A Texas woman’s complaint to retail chain Hobby Lobby over their display of “raw-cotton decor” in a Facebook post has gone viral.
Daniell Rider of Killeen, Texas posted a picture of what appears to be some glass vases containing cotton stalks on a shelf. She called the display “wrong on so many levels” in her Facebook post directed to Hobby Lobby.
The people commenting on the photo seemed to be divided, ranging from angry, supportive, and comedic comments. But most seemed to say that the complaint was ridiculous.
The Sept. 14 Facebook post has garnered over 91,000 reactions and 19,577 times shares as of Tuesday, Sept. 19.
“There is nothing decorative about raw cotton. A commodity which was gained at the expense of African-American slaves,” Rider said on Facebook. “A little sensitivity goes a long way.”
Rider closed her post by asking Hobby Lobby to “PLEASE REMOVE THIS ‘decor.’”
One person commented saying the complaint was “the dumbest thing I’ve seen on FB.”
“Offer your space a touch of natural beauty with Cotton Bouquet,” a description on the store’s website says. “This realistic floral arrangement is wrapped in brown paper with clusters of soft cotton buds on individual stems. Place it in a vase with other stems for a stunning, long-lasting centerpiece without the pesky water!”
Hobby Lobby has not yet commented on this issue.
This is not the first time a cotton item has caused an uproar.
Just less than a week ago Lipscomb University president Randy Lowry was forced to send an apology letter to African American students after they visited his home to discuss college life.
But the students reportedly became outraged by a number of cotton-stem pieces that the president had set up around the home.
“The content of the centerpieces was offensive, and I could have handled the situation with more sensitivity,” Lowry wrote. “I sincerely apologize for the discomfort, anger or disappointment we caused and solicit your forgiveness.”
The apology was tweeted out by Lipscomb Universities’ official account on Sept. 15.
Lowry closed his apology by saying that a number of students would like to spend more time engaging in conversation about the incident, which he would welcome the opportunity to do.
