In a clear case of religious discrimination, Office Depot has refused to print 500 copies of a flyer that contains a prayer to end abortion at the hands of Planned Parenthood. Chicago resident Maria Goldstein wanted to make a few hundred copies for her parish and went to her local Office Depot store, where her request for service was rebuffed.
The prayer is part of a national prayer campaign by Priests for Life that begins this Saturday.
What offended Office Depot to the point that it would refuse to take the order? These words:
Bring an end to the killing of children in the womb,
And bring an end to the sale of their body parts.
Bring conversion to all who do this,
And enlightenment to all who advocate it.
The Chicago Tribune reports that an Office Depot corporate spokeswoman Karen Denning said they are backing the store's decision because the prayer "advocates the persecution of people who support abortion rights." Actually, the opposite is true: the prayer advocates their conversion, enlightenment, and salvation.
Maria Goldstein has enlisted the help of a Chicago-based law firm which has given Office Depot five business days to agree to print the flyer or it will take the matter to the Cook County Human Rights Commission and the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
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UPDATE: Office Depot has responded to AFA supporters and issued a statement part of which reads,
Upon a more detailed review, we have determined that the content of Ms. Goldstein’s flyer is not a clear violation of the company’s policy.
“We sincerely apologize to Ms. Goldstein for her experience and our initial reaction was not at all related to her religious beliefs. We invite her to return to Office Depot if she still wishes to print the flyer,” said Roland Smith, chairman and chief executive officer, Office Depot.
AFA would like to thank its supporters who contacted Office Depot and Office Depot for extending an apology to Ms. Goldstein and offering to print her flyers.
