Editor's Note: From 2020. This is how to handle it.

Cancel culture won't be canceled until companies grow a sack and stand up to the cancel-culturers. It's that simple (see POLL: CANCEL CULTURE IS GROSSLY UNPOPULAR TO MOST REAL AMERICANS and COMEDIAN CALLS OUT LIBERAL VICTIMS OF CANCEL CULTURE: 'THIS IS WHAT YOU IDIOTS WANTED!'). Originally, it was reported that Trader Joe's caved. Some rando started a petition about the store's "racist" marketing, calling ethic brands "Trader Jose's," "Trader Ming's" and so forth racist. It was a simple play on words, but when bored and lonely people start to see how much social media attention you can get by being stupid, oy vey do they get stupid.

HOWEVER, the retail chain would like to clear the air on a few things.

We want to be clear: we disagree that any of these labels are racist. We do not make decisions based on petitions.

Decades ago, our Buying Team started using product names, like Trader Giotto's, Trader José's, Trader Ming's, etc. We thought then—and still do—that this naming of products could be fun and show appreciation for other cultures.

Recently we have heard from many customers reaffirming that these name variations are largely viewed in exactly the way they were intended­—as an attempt to have fun with our product marketing. We continue our ongoing evaluation, and those products that resonate with our customers and sell well will remain on our shelves.

Here's the dirty little secret. The people who say that they are no longer going to shop at your store unless you cave to their political demands, more often than not, NEVER SHOPPED THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. If other people stay silent, it's not because they agree with the idiots. It's because they're too busy having a life to care about what a supermarket calls its guacamole. They never know there is a nontroversy in the first place. Just because one side yells the loudest on social media, that doesn't make them the voice of the people. It especially doesn't make them the voice of your customers. Also, brands need to start to have the courage to tell Twitter to shut the f*** up once in a while.

Trader Joe's is listening to the people who actually shop at Trader Joe's. That's what the company is supposed to do.

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Brodigan is Grand Poobah of this here website and when he isn't writing words about things enjoys day drinking, pro-wrestling, and country music. You can find him on the Twitter too.

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