Trader Joe's says no to changing ethnic-sounding label names

f
fufusix
楼主 (北美华人网)
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trader-joes-says-no-changing-ethnic-sounding-label-names-rcna63
LOS ANGELES — Trader Joe''s, which said earlier this month it was moving to change the names of some of its products after an online petition denounced them as racist, now says it will stick with labels like Trader Jose''s and Trader Ming''s for Mexican and Asian food. “We want to be clear: we disagree that any of these labels are racist," the popular grocery chain said in a statement posted on its website. It added, “We do not make decisions based on petitions.” The petition posted on change.org by a high school student claims the names create “a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes.” Other Trader Joe''s names cited include Trader Giotto''s and Trader Joe San for Italian and Japanese foods. After the petition was launched Trader Joe''s issued a statement saying it has been in the process of updating such product labels. “While this approach to product naming may have been rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness, we recognize that it may now have the opposite effect — one that is contrary to the welcoming, rewarding customer experience we strive to create every day,” company spokeswoman Kenya Friend-Daniel said at the time. But in its recent statement the grocery chain said it still believes the names, many created decades ago, represent lighthearted efforts at inclusion, adding that its customers say they still like them. “We thought then — and still do — that this naming of products could be fun and show appreciation for other cultures,” the company added. That was news to Briones Bedell, the San Francisco Bay Area high school senior who launched the petition drive. “It seems to be this complete reversal of their previous commitment to removing names from international foods that the corporation themselves have described as not being conducive to creating a welcoming customer experience,” she told The Associated Press. In an email Friday, Friend-Daniel said the company has indeed dropped some names over the years, including Arabian Joe''s and Armenian Joe''s, and may drop others in the future. But that will be solely on input from its employees and customers and not Bedell''s petition. “Moving forward, we will continue to evaluate those products with name variations that remain in our stores," Friend-Daniel said. “If we find certain product names and-or products are not resonating with customers, we won’t hesitate to make changes."
Bedell, who described herself and her family as frequent Trader Joe''s shoppers until she launched her petition drive, said she always found the names in question offensive. But she didn''t launch her petition drive, she said, until she looked into the history of the company founded by the late Joe Coulombe in 1958. The chain''s website describes how its name and South Pacific decor were inspired by his reading of the book “White Shadows in the South Seas” and a ride on the Disneyland Jungle Boat Cruise, a comical attraction that takes people along rivers populated by rhinos, native headhunters and others that threaten to attack them. She saw the book and the ride as being filled with racist stereotypes of native savages and white gods that she says Trader Joe''s appropriated to sell food and beverages. “It’s intended to allow the consumer to build up this perceived sophistication through their knowledge of worldliness through their choice of food,” she said. “But it''s not a cultural celebration or representation. This is exoticism. These brands are shells of the cultures they represent.” Although her petition had more than 5,000 signatures Friday, it''s brought Bedell some intense blow-black across social media, where she''s been the frequent target of vile, sexist insults and other name-calling. Interestingly enough, she said, the criticism has come from across the political spectrum, with conservatives denouncing her for promoting cancel culture while liberals accuse her of wasting time on a trivial issue. Despite that, she wants the debate to continue. “I’ve just been really grateful that this has sparked as much conversation as it has,” she said. “I hope in any future endeavors I can act as a facilitator so people can make up own minds about what is right.” This story has been corrected to show the spelling of the last name of Trader Joe''s founder is Coulombe.
家有玥萌妞
不知道他们什么时候能够关心真正的种族歧视比如AA。
茉莉茉莉和茉莉
回复 2楼家有玥萌妞的帖子
人家觉得AA是反歧视的好么。。。。除了亚裔 我没说这是对的,但你也别异想天开了
家有玥萌妞
回复 2楼家有玥萌妞的帖子
人家觉得AA是反歧视的好么。。。。除了亚裔 我没说这是对的,但你也别异想天开了
茉莉茉莉和茉莉 发表于 2020-08-01 15:13

可能讽刺口气显示不出来。
d
dextran
有种,不亏是我喜爱的grocery 店
无挂碍
said. “I hope in any future endeavors I can act as a facilitator so people can make up own minds about what is right.”
正确与否其实是非常主观的,基于他们自己的价值观,大家明白什么是正确的,什么不是,不需要facilitator来告诉他们
k
karaage
真没看出来那些labels有什么问题,照那个推理,中餐馆如果叫王师傅就算贬低华裔了
有趣人生
发起这样petition的人真是无脑
O
OatmealNuts
大家没注意到发起petition 的是一高中生吗?这世界越来越荒谬了,一个national chain差点因为一个高中生的stupid idea花高价改变他们原本毫无问题的传统。
这世界以后都要听命于这种和瑞典环保女孩一样无知的小屁孩了吗?我看到世界末日的乱象征兆。
X
Xiao小心愿
最可恶是这种绑架别人改名的!
i
icq9999
期待出一款,Trade Xi Dumpling