Posted on 09/29/2004 8:06:55 PM PDT by Robert Drobot
Note: I’m copping with some difficult medical issues, and had a disastrous crash of my hard drive twice in succession (worm). This is the reason I’ve didn’t have the opportunity to address this serious issue on FR.
It remains an issue today, because the San Jose Army National Guard will be conducting another 'Open House' in November. I think we are obliged to get behind an effort to show our men and women in uniform our gratitude for their service, without their getting a glove across the face for ‘trespassing’ on private ( COSTCO ) property.
On Saturday, September 11, 2004, I was returning home after participating in a Pro-America 9-11 Remembrance at Stevens Creek Road and Winchester Boulevard, when I decided to stop at COSTCO, Santa Clara to run an errand.
As I approached the entrance, I noticed three smartly dressed uniformed members of Company C, 1st Battalion, 185th Infantry representing the San Jose Army National Guard. They were assigned to distribute a flyer addressing an 'Open House' at the Hedding St Armory being held that weekend. I thanked them for their service to our country, took a flyer and planned to visit them the following day.
As I entered the COSTCO facility, four or five of the COSTCO staff walked past me, surrounded our men in uniform. One of them told the Guard they must stop distributing their flyer. He said this was COSTCO policy, and further told the Guard that they were trespassing on private property.
The Guard members, wisely rejected a public confrontation, withdrawing quietly befuddled.
The following day my son and I went to the Armory. I asked those present if they were aware of the shameful action by COSTCO. They somberly responded they were aware of it, but chose to put an optimistic face on the incident by relating the positive response and welcome they received at the Great Mall in Milpitas, California.
The bottom line is San Jose Army National Guard was given the boot by COSTCO!
I’m asking you to help change this cock-eyed Un-American COSTCO policy ( if one actually exist ), and demand:
A) A letter of apology be sent to the Guard’s 185th Infantry in San Jose from the founder and chairman of COSTCO Jeffrey Brotman.
B) Take a minute to let the local print media - The San Jose Mercury News know how you feel toward the action COSTCO Santa Clara took against the men of our armed forces.
....and drop a word or two of support to:
C) Call and or write to:
COSTCO’s Corporate mailing address is: Head Office:
Jeffrey H. Brotman, Founder and Chairman COSTCO Wholesale Corp.
999 Lake Drive
Issaquah WA USA 98027
Phone: 425 313-8100
Toll Free:
Fax: 425 313-6593
Email: investor@COSTCO.com
Community Relations / Charitable Donations
Kim Cross
Community Relations & Administration
Phone: (425) 313-6182
Email: kcross@COSTCO.com
Annual Sales:
For the 52-week fiscal year ended August 29, 2004, the Company reported net sales of $47.15 billion, an increase of 13 percent from $41.69 billion during the prior fiscal year. By comparison, COSTCO's 1999 sales reached $27 billion 13% from the previous fiscal year.
COSTCO currently operates 288 warehouses, including 218 in the United States, 58 in Canada, seven in the United Kingdom, three in Korea, one in Taiwan, and a recently opened warehouse in Hisayama, Japan; and 16 additional warehouses in Mexico with a joint venture partner. The Company also operates COSTCO Online, an electronic commerce web site, at www.COSTCO.com.
About a month ago Costco had "Unfit for Command" hidden in the middle of various books, mostly by left-wing authors, including Bill Clinton's which got a prominent display of several rows. My wife and I moved the "Unfit" books to the front row (pushing back a row of Clinton's book). Last week "Unfit for Command" was moved to a slightly better position, holding a single row about 4 or 5 books deep; but it was beside Kitty Kelly's book which held the prominent corner, 4 or 5 books deep on both sides. Costco loves those Bush-bashing books. No doubt.
Gladly, they're snotty.
Agreed. Next they'd have an ACLU lawyer up their backside demanding all sorts of solicitation "Rights" for Lord knows what kind of whack-o groups. Not to mention the presence of men in uniform, especially in CA, might bring out some lunatic Lefties to cause a scene with their "Baby Killer" crap.
I'd certainly like to see more corporations do more to support the troops - maybe they are and I just haven't heard of it yet.
Absolutely. COSTCO kicking anyone off their grounds for solicitation is ok. As long as they treat the left the same.
Nice to know that when you buy produce, meat and fish at Costco, it has already been handled by a rump wrangler - fister fistee, what's the difference. Think I'll move over to Sam's Club.
Before you go on with this you ought to know that Costco ws following a standard practice which any lawyer would tell them to follow--No solicitations on the property. No matter how good the cause, the minutes they allow it for one group, they can be forced to allow it for all. And they know that customers like me will not be happy wading theru solicitations everytime I go shopping.
Nice to know that when you buy produce, meat and fish at Costco, it has already been handled by a rump wrangler - fister fistee, what's the difference. Think I'll move over to Sam's Club.
Both top CEO's of Costco are Bush Bashers and big money bags for Kerry. If you belong to Costco, you are are supporting the DNC and Kerry, end of story.
We dropped our membership (since 1986) several months ago when they did their first public hate fest on Bush. The kid on the phone was very taken aback that I would let poitics enter into it, I told him Costco's CEO's had done it for me, leaving me no choice.
By the way, if you drop out, you get your full yearly membership fees back.
Don't do no less than cancel out, and tell the jerk offs why.
Does Sam's Club make similar contributions to the dems? I need a membership for getting supplies for my class, but I would prefer not to inadvertantly donate to kerry.
Hate to tell you this, Sam's Club is worse than COSCO. Example: Try and find a chicken other than Perdue there. Perdue is one of the hugh contributors to the DNC.
We have a BJ's. But their not as big as the other two liberal joints.
I'm seriously considering cancelling my Costco membership if this is true.
what is stopping you from cancelling your membership now?
I had no idea COSTCO would behave like that. I could understand it if they were SELLING SOMETHING! Sheeeeesh.
That's the rule for public property, but I don't think it applies to private property. I believe that Costco can generally allow the Guardmen, Salvation Army, etc. to do their good work on their property - and still prohibit other groups.
If it was private property, then they would be expected to get PERMISSION to distribute flyers first.
The political history of Tyson Foods is a thousand times worse.
Yes. It is. Once they let in one group of solicitors they will have a very hard time keeping out others..
Costco is a great store. It's owners are Kerry supporters, but the Company is apolitical.
It is places like Costco that make thousands and thousands of small businesses possible and gives many people their first decent job (with benefits).
This is a silly and unfair attack on the company IMO.
You're right, of course. But the point I'm making is that COSTCO can selectively give permission to some groups and deny it to others.
Sam's Club membership is $10.00 cheaper then COSTCO's
35.00 sam's VS costco's 45.00
Should a union wish to organize its employees, Costco would be barred from permitting it from soliciting on the premises if it has granted permission to others..Really.
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