As more and more people discuss how terribly disrespectful it is to display the traitorous rebel flag in an official capacity on government buildings, online arts and crafts retailer Etsy is the latest company to announce that it’s pulling “Confederate flag items” from its “marketplace,” along with Walmart, Amazon, Sears, and eBay. In a statement to ANIMAL, the e-commerce site explained its decision:
Today, we are removing confederate flag items from our marketplace. Etsy’s policies prohibit items or listings that promote, support or glorify hatred and these items fall squarely into that category.
With each new application of our policies, we strive to strike the right balance between creative freedom, Etsy’s values, and establishing a safe and respectful marketplace for members. The challenge of defining and eliminating offensive items raises deep and complex issues — both philosophical and pragmatic — which we at Etsy wrestle with regularly. We strive to think about our site holistically and determine what is best for the entire community.
Due to the nature of our platform, it is possible that a prohibited item may appear for sale on the site before our enforcement teams have a chance to remove it. Members are welcome to report these items to us; we have a timely review process for all reports.
Governor Nikki Haley has called for the removal of the Confederate flag from in front of the South Carolina statehouse, but due to government bureaucracy, it may take months or even years for that to happen, assuming it happens at all. If only constituents were considered as important as consumers.
