When I picked my jaw off the floor... (Posted by Josh)

I read this article (please read it before continuing) and the image to the left popped into my head. The ever rocket-powered Road Runner often ruins "Super Genius" Wile E. Coyote's well-laid plans. My well-laid plan was to have a leisurely breakfast then read the Friday edition of the Toronto Star today. Why read the Friday paper on Sunday? Friday and Saturday I was occupied with preparing for last night's "Lady Bug Picnic". My goal here was to read the Comics and GTA sections as I have given up reading the front-page news and its parade of stories covering crime, economic collapse and global intrigue.

On the front page of the "GTA" (Greater Toronto Area) section is an article titled "Racial Slur on sofa label stuns family". This is unusual content for the GTA section. At this time of year, I was expecting articles about Passover or Easter. Interestingly enough, members of the Persian (Iranian) and Sikh communities celebrate their respective New Years on or near Passover. It's springtime and everyone finds a reason to celebrate or mark time with family. It's all related to the lunar calendar.

Regarding the article, all I can say is wow! I have never seen a label on furniture that stated the colour as shown in the picture. I've seen brown shown in catalogues as brown (light, dark, etc.), chocolate, cocoa, arabica (a.k.a. coffee), chestnut, even burnt honey (golden brown) and loam (greyish brown). I find it hard to believe that the manufacturer could not find any other word to describe the customer's brown couch. It's obvious the distributor and the retailer never found the time to change the labels themselves or request a label change from the manufacturer. Was this a combination of laziness and apathy on the part of the distributor and retailer? Imagine the howls of protest if a major retailer labelled their stock in a similar manner. Who would shop in these stores?...Noooobody!

I am curious to know how the retailer promotes his furniture to customers. Consider this retailer's next promotional flyer. "Sale...20% off our full line of couches and easy chairs. Colours available: Smurf Blue, Swedish White..." That's as far as I'll go with the ethnic colour scheme, I think the readers of this blog are mature enough to realise how ugly this can get. I am curious to see the retailer's order book. Did Ms. Moore (the customer) fill out the order book requesting that shade of brown? I doubt it. I suspect that the label is placed on the couch in such a way that the customer is not supposed to see it or the label is removed upon delivery.

The retailer passed the buck to the distributor, who then blamed the factory in China. I appreciate that what upsets people in the West may have little or no impact in certain parts of Asia, but let's keep in mind that there are laws that govern the design and content of labels. The distributor of the furniture is buying this furniture and can influence the label's content. The distributor may be obliged to offer the label in Canada's official languages. As I have said in past submissions, the only way to hurt a retailer who does not listen is to hit them in the wallet.

That is all I have to say. I have to pick my jaw off the floor and get back to my matzah with strawberry jam. Mmm, matzah with jam.