A Sad Day in Etsy Land

I did something today that I'd never dreamt I would do. I closed my Etsy shop.

I opened my Twitter page to find a blog that opened my eyes. I learned that there was a seller on there peddling cards that should offend everyone.

http://hungryatthespeedoflife.wordpress.com/2010/12/21/etsy-says-rape-is-ar/

Never mind that the seller Youstupidbitch was marketing cards that poked fun of having breast cancer, congratulating people on having a child with Down Syndrome, or being sexually violated, the bigger deal is that after hundreds of emails and product reports, Etsy appears to condone it.

I have been on FaceBook all day. I have been on Twitter. I have read messages from moms that would make you weep.

Tonight I read from the people protesting these products, from people who took the proper channels, from people who were making a concerted effort to go about the matter in the right way, that they are being threatened to have their FaceBook accounts removed and that Etsy is removing their negative remarks from the forums.

Well, my aquarian knickers are in a knot. I like to think that artists are better people than this, that Etsy is better than this. And while I may be taking an economical hit to the pocketbook, I won't truck with companies that say it is ok to
laugh about the weak, the ill and the sexually exploited.

I hope others will complain, even if they get a standard form letter reply, even if they get threatened or bullied, because I like to think that artists have souls.

Good night, Etsy.

Joanne Harper