Members of Congress started a letter writing campaign today, urging Walmart to stop selling t-shirts bearing Nazi iconography.

“SCHAKOWSKY LETTER TO WAL-MART CEO: REMOVE SHIRTS WITH NAZI INSIGNIA FROM YOUR SHELVES

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky was today joined by a bi-partisan group of Members of Congress in sending a letter to Wal-Mart CEO H. Lee Scott expressing concern over reports that t-shirts bearing Nazi insignia remain on the shelves of some of its retail outlet locations. In November, Wal-Mart committed to removing the product from its shelves, but reports this week suggested that the retailer had yet to meet that commitment.”

Inside, the letter Rep. Schakowsky circulated to other members of the House and the letter to Walmart CEO Lee Scott…

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The following members of Congress signed the letter: Corrine Brown (D-FL), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Diane Watson (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), Charles A. Wilson, Jr. (D-OH), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Michael McNulty (D-NY), Steve Israel (D-NY), Barney Frank (D-MA), Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI) and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL).

Urge Wal-Mart to Remove Nazi Insignias from its Shelves

T-Shirts on a Wal-Mart Shelf Nazi SS 3rd Division Totenkopf Symbol

Dear Colleague:

Please join me in sending the attached letter to Wal-Mart President and CEO, H. Lee Scott, Jr., urging him to inform Congress about what steps he is currently taking and will take to ensure that T-shirts with this Nazi insignia are not sold in his stores.

An Associated Press report on November 13, 2006, indicated that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. had agreed to immediately remove T-shirts that display the insignia of Nazi Germany’s 3rd SS Division Totenkopf from its shelves. A Wal-Mart spokesman acknowledged last year, “We would never have placed this T-shirt on our shelves had we known the origin and significance of this emblem.” Unfortunately, reports suggest that the product remains on Wal-Mart shelves.

To add your name to this letter please contact [redacted]@mail.house.gov in my office.

Sincerely,

Jan Schakowsky
February 08, 2007

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Mr. H. Lee Scott, Jr.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

702 S.W. 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716

Dear Mr. Scott:

We were pleased to learn from an Associated Press report on November 13, 2006, that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. had agreed to immediately remove T-shirts from its shelves that display the insignia of Nazi Germany’s 3rd SS Division Totenkopf. As your spokesman David Tovar acknowledged last year, “We would never have placed this T-shirt on our shelves had we known the origin and significance of this emblem.”

Unfortunately, reports this week suggest that the product remains on your retailer’s shelves. We are gravely dismayed about Wal-Mart’s inaction on its pledge to remove this product from its stores, and we ask that you take immediate steps to comply with last November’s commitment to remove this offensive merchandise from your shelves.

The Holocaust was the most horrific human atrocity the world saw during the last century and perhaps in the history of the planet. However, genocide and hate remain amongst us today. It is critical that we remember the Nazis’ crimes and take action to prevent future atrocities.

Therefore, we respectfully request that you inform us about the actions you are taking and will take to ensure that this type of product is not sold in your stores. Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to hearing from you within the next 30 days.

Sincerely,

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— BEN POPKEN

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