A Letter from Hobby Lobby Stores CEO
By David Green, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
When my family and I started our company 40 years ago, we were working out of a garage on a $600 bank loan, assembling miniature picture frames. Our first retail store wasn't much bigger than most people's living rooms, but we had faith that we would succeed if we lived and worked according to God's word. From there,Hobby Lobby has become one of the nation's largest arts and crafts retailers, with more than 500 locations in 41 states. Our children grew up into fine business leaders, and today we run Hobby Lobby together, as a family. We're Christians, and we run our business on Christian principles. I've always said that the first two goals of our business are (1) to run our business in harmony with God's laws, and (2) to focus on people more than money. And that's what we've tried to do. We close early so our employees can see their families at night. We keep our stores closed on Sundays, one of the week's biggest shopping days, so that our workers and their families can enjoy a day of rest. We believe that it is by God's grace that Hobby Lobby has endured, and he has blessed us and our employees. We've not only added jobs in a weak economy, we've raised wages for the past four years in a row. Our full-time employees start at 80% above minimum wage. But now, our government threatens to change all of that. A new government health care mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health insurance. Being Christians, we don't pay for drugs that might cause abortions, which means that we don't cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill or the week-after pill. We believe doing so might end a life after the moment of conception, something that is contrary to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical principles on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to comply, we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines. Our government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy. Our government threatens to fine a company that's raised wages four years running. Our government threatens to fine a family for running its business according to its beliefs. It's not right. I know people will say we ought to follow the rules; that it's the same for everybody. But that's not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won't exempt them for reasons of religious belief. So, Hobby Lobby and my family are forced to make a choice. With great reluctance, we filed a lawsuit today, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, asking a federal court to stop this mandate before it hurts our business. We don't like to go running into court, but we no longer have a choice. We believe people are more important than the bottom line and that honoring God is more important than turning a profit. My family has lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our company and providing great jobs for thousands of employees, but the government is going to make that much more difficult. The government is forcing us to choose between following our faith and following the law. I say that's a choice no American and no American business should have to make. The government cannot force you to follow laws that go against your fundamental religious belief. They have exempted thousands of companies but will not except Christian organizations including the Catholic church. Since you will not see this covered in any of the liberal media, pass this on to all your contacts.
Sincerely,
David Green, CEO and Founder of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
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Fw: A Letter from Hobby Lobby Stores CEO
12/10/2012 06:51:00 AM
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Key Words:
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8 comments:
Isn't it a sin for Christians to lie?
A new government health care mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health insurance.
No. No it doesn't. Not at all. Not even a little bit.
First, the pill does not cause abortion. Period. Full stop.
Second, you don't have to provide shit. You're free to not provide anything, and instead to pay a tax so that your employees can buy their healthcare elsewhere.
Third, where shall we draw this line? If you were Christian Scientists, does that mean that none of your employees should get any medical treatment which you don't approve of?
I also love how somehow a hobby shop is now a giant economic engine. As if it was Hobby Lobby's great prices on frames that saved the economy, and not the upswing in the economy (thanks Barry!) which allowed them, the very definition of a business with elastic demand, to stay afloat.
Our government threatens to fine a family for running its business according to its beliefs.
Suppose your "beliefs" included refusing to do any business with an Jewish person who walks into one of your stores. Should the government support this?
"Our government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy."
No, your government is threatening to allow all of it's citizens access to affordable healthcare. Oh the horror!!
"we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines."
Seriously? How do you come up with that number? From what I understand, the penalty is around 2K per employee per year. Does Hobby Lobby really employ 237,250 employees? Wow, and I've never even laid eyes on a Hobby Lobby.
"Being Christians, we don't pay for drugs that might cause abortions, which means that we don't cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill or the week-after pill."
Actually, your existing insurance plan probably covers all of this. I'm not aware that you can pick things not to cover a la carte. It's like buying car insurance but opting not to be covered if you're hit in the rear by red station wagon. I'm no expert, but I don't think Blue Cross offers a "Christian" plan.
"The government cannot force you to follow laws that go against your fundamental religious belief. "
Of course they can, silly! Here's an example that will make your head explode: gay marriage. Well, at least in some states. Things cannot, and should not, be deemed legal or illegal based upon religious beliefs. If you prefer the idea that religion should dictate law, I suggest moving to the Middle East.
Does Hobby Lobby really employ 237,250 employees?
From their site: "There are currently 525 stores in 42 states."
So if each store employs only 452 people...
If the birth control issue is a 'fundamental' belief of Christians, I have to wonder what book these so-called Christians are studying from - because its not the Bible.
Does anyone else wonder why birth control is now verboten by all of these so-called "Christians"? What's that all about except dominating & controlling people (including men, btw)?
Hobby Lobby, as I understand it, is a big fat old Mormon-run business, which some rightwing Christians would say is NOT a "Christian"-run business. But then again, since Mormon Bishop Mitt RMoney was made Flavor of the Month by Sheldon Edelson, the Koch Brothers, etc, I guess it's all just one big fat happy "Christiany" family now.
No, you won't see this fabrication in the mainstream media, which is NOT "liberal" at all, because it's essentially even too nonsensical for the Fake Noise machine.
boo-yah!
But hey: onward ye ever-so-martyred "Christiany" soldiers...
And I supposed that, in keeping with biblical principles, they will be refusing to charge or pay interest very soon, also. Call it the "Year of Jubilee" sale, or something.
good place to buy cheap imported stuff from China...
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