Posted on 03/03/2013 12:04:56 AM PST by nickcarraway
Cains Pickles removes a derogatory term from its labels after a mother’s protests. An average day at the grocery store for Rhode Island mom, Michelle Martinka, turned into a moment of activism when she noticed that Cains Pickles, a popular New England brand, produced a line called “Kosher Dill Midgets.”
Martinka is the mother of ten-month-old Adelaide, a little girl with a form of dwarfism known as Achondroplasia—and “midget” is a derogatory way of referencing those born with the condition.
In response, Martinka waged a peaceful protest, which included the above YouTube video, urging the company to change the name of its product—and so it did, gracefully, without objection or fanfare.
Gedney Foods, the makers of Cains Pickles, explained to the Star Tribune, “The company is not seeking any attention related to this matter and believes that any publicity should be more appropriately placed on the children and families dealing with Achondroplasia.”
In her email to TakePart, Martinka explains, "Although many people do not know, the m-word is derogatory, not just some innocuous word meaning small, as it was 50 years ago." She says, "I am fully aware that these pickles are just pickles—and my daughter is a human. This was my first step in educating just one company. Years ago I may not have had the drive for such an undertaking, but change happens when situations arise—new circumstances, such as having a child diagnosed with dwarfism."
When asked what she hopes her daughter will someday learn from this, Martinka says, "I hope Addie takes away the knowledge that she can bring change. I hope she learns my motto to not be reactive, but [to be] proactive and educate."
I don't suppose the reason no one knows it's derogatory and it wasn't derogatory at all 50 years ago is because it isn't derogatory and you're just a neurotic, Martinka!?!
Uhmmmm......
Mental Midget, short on self confidence and the hieght of stoopitity...
Kosher Dill Dwarfs?
Kosher Dill Little People?
They bowed down to her and agreed to rename them “Cains Teeny Weenie Pickles”
A local gay group immediately filed suit..
Cains responded WTF and immediately stopped operations, costing 200 Thousand Jobs, and stated 200 thousand isn’t all that many when you figure a Congressman said 170 Million jobs would be lost due to the Equestrian Cuts.
The CEO was wondering what Horses had to do with pickles and Government Cuts.
What a retard.
That’s small minded of her. I hope at her next picnic she’s short on pickles. (We’re off!).
Geez, intellectually challenged is the preferred nomenclature.
What a sour puss.
I am deeply offended and hurt by the above product. As one who is melanin challenged, this attack on people of the white race is outrageous. It's nothing short of a call for genocide I tell you!
I guess you can’t call your product “giants” either?
Short people got no reason to live.
Repeat after me:
I am we tall did.
“I hope Addie takes away the knowledge that she can bring change. I hope she learns my motto to not be reactive, but [to be] proactive and educate.”
It isn’t a derogatory word any more than dwarf is.It is just descriptive.
Next she will attack the word Little.
Cains introduces new “Halal Tart Dwarf” pickles.
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