Pursuit of Simplicity

Seeing as how I'm going to be having a little extra time on my hands (on account of my recent request to change from a full time employee to a part time employee,) I've decided  I want to change the world! So of course- I'm starting on the internet. My focus is the "Pursuit of Simplicity." I have the idea that simplifying life can lead to happiness. I'm hoping to prove it to myself and others. However,  I hope that I can do more than just inspire people to de-clutter and only buy what's needed. I want to give more to my community, my friends, and my loved ones and even complete strangers...  I'd like to come full circle and turn it completely around. If we un-complicate our lives by desiring only simple things, we then stop thinking about ourselves and start thinking more about others. "What do I need?" "What do I want?" "What do I like?" ...turns into, "What can I do without?" "What can I remove?" "What can I give away?" "What's needed by others?" "What are my priorities?" "What do I waste time doing, that could be spent in a more productive way?" These are the questions I hope to withdraw from the mind of my reader. Please help me share this message! Much love!

Heather

YOU CAN'T SIT WITH US

The increase in bullying in Tooele County is disturbing to me. It's even reached the news channels of the state. Our local news paper, The Transcript Bulletin has several stories in their archives on the subject. http://tooeleonline.com/?s=bullying 

 

The Tooele County School Board has recently proposed a new policy on bullying and hazing at their Jan. 14 meeting. The new policy includes, "Prohibition of bullying, Cyber bullying, Harassment, Hazing and Retaliation.”

 

 

With the topic so hot in this area right now, I was surprised to walk into the local Rue21 clothing store and see a shirt that seemed to be advocating that exact thing.

 Rue21 is a clothing company that sells inexpensive men and women's style clothes and accessories. I've loved this store in the past for it's affordability and.. well.. just really cute stuff. I've spent way more money there than I should through high school and even now- ten years later. However, when I was browsing the other day and saw the bold words "YOU CAN'T SIT WITH US" embellished across a pastel tee, I felt a little unnerved. I passed it by and went about my shopping. I left the store and the shirt seemed to stay on my mind. Why would a store geared mostly toward young adults encourage this kind of "mean girl" attitude?

 Especially in this county? The shirts were cute. They had 2 different colors in the store; light pink and pale orange. I also looked online where they had the shirt in white and black. They're enticing to young girls and seemingly fun... But they have a very clear message. Needless to say I'm extremely disappointed in this company. I'll be boycotting it until these shirts are removed from the store. The county has been making changes for the better of our students and I believe all of the retailers in this area should get onboard with this.

I decided to look into Rue21's policies a little more and found this quote under "Social Responsibilities" on their website, "rue21 wants to make a positive impact on the lives of our employees and customers in the communities where they live, work, shop and play, as well as on the interests that they care about and support." -http://www.rue21.com/store/jump/static/Social-Responsibility/4400005

I would say they've failed at "making a positive impact on the lives of (there)... customers in the communities" by promoting intolerance in the logo on these shirts. "YOU CAN'T SIT WITH US," I'm calling you out Rue21 and I'm hope you're big enough to admit you've made a mistake in allowing this kind of attire in an already fragile school system. We won't SIT and take it. Tooele County kids are better than this. They need to be encouraged to be welcoming and kind, not mean and isolating. I hope you'll trash these tops and refuse to allow anything similar into your stores. For the sake of our children.

Here's one of my favorite shirts...

 



Update:

Last night after I wrote this I sent out an email to RUE21 customer service and this is the response I received;

Thank you for contacting rue21 with your feedback, Heather.

 

rue21 sells edgy and often controversial screen print tees throughout our 1,000 store chain. We appreciate that not all messages will have resonance with all customers. What is fun, cheeky or snarky to one person may be offensive to another. But we strongly believe in the freedom of expression, which means that we support our customers’ freedom to express their views by buying fashions that reflect their individual tastes and styles. However, I will be sure to pass your feedback on to our buying team as we take all customer feedback seriously, both positive and constructive.

 

Thank you for your comments and we hope that you will shop rue21 again.

 

rue21  

Customer Service

This is unacceptable to me. No, I will not be shopping at rue21 again. I don't want to shop anywhere that sells clothing endorsing cruel behavior. What I see is a group of girls all buying this shirt to get at one girl, or other such scenarios... It does not promote a positive behavior in any kind of way. Please spread the word that we won't stand for this nonchalant attitude toward bullying in our community!