I haven't meant to be away for 2 years - I had every intention of catching up - but life happens, days go by, and then it feels to daunting! So here I am, 2 years later, with a handful of drafts and nothing new posted.
So why I am I posting today? Well, simply, I have something to say! And it's about pickles!!!
I want everyone to know about this company. Disclaimer - I've never eaten their pickles - I don't' even know if they sell them in our local stores. But I am a fan. Want to know why?
A fellow POLP( that's Parent of a Little Person:)) reached out to this company, to let them know that a very popular name they use for the small dill pickles, is actually a very offensive word to people with dwarfism. The word "midget", due to a painful history, it's definition, and the way it is THE word that is used in every mean joke, derogatory comment, or insult to Little People, is one that makes most all people with dwarfism( or parent of a Little Person) cringe.
As with popular campaigns, like the popular( and great) campaign, "Spread the Word to end the Word," there is a lot of backlash. People who defend themselves by proclaiming freedom of speech...people who fight against the "overly political correctness of our culture"....people who just don't care that it's painful to others...and people who think "everybody is too sensitive."
But this company, they didn't defend themselves. There was no huge national spot light on it...no legal affair. Just a mommy, who respectfully wrote a company and made a video and get this...they listened. Because they didn't care about their freedom of speech or if this was just a parent being overly sensitive.
They. just. cared.
They apologized for unknowingly offending anyone( though clearly offense was never their intention when naming a pickle!). And simply agreed to change the name! They understandably didn't recall current products on the shelf but ceased to use any labels that were already printed and not put on jars yet. Did you get that - labels, that they already paid for, went unused!! They renamed their little pickles and here they are - in all their glory - on a grocery store shelf. Same pickle, cute name, and in my opinion, one amazing company!
Let me be clear, I know that this company and others that use the word "midget" to name their miniature pickles mean absolutely no harm.It's a pickle and I get that it isn't being used in a derogatory manner. The pickle company wasn't wrong, just uninformed. In the big scheme of things, is this going to make Cohen's life better? I don't know that it will. But I know that even the casual use of any word, rather offense is meant or not, breeds use of the word. And so I'll take it as a victory.
I don't know exactly what it's going to be like for Cohen as he gets older - I know there are obstacles and i know life won't be easy but we pray he'll take it in stride. I don't know when he'll start to notice the stares or when he'll get knowingly made fun of. He already knows when he gets left out. And it's heavy on my heart to think of the day when someone might be cruel to him because of his differences. But things like this make me a little more hopeful.
As parents, we hope to teach Cohen to let words like this roll off his back. As a mother, it's something I'm learning to do....not to give power to the people who use them. To put our trust and identity in God and who He made us to be and not how people perceive us. But wouldn't it be nice, for a kid, who already has to overcome so many obstacles, to just not have to worry about this?
In a world where it's pretty safe to say that most individual people and companies care more about their freedom of speech and their bottom dollar then about others, this company is different. I salute different, around here. Maybe one day a company or a person that cares more about another person's feelings and dignity then themselves won't be so newsworthy.
But today, If they sell Cain's pickles on your grocery store shelves, buy them!! I'm not asking you to boycott other pickle companies, but let's support one that deserves it! Help me thank them for caring about my son more then their tradition and profit margin!
Oh, and big high fives to this mommy for advocating for her child and all of ours too!!
*** I don't' claim to know all the details of exactly how everything happened but his is just my thankful take on the whole situation!
