Online debate was sparked by a Texas woman’s Facebook post about a Hobby Lobby decoration. A snapshot of glass vases with cotton stalks was uploaded on the Hobby Lobby Facebook page by Daniell Rider of Killeen, Texas. The cotton vases are being sold by the shop as decorative items.
According to Rider, “This decor is WRONG on SO many levels.” “Raw cotton is not a decorative material… a good or service acquired at the expense of African Americans working as slaves. Sensitivity should be used sparingly. I BEG YOU TO REMOVE THIS “decor.”
The article rapidly became popular. More than 210,000 people commented on it in less than a week, and roughly 20,000 people shared it. Many people slammed Rider for the tweet and claimed that cotton itself is not repulsive.
One user said, “It’s a plant,” according to AL.com. “Chill.”
“Everyone who feels offended by cotton being used as a decoration needs to stop purchasing any cotton-based products!” more was added. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s a decoration or a component of a product. If you find it offensive that cotton is used as a decoration but are not upset by any cotton-based product, you are being hypocrite.
On Facebook, more readers expressed their opinions.
One person commented, “People need to get over themselves and stop being so sensitive to stupid/irrelevant things!!” “Our country is dealing with much more pressing concerns than cotton on a stick! Sounds like someone is just seeking to start something with an open Christian company, and of course gain their 15 minutes of fame…pathetic!!”
Another person said, “Hobby Lobby is the best hobby store around. Cotton is an organic material. Look closely at your clothing if you want to know if someone is offended by cotton. Cotton or a cotton blend, most likely. Rise above it. Not everything in life is a game. “Grow up.”
Oh, please,” a different user said. “Are you kidding. My air is offensive to breathe. Doesn’t that sound foolish? People, let’s not be too severe. To understand why the article was so offensive, I had to read it. “Grow up.”
The article follows another contentious event in which the Lipscomb University president in Nashville, Tennessee, is accused of using cotton stalks as a centerpiece for an African-American students’ meal at his house. Many pupils expressed their displeasure at the centerpiece’s offensiveness.
Following the event, Lipscomb President Randy Lowry expressed regret for the decoration, admitting that he could have handled it “with more sensitivity.”
Lowry added, “I deeply regret for any discomfort, annoyance, or disappointment we may have caused and ask for your forgiveness.