An Office Depot in Illinois last month refused to print copies of a flyer that contained facts about Planned Parenthood (mostly taken from Planned Parenthood’s own annual report) along with a pro-life prayer, and the company is standing by that decision in the face of legal threats:
Last month, Maria Goldstein, a Roman Catholic, asked employees at an Office Depot location in Schaumburg, Ill., to make 500 copies of “A Prayer for Planned Parenthood”, the Associated Press reported . . . Company spokeswoman Karen Denning tells the Chicago Tribune that Office Depot prohibits the copying of material that advocates “the persecution of certain groups of people,” among other criteria.
She says the flier “contained material that advocates the persecution of people who support abortion rights.” Does it advocate the persecution of pro-abortion Americans? You be the judge:
First, my opinion on these matters is pretty clear: private companies can choose which messages they choose to help disseminate, and they have that right even when they make terrible, idiotic choices.
Consequently, I hope the customer, Maria Goldstein, chooses not to file a human rights complaint — especially since the company apparently offered to let her use the self-service copier.
Second, since it’s now clear that Office Depot supports the First Amendment rights of private corporations – even when those First Amendment rights conflict with the desires of members of a protected class (in this case, a person of faith sharing a religious message) – I eagerly await its corporate amicus briefs supporting bakers in Oregon and Colorado who are facing crushing fines or mandatory ideological re-education for exercising the exact same rights that Office Depot so proudly exercises.
Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/423926/office-depot-stands-employees-refusal-make-copies-pro-life-prayer-david-french
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