TAKING A STAND: SHOULD RETAILERS SPEAK OUT?

With the horrific war in the Mideast (and so much infighting here at home), we’re wondering if retailers and brands should be taking more of a stand on world affairs. We realize this might risk alienating half your customers, but still… Although we know of a few merchants who posted messages responding to the Oct 7th massacre, most have been quiet. Do you feel retailers and brands have a moral responsibility to take a stand? Please let us know your thoughts.

Eliot Rabin, Peter Elliot, NYC

For those who say it can’t happen here, I say it already is. Just recently in my upper east side neighborhood, the owner of Caffé Aronne, who had posted ‘Bring Them Home’ photos of the Israeli hostages, reprimanded his anti-Israel baristas for wearing pro-Palestinian pins. The workers all quit but with much subsequent publicity, his business is now booming, with Jewish neighbors volunteering to work shifts and lining up around the block to buy coffee.

As a young man, I worked on a Kibbutz in Israel. My first job was to clean pots, the next was to clear mines. I watched a young girl get her leg blown off. Lying in a flatbed truck, I felt a bullet graze my wrist, damaging the band of my Rolex. I treasure that watch to this day.

No retailer with guts should walk away from taking a stand. Israel has every right to retaliate for the October 7^th massacre. But how’s this for an idea: instead of dropping bombs, maybe the IDF should drop food. A man with a full belly doesn’t fight. A man with an empty stomach and no hope is capable of anything. Perhaps dropping food could have turned the Gazans against Hamas.

That said, Antisemitism has been around for thousands of years and is not likely to disappear. Still, I believe powerful execs in our fashion industry, both retailers and brands, should be speaking out in a unified attempt to end the creeping hatred that increases every day.

Larry Davidson, Davidsons, Roanoke, Virginia

I don’t think a business taking a public stand on issues is appropriate. It creates anger among those who disagree without creating an opportunity for dialog. Most significant issues have nuance and information that changes over time. As a family business, we focus on supporting our community. Serving as board members on all sorts of community organizations and non-profits, and donating to efforts that enhance the region, these gestures illustrate our beliefs. The organizations we support speak to who we are. For example, a Thanksgiving promotion we’ve featured for many years donates funds to Feeding Southwest Virginia in honor of our clients. We also offer a purchase incentive to customers who bring us jars of peanut butter for donation. These types of actions matter.

David Rubenstein, Rubensteins, New Orleans, Louisiana

I believe a person should be able to voice his own political views, but I don’t think it’s smart to involve your business. When you speak for your business, you’re also representing the environment your employees are supporting by working for you. Your views can affect their image and their income as a result. Also, if you speak for your business on one controversial subject, you open yourself to be questioned on other divisive topics in the future. I don’t think this is wise.

Nick Hilton, Princeton, New Jersey

My political opinions and my outlook on world affairs are not based on my emotional reaction to what the media presents as “reality.” The way I see things and my points of view are nuanced and subtle and based on my personal philosophy. In fact, if someone with an opposing view presents it with a thoughtful and well-considered argument, I respect that as the nature of life and the basis of democracy. I cannot imagine risking my ability to carry on a commercial dialog with my customer base by proclaiming my opinions or even trying to explain the way I feel about what’s going on in the world; it’s hard enough to make our voice heard above the constantly alarming din of the media. I want our store, in fact the very idea of Hiltons Princeton, to be peaceful: to be somewhere the public can come and have a respite from the eternal and infinite conflicts of the world outside, no matter what their beliefs.

Wally Naymon, Kilgore Trout, Cleveland, Ohio

I feel it best to operate neutrally on the record but of course in private conversations with those we know well, we can certainly share our thoughts while being sensitive to their point of view. Although this world is whacked out these days, our mission is to model kindness and compassion on a personal level.

Stuart Segel, Mr. Sid, Newton and Boston Seaport, Mass.

We generally stay away from involvement in any political or moral issues that our society faces. However, I feel the current situation in the Mideast is different, reflecting a tremendous divide in our country that frankly concerns me. This war has exposed Antisemitism in our country as it hasn’t been seen for many years. It’s so sad and confusing to me.

We haven’t been shy in our support for Israel during this most difficult period. We’ve worn lapel pins in support of eliminating Antisemitism and have posted on social media that Mr. Sid stands with Israel.  Our clientele has been very appreciative of our efforts and it’s not just our Jewish clients.

I wish luxury brands would take the “risk” and be more outspoken. We need leaders in every industry to bring us all together, to be more outspoken about hatred and inequality.

Photo, above, by Eric Yeich.