Schakowsky Letter to Wal-mart: Remove Shirt With Nazi Insignia From Your Shelves
| For Immediate Release: February 8, 2007 | Contact: Peter Karafotas (202) 226-6898 |
SCHAKOWSKY LETTER TO WAL-MART: REMOVE SHIRT WITH NAZI INSIGNIA FROM YOUR SHELVES | ||
WASHINGTON, DC--U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky was today joined by a bi-partisan group of Members of Congress in sending a letter to Wal-Mart CEO H. Lee Scott expressing concern over reports that t-shirts bearing Nazi insignia remain on the shelves of some of its retail outlet locations. In November, Wal-Mart committed to removing the product from its shelves, but reports this week suggested that the retailer had yet to meet that commitment. The following members of Congress signed the letter: Corrine Brown (D-FL), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Diane Watson (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), Charles A. Wilson, Jr. (D-OH), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Michael McNulty (D-NY), Steve Israel (D-NY), Barney Frank (D-MA), Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI) and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL). The letter to CEO Scott is posted below: February 08, 2007 Mr. H. Lee Scott, Jr. Dear Mr. Scott: We were pleased to learn from an Associated Press report on November 13, 2006, that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. had agreed to immediately remove T-shirts from its shelves that display the insignia of Nazi Germany's 3rd SS Division Totenkopf. As your spokesman David Tovar acknowledged last year, "We would never have placed this T-shirt on our shelves had we known the origin and significance of this emblem.... Unfortunately, reports this week suggest that the product remains on your retailer's shelves. We are gravely dismayed about Wal-Mart's inaction on its pledge to remove this product from its stores, and we ask that you take immediate steps to comply with last November's commitment to remove this offensive merchandise from your shelves. The Holocaust was the most horrific human atrocity the world saw during the last century and perhaps in the history of the planet. However, genocide and hate remain amongst us today. It is critical that we remember the Nazis' crimes and take action to prevent future atrocities. Therefore, we respectfully request that you inform us about the actions you are taking and will take to ensure that this type of product is not sold in your stores. Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to hearing from you within the next 30 days. Sincerely, |