My father arrived in this country in 1937, fleeing Eastern Europe and the harrowing realities of his homeland. His memories of those times—of incarceration, beating, and the unjust persecution stay with me today, a proud daughter of that 16 year old boy who came through Ellis Island. He was a lucky one. These are not just stories of the past but an ugly present in our "land of the free". They are touchstones of injustice that continue to resonate deeply with me and others.  

When I see hateful merchandise like "Alligator Alcatraz" t-shirts and flags on Etsy, alongside other items bearing Nazi-affiliated symbols like the "Z," it triggers a profound sense of alarm and distress.
There is nothing laughable or humorous about what is happening in our country. I have been an Etsy seller for 14 years and am sickened by what I see being sold on their platform. 
These symbols, often thinly veiled as "novelty" or "historical" items, but are neither. They are ugly symbols of ignorance and hate that continues to embolden behaviors that oppress all of us. Allowing such merchandise to be sold on mainstream marketplaces only normalizes these abhorrent ideologies. Not one of us is safe. I am ashamed. Does anyone know that word anymore?

Join me in urging Etsy CEO Josh Silverman, President & CGO Kruti Patel-Goyal, CFO Lanny Baker, and Nick Daniel Chief Product Officer to take a stand against the distribution  of divisive and hateful merchandise. Sign this petition to request the immediate removal of all such items from their platform.

Let us work together to cultivate a marketplace—as well as a society—that rejects hate. Sometimes it's not all about the dollar and the investors..or is it?