)
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I sent an e-mail to them yesterday and haven't heard back yet. Most companies in my experience respond in 24 hours. Its usually a matter of company policy.
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by Anonymous User on 01:35 PM October 2nd, 2005 EST (#21)
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What we maybe should do is make our own cards that are "anti-female" and then go into Target and leave them among the anti-male cards. Might be hard to do with security cameras and all, but I wonder how fast a woman would run to the customer service desk and complain when she found ONE anti-female card among HUNDREDS of anti-male ones. Any one think she'd complain about the anti-male cards?
Somehow I doubt it.
Thundercloud.
"Hoka hey!"
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by SpikeRants on 02:00 PM October 2nd, 2005 EST (#22)
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I should do that before I move far away from my local Target. Set it next to the anti-male ones and watch when a woman gets uber-pissed, then make a point when management comes.
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by Luek on 01:45 AM October 7th, 2005 EST (#28)
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Most of these asinine cards can be made anti-female by simply crossing out the male reference and inserting girls, girl, women or woman.
One could select several of these cards and cross out the male reference and insert the female reference while shopping and then take them back and put them back on the rack like you decided not to buy the cards after all.
I think it would get the point across to management about the pitfalls and costs of misandry.
Or you could take one or two of the most misandrous cards to the sales manager and ask in all seriousness if they could special order cards for you that disparage racial groups since they seem to have no problem disparaging gender groups as long as they are male of course.
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by JimToso on 08:27 PM October 3rd, 2005 EST (#23)
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I was just in the Target store in my hometown. I didn't see the magnets but I did see a greeting card in the "Women to Women" section that said "Men are like pumpkins, nice to look at for a while, but empty-headed and sooner or later they get smashed."
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by Anonymous User on 12:47 PM October 4th, 2005 EST (#25)
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Plus you have to keep changing the candle.
:-P
Thundercloud.
"Hoka hey!"
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by mens_issues on 08:22 PM October 6th, 2005 EST (#26)
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Here is Target's response to my email. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside :|
Dear Steven G. Van Valkenburg,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been offended by the Carlton Cards magnets featured at Target.
Target welcomes everyone to shop in our stores and has a long history of offering a large assortment of merchandise to a wide variety of guests. Though we serve a significant number of families across the country, we also serve many
guests with diverse tastes and interests. Occasionally, we carry merchandise that some guests may find objectionable, as was your experience with these magnets.
I apologize that you’ve been disappointed by our gifts and cards selection. Your feedback about our merchandise is a big help to us, so I’ll be sure to share your comments with our buyers for further review.
Have questions or want more information about our stores, products or service? Give us a call at (800) 440-0680. You can also drop by the Guest Services Desk at any store, or visit us on Target.com. Either way, we’re here to help.
We value you as our guest and hope that you will still consider Target for your shopping needs.
Sincerely,
Leah
Target Guest Relations
www.target.com
[THREAD ID:1-1092RS]
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by Boy Genteel on 08:43 PM October 6th, 2005 EST (#27)
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That's like the same response I got! Golly! What are the odds?
bg
Men are from EARTH. Women are from EARTH. Deal with it.
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by JimToso on 08:24 PM October 10th, 2005 EST (#29)
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I got a response from Target today also. It reminded me of the "non-apology" we used to talk about in classrooms when I was going to school.
It was a way of sounding like you were apologizing without admitting that you did anything wrong. As in, "we're sorry you feel bad about this." I got the impression Target thinks the problem here is us and not them selling a bigotted product. What does everyone else think?
'
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