Take Action: Office Depot rejects printing order for a Pro-Life prayer
UPDATE! Office Depot has responded! Your voice was heard once again!
We have just received this statement from Office Depot:
In response to the numerous comments that we have recently received regarding the printing of documents in one of our stores, please know that Office Depot has contacted Ms. Goldsteins’s representative to explain that the store associate’s decision to decline a print order was in no way based on religious beliefs, but on the fact that it contained certain words and phrases that could be construed as graphic or advocates the persecution of groups of people, which is a violation of the company’s copy and print policy. Office Depot has long maintained a policy of not allowing associates to print items that violate copyright laws, advocate persecution of any group or contain graphic material.
Upon a more detailed review, we have determined that the content of Ms. Goldstein’s flyer is not a clear violation of the company’s policy.
“We sincerely apologize to Ms. Goldstein for her experience and our initial reaction was not at all related to her religious beliefs. We invite her to return to Office Depot if she still wishes to print the flyer,” said Roland Smith, chairman and chief executive officer, Office Depot.
Office Depot will continue to have policies that guide the refusal to reproduce material that is protected under copyright, contains graphic material or advocates the persecution of any groups of people, regardless of the reason. In addition, all customers are free to use the self-service copy machines in our stores without being subject to the policy.
Thank you for taking action on this very important issue! No further action is requested.
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Original Alert:
In a clear case of religious discrimination, Office Depot has refused to print 500 copies of a flyer that contains a prayer to end abortion at the hands of Planned Parenthood. Chicago resident Maria Goldstein wanted to make a few hundred copies for her parish and went to her local Office Depot store, where her request for service was rebuffed.
The prayer is part of a national prayer campaign by Priests for Life that begins this Saturday.
What offended Office Depot to the point that it would refuse to take the order? These words:
Bring an end to the killing of children in the womb,
And bring an end to the sale of their body parts.
Bring conversion to all who do this,
And enlightenment to all who advocate it.
The Chicago Tribune reports that an Office Depot corporate spokeswoman Karen Denning said this is backing the store's decision because the prayer "advocates the persecution of people who support abortion rights." Actually, the opposite is true: the prayer advocates their conversion, enlightenment, and salvation.
Maria Goldstein has enlisted the help of a Chicago-based law firm which has given Office Depot five business days to agree to print the flyer or it will take the matter to the Cook County Human Rights Commission and the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
Let's support Maria by adding our voices to those urging Office Depot to print the flyers.
TAKE ACTION
Send an email to Office Depot today, urging them to stop their practice of religious discrimination.
Click the link to send your email now. In addition, we’ve provided a phone number if you’d like to make a personal phone call to Office Depot.
