“A food company in Canmore is facing a backlash over a transphobic response to a donation request by Canmore Pride.
As the Canmore Pride Society prepares for its second annual celebration, the volunteer-led group has been reaching out to local businesses to ask for sponsorships. The group’s co-chair, K Kealey, sent an email to Valbella Gourmet Foods to ask for donations for an upcoming BBQ and was shocked by the response. The response was signed by Jeff von Rotz, whose email signature identified him as the deli’s owner. He started the email with a dig at Kealey’s single-letter name, then continued with transphobic and homophobic remarks.
“I’m sorry to say but you could not pay me to sponsor anything to do with child grooming tranny’s [sic].
“Please keep these sick people away from the children of this community, you should be disgusted with yourselves.”
He added that he’s sure there would be “some woke organization mentally ill enough to help” the group with their event, but it “isn’t Valbella’s.”
We should be clear here. This is not the most appropriate way to respond to a request for a donation from a special interest group. It isn’t a professional business appropriate response and should not have been sent out. A simple “no thank you” would have been entirely sufficient.
People feel strongly about issues and those emotions and impulses should not automatically be transferred to electronic media where they live forever. Stuff happens. However, lets take a look at the response.
“Kealey, who identifies by the pronouns they and them, said they were disappointed and hurt by the response.”
Welcome to society. The expectation not be offended and have your feelings hurt is an unrealistic and unhealthy belief.
“I shared the email because I was concerned about the safety of my own community and, as a trans person myself, I was thinking I didn’t want to go into that place or if I would be safe there anymore,” Kealey said Wednesday.
The bad man said words? And you are that fragile that you’d feel “unsafe” entering the store? This is classic vulnerable narcissism in action – pity me and (or I will make you pay for!) my bruised feelings…
Of course, if it ended there it would have been fine. Perhaps an adult conversation could have taken place and an apology elicited for the rude behaviour.
Ooooooooooor, we can take it the media and start a shit-show.
“We think we deserve spaces where people can go and be safe, and not only be safe but be fully accepted,” they said. “There are so many great people out here and they deserve better and deserve to exist in spaces as who they are and feel embraced for that.”
No one in society gets to be fully accepted automatically. And we really need to connect the dots between a heated email about donations and then somehow not being able to buy deli meat safely? It doesn’t compute outside the realm of those who are always on the lookout to be offended.
“Chantal von Rotz — Jeff’s sister and the daughter of the company’s founders, Walter and Leonie von Rotz — said in a post online Tuesday that Jeff has been removed from the company and its operations.
“The owners and leadership of Valbella Gourmet Foods express its deepest apologies to the Canmore LGBTQ+ community for an intolerant email that was sent (Tuesday) by one of our former team members,” said Chantal.
She said his words do not reflect the opinions of the Valbella team and that the company strives to make its workplace inclusive.”
Whoops – there is the damage control in action. The knee must be bent fully to the needs of fragile people with access to media and social media.
“We hope to soon be able to work with experts from the LGBTQ+ community to implement new training and education,” said Chantal. “Our priority is regaining the community’s trust.”
Valbella Gourmet Foods was founded by the von Rotzes in 1978 and has grown into a 40,000-square-foot production plant.
Chantal said a thorough review of internal policies is underway and the company will implement new equity, diversity and inclusion policy to make sure employees feel supported”
It won’t be enough. It is never enough. If the vulnerable narcissists want you cancelled, you will be cancelled. Better to stick up for your beliefs and tell them to go to hell, at least you will have your character and integrity intact.
“Several businesses that worked with Valbella Gourmet Foods have posted statements that they will no longer be doing business with the Canmore deli. The page on Valbella’s website listing its retail partners has been removed.
The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity said in a statement that it will remove all Valbella products from company operations and has ceased all business relations. The Fairmont Hotels at Jasper Park Lodge and Banff Springs said it will no longer work with or purchase from Valbella. Blush Lane and SPUD posted statements saying they have discontinued their relationships with Valbella.
Dan Berezan, founder and CEO of online Alberta farmer’s market Cultivatr, said in a statement his company has immediately suspended selling products from Valbella. The Canmore business was a vendor on the website.
“At Cultivatr, we have no place for hate of any kind,” said Berezan. “We have received tremendous support from the LBGTQIA2S+ community and we want you to know that we appreciate you and we support you right back.”
ACME Meat Market promised to halt future purchases of Valbella products and will donate any existing stock. And Monki Bistro said it will remove all Valbella products from the restaurant.
Canmore Folk Festival said it has returned a donation from Valbella in full.
After taking a day to determine how to respond, Sunterra Market released a statement Wednesday that it will also cease all business relationships with Valbella.
“Some may see the time we took to have these conversations as a concern. Please know this was done solely to consider all those affected by our decisions,” said the market.
“We believe Sunterra’s choice to cut ties with the company will have a significant impact on their 50 team members and their families.”
How did this Woke shit get so deeply embedded in our society? It is because stepping out of line has drastic real life consequences as illustrated here. The consequences are completely out of whack for the real offense/harm done. Do the employee’s at Valbella deserve to have their jobs put in jeopardy because some fired off a poorly worded email? (No, of course not. But those other companies do think that their virtue signalling is more important than the Valbella employee’s livelihoods.)
Apparently the answer is yes. This will continue until enough people say no to the bullying and coercion that some factions of the rainbow community seem to wield. Also, it isn’t helpful that the news media amplifies this sort of hyperbolic sob story that somehow lends credence to the overreaction that started this whole kerfuffle.
So yeah, a terrible email, but does the business deserve to be shut down/lose significant revenue because someone was offended? Probably not, if you value a reasonably tolerant and reasonably free society.
16 comments
August 4, 2022 at 7:20 am
tildeb
Because there is no such thing as cancel culture, waging economic carpet bombing retaliation against any business who doesn’t bend the knee by those afraid they may next on the hit list cannot possibly be a legitimate concern. So these real world reports must be fake news.
It’s SO much easier to go along to get along and perform this act of obsequious virtue signalling that costs nothing to one’s self. Who cares about collateral damage to real people in real life with such signalling when the feelings of some to be publicly affirmed (or else) justifies it?
A mob is only as strong as those weak-willed, unprincipled, unethical invertebrates who form it.
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August 4, 2022 at 7:54 am
southernpov
We should be clear here.
Despite its more polite sheen, this is exactly the kind of bigotry posted daily on this site. Enjoy the company.
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August 4, 2022 at 8:11 am
silverapplequeen
All this posturing. Makes me think of Stuart from MadTV … “Look at what I can do!” … whether it’s cancelling a person, a business, or their endless parading or drag queen library “reading” to kids or whatever cause they’re creating this week.
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August 4, 2022 at 8:13 am
The Arbourist
Lol. Do come for your daily dose of outrage then?
*shrugs*
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August 4, 2022 at 8:57 am
tildeb
So, southernpov, where’s the line for cancellation? This is the question. By all means criticize the owner for this sentiment he expresses but going after the business and (perhaps) anyone who associates business with it is the real issue raised. This causes real harm. There’s no boundary to the charge of ‘blasphemy’ when it comes to this ‘progressive’ ideology except complete moral and ethical capitulation to the judgements of its self-appointed priestly Elect.
Once again, the intolerance of the ‘progressives’ is made real by those invertebrates who collaborate with them. Their responses are shown to be real and active and harmful to the many under the inverted notion of ‘inclusion’ for the feelings of the few.
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August 5, 2022 at 8:25 am
southernpov
“So, southernpov, where’s the line for cancellation? ”
When a business uses their ‘free speech’ rights to harm others, a boycott of their business is an appropriate form of free speech (in our current system of commerce) for the victims reply!
Get past you bigotry or get used to being marginalized in modern civil society. (Or move to Texas.)
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August 5, 2022 at 10:17 am
tildeb
Show me the harm.
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August 5, 2022 at 10:26 am
tildeb
You use the term ‘harm’ in a very peculiar way here: it’s not okay to say mean and bigoted things because it causes harm you say. This ‘harm’ caused is your justification.
So the business is boycotted and dozens of people who may or may not agree with the owner’s views lose their jobs and financial security for their families. This boycott and job loss resulting from it causes real world real life harm… and you’re good with that!
So it seems obvious that you don;t give a rat’s ass about real harm; you care only to carpet bomb businesses that don’t go along with your ideology and think well of yourself. Well, Souternpov, this is kind of approach you support is authoritarianism in action and those who carry it out are by definition fascist bullies. That’s what you’re supporting. That’s what you are by your own choosing.
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September 23, 2022 at 4:55 pm
Dog dad
Who the hell let Pierre polievre in here?
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September 24, 2022 at 8:00 am
The Arbourist
@Dog dad
What are you talking about?
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September 26, 2022 at 10:58 am
Greg Pincott
It’s a common tactic of the right-wing (fringe and otherwise) to deflect from harm to people they dislike (e.g. gays, trans people) by crying crocodile tears for “regular” people. “Woke” (another right-wing dog whistle) “narcissists” are not the villain here. PP is an enthusiastic practitioner of this garbage.
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September 26, 2022 at 11:41 am
tildeb
It’s a common tactic of the regressive and apologetic left-wing (fringe and otherwise) to deflect from reality-based evidence of real harm to real people in real life (e.g. children) and avoid all justified criticism by name calling and vilifying those who raise it with drive-by character smears as well as ‘assigning guilt by association to those who may agree. ‘Bigoted’ (another left-wing dog whistle) ‘intolerant’ critics are not the problem here. Trudeau is an enthusiastic practitioner of this garbage.
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September 26, 2022 at 12:31 pm
Fleur-de-lis
My my, that was original.
The “children” dog whistle is another one you guys can’t leave alone. Boo boo boo – your feelings got hurt; don’t call my pointing out your bigotry bigoted.
Seemed like a decent site in many ways, but I’m done with this rabbit hole.
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September 26, 2022 at 12:34 pm
The Arbourist
@ Fleur-de-lis
Everything you don’t agree with isn’t automatically bigotry. But trying to invoke social shaming while not offering an actual counter-argument is sort of useless tactic no?
Welcome to what living in a diverse country that has free speech looks like.
*waves*
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September 26, 2022 at 12:35 pm
The Arbourist
@ Fleur
Child safeguarding is important in society. If you don’t share that view, that’s fine. Responsible people and many parents would disagree with your stance.
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September 26, 2022 at 2:52 pm
tildeb
If you don’t like the reflection of your thinking I offered, then that’s not my problem.
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