Dan O'Donnell

Dan O'Donnell

Common Sense Central is edited by WISN's Dan O'Donnell. Dan provides unique conservative commentary and analysis of stories that the mainstream media...Full Bio

 

Penzey's Spices Trivializes Military Deaths in Pushing Memorial Day Sale

Penzey's Spices owner Bill Penzey trivialized the combat deaths of military members to push a pro-abortion agenda and promote his company's Memorial Day sale in an email to customers Saturday and a subsequent Facebook post Sunday.

"Well someone has to say something—If not us, who? If not now, when?" Penzey wrote. "In my college days, as someone who spent a good chunk of my time studying history while having friends minoring in women’s studies, more than once these friends pointed out that history is pretty much mostly just 'his' story.

"They were, of course, right. One of the facts so clearly backing them up is that, in the history of America, far more women have died in pregnancy than men have died in combat. And this is not just a statistic from our distant past, this has held true since the start of this century as well. Yet where is this incredible cost women have paid in the teaching of our history? Where is this in the holidays we observe?"

More than 1.3 million Americans have died in combat in the nation's history, while it is unclear how many women in American history have died as a result of complications from either childbirth or pregnancy. Penzey's clear implication, though, is that Memorial Day--which honors those who died in service to the United States--is the result of the misogynist view that only men's deaths are worth commemorating.

This, of course, could not possibly be further from the truth. At least 200 women have died serving in America's wars, with the first known casualties in the Civil War. Memorial Day honors all military members killed in action; not just men.

Penzey, however, views it as something of a travesty that America has a holiday to remember those killed serving their country but not those killed in pregnancy, so he used his message to customers to rectify that. After blasting "churches [that are] no longer about Jesus" and a "[Republican] party no longer for We the People," Penzey praised Planned Parenthood at length.

"But do you know who works hard to make sure young women are not left with nothing but bad choices?" Penzey asked. "Planned Parenthood, that’s who, and now more than anytime ever they need good people to let them know how much we appreciate all they do. So much of so many of our happily-ever-afters only came to be because of everything Planned Parenthood does to support and protect the health of women."

The message concluded with a promise to donate to Planned Parenthood and an advertisement for Penzey's products entitled Bicentennial Rub, Hungarian Sweet Paprika, and Granulated Garlic.

"So this Memorial Day weekend, out of respect for the sacrifice women have made, with every regularly-priced, individually sold half-cup jar, Penzeys will be donating $1 to Planned Parenthood to thank them for all they do and all they give to protect the lives and the rights of women," Penzey pledged.

Penzey's fans flooded the company's Facebook page to praise the sentiment, but its minimization of combat deaths on Memorial Day weekend enraged others.

"This is incredibly sad," said one man who read Penzey's letter.

"Anyone who tries to trivialize those who gave their life for their country for political motivation is a pretty sick individual no matter ones political beliefs," said another.

Penzey has long used his "A Message from Bill" emails and Facebook posts to push his personal liberal politics, but has never before insulted America's fallen heroes by trivializing their sacrifice and suggesting that women who died in pregnancy deserve to be similarly recognized. A number of customers who tolerated his past screeds said this one pushed them over the edge.

"I'm done," said one enraged (former) customer.


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