7 Major controversies of the Hobby lobby that led to boycotts

Buyers have not always been delighted with the policies of the craft channel.


Craft retailer Hobby lobby is not unrelated to controversy. Throughout its 50 years of activity, the company has been entangled in several SNAFUS, often linked to the founder David Green religious beliefs. Some of the business movements have been SO Condious that buyers called to boycott stores. Read the rest to find out more about seven major controversies of pastime lobby that have really ruffled feathers.

In relation: Hobby Lobby Buyers threaten to boycott on vacation goods fired .

1
Do not provide birth control to employees (2014)

birth control pills on wooden background, close up .
istock

In 2014, Hobby Lobby was criticized when he chose not to cover employees' Birth control . Things have really warmed themselves, however, when the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby, deciding that certain companies may decide not to comply with federal laws requiring contraception coverage due to their religious beliefs ( Burwell c. Hobby Lobby Stores ).

All women judges and a male judge voted against the decision, judging the decision to harm women's rights. Many public members were also unhappy with the decision, leading to demonstrations in several northeast states. Demonstrators gathered outside a store in Seekonk, Call for a boycott of Hobby Lobby, as well as Warwick, Rhode Island .

"We do not think that companies have a company in details of the health plan for their employees", " Carolyn Brand , president of the Rhode Island section of the national organization for women, said The providence newspaper . "We cannot ask the bosses to decide what type of health workers should get."

2
Pro-Trump display (2020)

Some customers have decided to avoid the hobby lobby after a President Donald Trump The display was installed in one of its stores in 2020. A Display photo , who said "USA votes Trump", was shared on X (then known as Twitter), having was first shared In a Facebook group for the political action committee, the Lincoln project, Forbes reported.

The photo ended up becoming viral, several social media users calling a boycott, using #boycotthobbylobby.

"I I did not buy at Hobby Lobby Since they denied the contraception of women's employees, "an article in September 2020 on X Reads, endearing a photo of the screen." Here is the icing on the cake. ""

Although it is not clear if Hobby Lobby sanctioned the display, Green wrote an editorial for USA today in 2016, expressing his Trump support Like "our only hope for a Supreme Court that will protect freedom of religion".

In relation: 8 Best things to buy in Hobby Lobby .

3
Practices during the cocovio pandemic (2020)

A sign hanging on a businesses door telling customers they are closed due to COVID-19
istock

The Covid pandemic was a difficult period for the world of retail, as non -essential stores were forced to close during the forties. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

Hobby Lobby really pushed his luck, however, opening in March 2020 and arguing that it was an essential retailer. According to Business Insider, Green said that his wife, Deborah, had received a Message from God This forced him to keep stores open.

When the company was forced to close again and follow state orders in April 2020, Hobby Lobby announced that it would be leave Almost all of its store employees and a large part of its corporate and distribution employees reported ABC News.

The closed stores, Hobby Lobby put an end to his emergency leave and leave services. While the leave in May 2020 still had medical, dental, life and long -term disability invalidity services, according to the press release from Hobby Lobby.

But boycott calls were again endemic: in an April 14, 2020, Publish on Instagram , the National Day Labourer Organizing Network (NDLON) asked people not to buy at Hobby Lobby, calling him the "response from the most scandalous and most scandalous hypocritical coronavirus".

4
Elimination of Hanukka decorations (2013)

menorah and presents and blue ribbon, hanukkah decorations
Shutterstock / LCRP

In 2013, Hobby Lobby was confronted allegations according to which was anti -Semitic After a buyer of the New Jersey inquired about the apparent lack of Hanukka decorations. An employee reportedly told the buyer: " We do not answer people "Reported NBC News.

Another New Jersey resident, Ken Berwitz contacted the company about the situation and was informed that Hobby Lobby did not sell decorations for the Jewish party due to Green's religious beliefs.

"Because Mr. Green is the owner of the company, he is a Christian, and it is his values," said Berwitz. In a blog , Berwitz said that, therefore, he will never set foot in a pastime lobby. Never ". His comments also stimulated similar declarations Other bloggers reported HuffPost.

"If they want to sell everywhere in the nation, they must include everyone in this nation," wrote a Jewish visual artist named Abbey in a blog article entitled "Does Hobby Lobby Anti-Semitic?" by HuffPost.

President of Hobby Lobby Steve Green finished To apologise On behalf of the company, declaring: "Our family has a deep respect for Jewish faith and those who hold their dear traditions. We are proud contributors to Yad Vashem, as well as other museums and synagogues in Israel and the United States. We investigate this question and absolutely do not tolerate discrimination in our business or our stores. We have no policy that discriminates; In fact, we have policies that specifically prohibit discrimination. ""

Green confirmed that Hobby Lobby stores had previously had goods for Jewish holidays, later announcing that the company would reintroduce these products in New York and New Jersey stores " overwhelming in the northeast. ""

In relation: Hobby Lobby Buyers threaten to boycott for Christmas ornaments .

5
Elimination of vacation decorations - once again (2023)

hanukkah candles
Naamah_b / shutterstock

While Hobby Lobby may have brought Hanukka's decorations for a while, this turnaround did not last forever. In 2023, buyers were again in arms when he was confirmed that the retailer had drawn these decorations, as well as the decor for Tuesday fat and Halloween.

"The decision on what to offer to our customers is based on many factors, including the interest of customers and what is sold well," Declaration read in Snopes By a customer service employee of the Hobby Lobby company. "Our assortment of seasonal goods carried to Hobby Lobby is constantly changing, and they evaluate it each year. Due to the need to find additional space for some of our stronger categories as well as our most recent, the decision was taken at Course from the last two years to interrupt several ranges of seasonal products, notably Tuesday Gras, Halloween and Hanukka. "

In response, customers said they would not return to Hobby Lobby during the holiday season.

"Hobby lobby has decree to sell All Hanukka articles "reads an article on Facebook in November 2023." Not only boycott them but flood them with emails and messages what you think. And very often share your subscribers and friends. ""

On x , another former client wrote: "I already boycotted Hobby Lobby, but here is another reason to do so if you have not done so."

6
Sell Christmas ornaments related to firearms (2023)

christmas decorations at hobby lobby
Retail photographer / Shutterstock

This last holiday season was difficult for Hobby Lobby, because some Christmas ornaments have also been stirring.

After receiving reading requests, Snopes validated the claims that Hobby Lobby sold different Christmas ornaments on the theme of ammunition . A November 16, 2023, Facebook publication Included photos of the ornaments in a Hobby lobby store, including "the crown ornament of hunting rifle".

"I am shopping at [Hobby Lobby] somewhat regularly, but that confuses me," I read in the image. "They do not store Halloween articles [because] evil, but sell ornaments of ammunition for the birth of Christ?"

Commentators have cited this as "one of the many reasons" for which they do not shop at Hobby Lobby.

In an article on Facebook of December 7 which has since been removed, another buyer wrote: "Some of us did not need one more reason to never set foot in a Hobby lobby store, But they just gave me one more "be the same photo of the ornaments of hunting rifle in store. The text covering the image indicates that the decorations are "another reason why I boycott the pastime lobby".

It should be noted that Snopes examined the source code on the Hobby Lobby website, concluding that the ornaments were supposed to please buyers who love hunting and fishing.

In relation: 8 Warnings to buyers of ex-employees of Hobby du Hobby .

7
Illegal smuggling artifacts (2010)

hobby lobby smuggled cuneiform tablet
United States Prosecutor's Office

To complete this controversy list, the infamous smuggling scandal. In 2010, Hobby Lobby bought more than 5,500 artefacts - namely cuneiform tablets and clay bullaes - for 1.6 million dollars and imports, violating the federal law, reported PBS. (The elements are from Iraq, and there have been restrictions on an important Iraqi cultural property since 1990, according to a civil complaint ))

The artifacts were introduced in smuggling by a dealer of the United Arab Emirates in several packages, with some be intercepted by customs and the protection of American border, according to a press release in July 2017 from the United States Ministry of Justice (DOJ). The packages were falsely labeled as "samples" of products and addressed to Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. to Oklahoma City, in Oklahoma, and two of the company's affiliated companies.

In 2009, Hobby Lobby started Historical Bibles Collection And other artefacts such as a means of serving "the mission and the passion of the company for the Bible", said the company in a press release in July 2017. Taking the Artifacts regulation, Steve Green said: " We should have exercised more surveillance and carefully questioned how the acquisitions were managed. Was resolved. "

The company also noted that it was "new in the world of acquiring these articles and did not fully appreciate the complexities of the acquisition process", which "resulted in regrettable errors".

Hobby Lobby agreed to pay a fine of $ 3 million for his role in the smuggling of articles, which he also had to go.

Make things a little more complicated, in 2019, the company found itself again in hot water when the DoJ seized part of the Gilgamesh epic of the Bible Museum, which belongs to Hobby Lobby.

In a Press release , the DoJ confirmed that the Gilgamesh dream tablet - one of the oldest works from modern Iraq - intensified the United States "unlike federal law" and was sold to Hobby Lobby by a Auction house to display. The law enforcement officers took the museum tablet in September 2019, and Hobby Lobby "agreed to the decline of the tablet according to the illegal imports of the tablet".

However, calls for boycotts persist today, some quoting this scandal as the reason why they did not shop at Hobby Lobby.

"Boycott Hobby Lobby for Plunder religious artifacts During the invasion of Iraq, "an article from March 2023 on X Reads.

In August 2022, another wrote: "Boycott Hobby Lobby and question them about all Ancient stolen artifacts they 'acquired.' ""


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