Earlier today, my father visited the Simply Books store in the Charlotte Airport when he made a startling discovery. He was so angry that he sent a letter to the corporate email address which I have reproduced below:
"This afternoon I walked into your Simply Books bookstore in the Charlotte Airport and was aghast at what I saw. In the front section of the store, there was a book island with facings on all four sides featuring complimentary books written by or about John McCain and all of the "attack books" written against Barack Obama (e.g. "Obama Nation"). Thinking that maybe this was the "Republican section", I looked for a similar presentation of the pro-Obama, anti-Bush, etc. "Democratic section". There was none. To test the situation, I asked the store clerk if Simply Books carried the two best selling books written by Obama. She said that they did, and then took me to a section off to the side where there is an island that sells books by African-American writers. Mind you, not necessarily books on African-American literature, but simply a section where seemingly all books sold in the store by African-American writers are sold together. There, with no facings whatsoever, were located the two best-selling books written by Obama, one of our country's two nominees for President of the United States.
I would like to get an explanation from you of what is behind this merchandising policy, before I publicize (because of my business activities I am well connected in that regard) this blatantly one sided, seemingly racist approach that Simply Books seems to be taking, both in terms of its focus on one political party to the exclusion of the other one, and its "segregation" of books by African-American writers in general. The only excuse I could come up with is that maybe each "region" tries to appeal to its market. Even if that were true it would be disgraceful in this day and age, but given that North Carolina is a swing state, there would seem to be even less of an explanation.
I look forward to a response promptly."
I'm putting this on Kos because it requires immediate action, and he does not have an account.
Hopefully he will see some thoughtful response both from this site's users and from the company itself.
UPDATE: Their contact info...
HMSHost Corporation
6905 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
(240) 694-4100
Facsimile: (240) 694-4790
Email: comments@hmshost.com