THE BAKERY AT SHOPRITE refused to write "Happy Birthday Adolf Hitler" on a birthday cake for Adolf Hitler Campbell, who turned 3 on Sunday.
"We believe the request ... to inscribe a birthday wish to Adolf Hitler is inappropriate," a ShopRite spokeswoman told the Easton Express-Times.
I'm not sure there is a journalism ethics question here. But doesn't the Campbell family (who also have a daughter named JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell) have the right to choose whatever names they want for their children? Did ShopRite violate their First Amendment rights by not making the cake as ordered?
By the way, Wal-Mart made the cake for little Adolf, complete with his full name.
8 years ago
14 comments:
I think these kids should be raised correctly by somebody other than these parents.
'Adolf Hitler' and
"Aryan Nation"
...please, this is ridiculous. Sometimes I wish you didn't post these things George because it shows just how pitiful some Americans are. Shoprite didn't break any amendment as a business has the right to refuse service to anybody as long as it isn't racist, sexist, etc. And then again there are ways around those rules as well. Example would be how there are no profession female baseball (there is a minor league knuckleball pitcher in Japan), football, soccer, hockey, or basketball players.
Who would honestly name their kids Adolf Hitler and Aryan Nation. It's a shame for these kids because they will probably get picked on their whole lives and lead a very miserable life. I know in America we have the freedom to name our children whatever we want but this is pushing it too far. ShopRite had every right to refuse the service as noted above because it wasn't out of racism and/or sexism. These kids should be take from their parents and re-named
I think people like this should not be birthing children. Plain and simple.
I personally think that Shop Rite was stupid not to serve these people. Not writing their kid's name on a birthday cake is not making progress against white supremists. People have every right to name their children whatever they want. I could name my kid "Heavy Metal Rules" and just because you don't agree, i doubt you'd refuse to write "Happy Birthday, Heavy Metal Rules" on a cake. Just because they don't believe what you believe doesn't mean you have the right to refuse them the simple things that everyone else is entitled to, even if the case is a little more severe than the one i presented.
i'm really glad that you posted this, lack of journalism ethics aside. this is a question of ethics in general and it's interesting to hear what everyone has to say.
-michele a
Hey my wishes were granted, George I don't know if you've been looking at the blog much over break much but..
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28655143/?GT1=43001
Custody of the kids given to the state
Naming your children Adolf Hitler and Aryan Nation is ridiculous. I think Shop Rite did the right thing in not writing Adolf Hitler on the birthday cake. They were looking out for their brand. If someone were to walk by while they were writing Happy Birthday Adolf Hitler on the cake it could and probably would start something with the customers of Shop Rite.
First of all, these kids do have the right to change their names at 18, if they choose to. Just like their parents have the right to name their kids those atrocious names.
But beyond that, why do they have to commission a business to make a cake with those names? It seems like the parents did this solely for media attention, as anyone in their right mind would question the name. Go old fashion Campbells, bake the cake yourself, and desecrate it with Adolf Hitler in icing yourself.
although its sad that the children were taken from their parents, its a good thing because the children would have most likely been brought up believing in white supremacy. However i am torn if Shop Right did the right thing. It seems like the parents were only wanting attention because it seem rare that the first and middle name would be put on a cake in the first place. The Parents were clearly looking to get their 15 min of fame. If shop right put the name on with out saying anything than there wouldn't have been a story on it, and maybe the parents would still have their children. seems like the plan for 15 min of fame backfired
Shoprite has every right to deny their services to people like this. I agree that just as they would undeniably reject requests for sexually explicit cake images, they are in the right for refusing these disgusting bigots. The poor children are scarred for life, and should be in protective custody. Hopefully they are still young enough to be able to maintain a somewhat normal adult life.
...Walmart has no "soul". 1. Your sick in the head if you name your son Adolf Hitler unless they have lived in a hut in the woods their entire lives and have no idea what that name brings along with it. 2. yes shopright did "violate" the amendment but, the constitution needs some fixing anyway.
Sure, Shoprite may have violated the rights of the Nazi parents, but Shoprite also holds rights of their own. They hold the right to refuse the printing of anything profane on their cakes, and not to say that the name itself is profane but the idea behind it sure as hell is. For Christ sake, their daughters middle name is Aryan Nation, those extremist assholes cannot say that’s a coincidence. After reading this story, I looked up the article a little further and learned that the Campbell's had previously requested Shoprite to make them a cake with a swastika on it, which Shoprite of course refused. It's plain to me that these people are either blatantly racist and would like to screw things up for the kids by naming them after symbols of hate and bigotry or they are just trying to get their faces in the media...which if that is the case then congratulations to them.
I have come to understand that people lack concern for others very often, however it's absolutely pathetic that those parents could give such lack of thought and concern for the lives that their children would lead with such names, even if they choose to change them at the age of eighteen, I would imagine there is some sort of scar left. They have gone through some of the toughest years of their lives with names and ideas that are frowned upon in classrooms as well as other settings. The issue, I suppose, is more about SHOPRITE. I think it is only fair they have the freedom to refuse such business, otherwise that could and would poorly represent the corporation as a whole.
I agree with the store not granting these disgusting,racist, and insane parents a cake that writes the name Adolf Hitler on top of it. That kid should never have been named that and the name should have remained dead since 1945 like Adolf has been.
Personally, I think the parents should be smacked for naming their son after someone like Hitler. It's obvious that he lacks knowlegde in some desperate area.I wish I could have been the person asked to make the cake,but we wont go there...lol!(just had to get that out).
As far as the cake goes, I think ShopRite was wrong for not personalizing their cake, simply because it is their choice to name their children what they wish.
Its just the fact that some people dont think at all, as the parents to this little boy clearly didnt.
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