Open letter to Block Communications
To whom it may concern at Block Communications:
This is not a threat. I understand my words and few dollars cannot hurt you. I understand your position, as a company, in this community is not going to be immediately knocked down by the opinion, or even actions, of a few.
However, please do not disregard what I am saying because long term, it will matter.
Your lawsuit against Toledo Free Press is a frivolous one on many levels but I’d like to point out the main ones.
Firstly, our courts are already bogged down with people and/or businesses suing other people and/or businesses for gain, financial or otherwise. You are tying up the courts in an attempt to shut down a business that is not even in competition to your daily newspaper. The frivolity is a waste of taxpayer dollars that would be better spent on other things in this community. Especially when you truly don’t care if you win this or not, which brings
me to my second point.
Suing a small business for the sole purpose of financially burdening them into shutting down is not the ethical way of doing things. I understand that what you’re doing is becoming fairly common, but that doesn’t make it any more acceptable. You don’t care about winning this lawsuit and collecting your “damages”; you care about making sure this lawsuit costs Toledo Free Press too much money to go forward. Your “I will crush you, little guy mentality isn’t doing you any favors. No one likes a bully.
If you think people (your customers or potential customers) aren’t going to realize what you’re doing, you have greatly underestimated the intelligence of your demographics. We see what you are doing and we don’t like it. You may think because your paper is the largest daily paper, or your cable company is the only option in this city, that you are infallible. However, I can make this promise to you: When another option comes along (and it will), we will choose it rather than you. We will choose a company that doesn’t bully with dollars. We will choose the one that embraces the American hub of small business. We will choose the ethical and moral company rather than you. Your fall from grace won’t be today with the dollars I will no longer be giving you. Nor from the hundreds of others that will also no longer be supporting Block Communications or its affiliates. Nor will it be our very loud boycott of your advertisers (believe me, they will know why we are no longer giving them our money).
Instead it will be a slow death of your company as others move in and take over because your company is known for its unethical tactic of using wealth to suppress small business. And I am one person who is looking forward to watching it happen.
I once heard someone say that it is a losing battle to fight with a newspaper or other media outlet. That may be true, but it’s one I am willing to fight on principles, win or lose.
Consumerism is a beautiful thing. My dollars will loudly go to businesses not affiliated in any way with Block Communications or its affiliates. If anyone would like to join me in letting it be known that our dollars and votes will not support this type of action, please sign the petition at http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/stop-corporate-bullies or go to www.moveon.org and search “Stop corporate bullies.”
Sincerely,
Small Business Supporter
First Amendment Supporter
Toledo Free Press Supporter
Gina Fielding, Toledo
