Word Gumbo

The tobacco company Phillip Morris is in trouble again with a PR quandary. Recently a New Zealander went to Israel on vacation and found a pack of cigarettes with the words "Maori Mix" on it, along with symbols sacred to the Maoris in NZ. When a tribal coalition against tobacco got wind of this and confronted PM on the matter, one of the spokespersons from the industry giant stated that the sacred symbols "were not trademarked."

This comment upset me to no end. Not only because I find it morally offensive that someone would exploit cultural and sacred symbols for corporate gain on a product that kills people; but also because privatization has become a growing monster that strips people who lack money and power of what is afforded to them by simply belonging to the earth or a group.

Who cares if the Maoris haven't copyrighted or trademarked their own language and cultural heritage? What kind of "socially responsible" industry shows no regard for people's religious and cultural beliefs?  

One thing to learn from society, especially the Kiwis, is don't mess with the sacred. It should be an area devoid of financial greed and manipulation. (Did you hear that as well, James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson!?) Look at the stink Jesus raised when merchants were making a profit off of swindling religious folk at the temples. He overturned their tables and chased them off with a whip!

I wish I could see the same indignation happen today, and not just with Phillip Morris who claims that they used the Maori symbols and language to show that they are "accepting of cultural diversity."

On a separate note, I pine for the day that music enthusiasts won't buy crappy Christian music just because the words: salvation, righteousness, Jesus, Savior, sanctify, etc… are mentioned dozens of times; and not because the musicians are actually Christians with integrity and have talent (there is an excellent South Park episode on this).  

But I digress in my diatribes about exploitation… I must go now and think about what I'm having for lunch. I hear there are Pride Sandwiches being sold with arsenic laced in them. It may kill me, but <shrug> the retailers obviously care about my issues and identity since they put a rainbow on the packaging.  (Note my sarcasm, as cigarettes have arsenic in them also.)