Nice to see that christians have been able to weigh up the difficult issues involved and make a hard decision, and have decided that facism and racial prejudice are less of a sin than blasphemy.

Entertainingly, Woolies have sent me their stock response, saying that the “product” (presumably the Mail, as I didn’t mention another) is not available in stores but can be ordered via their website!

I have responded appropriately and await a personalised reply with bated breath.

You may also wish to check out Richard Herring’s website (www.richardherring.com) – comedy double act partner of Stewart Lee, the co-librettist of JSTO – to see his Warming Up entries of the last few days on the topic and allied comments in the Guestbook.

the disabled are a minority because they are, er, a minority. In a numerical sense they are therefore as valid a comparison with “the gays”.

The fact this comparison makes you uncomfortable was precisley my point. People are comfortable with prejudice which is in accordance with the left/liberal spectrum but not from a “right wing” group like christian group. Liberty is liberty.

“Dear David

Thank you for contacting us. I am sorry you have been disappointed by our decision to withdraw Jerry Springer – The Opera from sale in our stores. As there has been lots of interest in this matter I would like to clarify why the title was taken out of our range.

We sell many DVD titles throughout the year and our range changes from week to week based on what customers want and, of course, sales. In the first week that Jerry Springer – The Opera was released, we sold only 111 copies in all stores nationwide and received a high number of contacts from unhappy customers. In the early part of the second week we sold only 21 more copies and received further complaints. Due to these very poor sales figures this DVD would have been withdrawn at the end of the week, but in view of the contacts we had received we removed it a few days earlier than planned.

Please be assured that, as a company, we feel it is our responsibility to offer choice. We do not feel it is right for us to tell our customers what they should or should not buy. However, in this case sales were so low that we did not think removing this title would have a negative impact on our customers and we wanted to give them a choice of more popular titles.

Thank you for taking the time to let us know your views on this matter and for giving us a chance to explain the reasons behind our decision.

Kind regards,

Gavin Wood
Sainsbury’s Customer Services”

Here is my reply:

I do not recall mention Jerry Springer, or an opera. I want the Daily Mail withdrawn from sale in Sainsburys based on your policy of withdrawing things based on “customer feedback”. Please address the correct issue here. The Daily Mail has been a constant source of annoyance to me as it promotes nonsense that is repugnant to sensible people whom I am sure are offended by it.

So, count me as someone who has complained about The Daily Mail. You will receive more complaints as I have assured you will.

On the subject of sales verses complaints, so what!? Is it not more right that people be protected from sick filth that in my opinion will pervert their minds than for people to be given the choice as to what they might purchase!? Absolutely it is, as you actions have shown. Since you mention this Jerry Springer Opera as an example lets look at what you have done.

You have sold a small number of a minority interest DVD, no surprise (111). Your “high number of contacts from unhappy customers” is reported as 22, wow. So you removed the title. I warrant that removing The Daily Mail from your stores will result in no less an outcry than your going to experience by your decision regarding this Jerry Springer thing. The amusing thing is that the publicity generated from your actions is no doubt promoting its sale else where.

The Daily Mail is filth and as the bastions of morals that you are you should remove if from you product list forth with!!! People should not be given the choice of exposing themselves to such vile and disgusting filth.

Be assured I will publish your irrelevant reply and my response internationally via the internet.

Thank you for your attention.

David Reynolds

PS, you would not believe how many people I have blind cc’d this to. I strongly suggest you act as you did with this Jerry Springer thing and respond appropriately to the complaints you will receive by removing this Daily Mail from your products.

I don’t think you should compare Christian Voice with minority groups like the disabled. Do the disabled go round as a group telling people that gays are evil?

Taking action is laudable. Respecting your opponent in debate is important. But there are limits and by wanting to jump up and down on fundamental human rights, Christian Voice has breached those limits.

However I do genuinely feel that christianophobia is one of the few legitimate prejudices that can be expressed in Britian today. If some of the above posts had been made about the disabled or “the gays” they would have been taken down.

I do conceed that matt at 11 makes an excellent point about negative and posit liberties. However if Christian voice can influcne policy with 20 letters then surely the correct response to get 40 letters in by way of opposition. Not abusing people who care enough to take civic action however misguided i personally think there views are

I live opposite a Sainsburys and find it really useful when I’ve ran out of stuff – so I hope Will realises what a sacrifice Im making. Where else can one turn for blank videos of an evening?

“I understand you have a policy of withdrawing products based on consumer feedback, with a threshold of around 20 complaints. This is admirable and under this policy I would like to object to the sale of the Daily Mail newspaper in your stores. This paper never fails to publish articles which I find grossly offensive and objectionable. Such gutter press has no place in super markets. As such please count me as one of those who has complained about this publication; you will likely be hearing from others who I will arrange to contact you in due course. I hope you will continue your policy of pandering to the opinions of the public, even if only a small number of us object, and I look forward to shopping in your Daily Mail free supermarkets in future.”

I hope you and Sainsbury can detect the hint of sarcasm in the above.