The Publix slogan is "Where shopping is a pleasure," but the grocery store chain is being pegged as unpatriotic by some critics with its 2010 calendar.
Most of the hoopla centers on Dec. 7, which in most Americans' memories is the commemoration of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese.
It appears Publix felt the need to switch things up for the new decade and labels the day as significant because it marks the Islamic New Year. That just won't do for some in the PC brigade, which has forced the calendar filled with coupons off the shelves.
From the looks of other noteworthy days added to the calendar like Cuban Independence Day and Venezuelan Independence Day, both of which some would argue haven't happened yet, it appears Publix was trying to be more global with the 2010 calendar.
A noble effort, but that hasn't stopped angry customers from flooding the corporate offices and radio talk shows with calls, according to the Palm Beach Post.
“Listeners went nuts,” radio talk show host Jeff Katz said. “Some of them were waiting for an hour to have their say. You and I know that some marketing genius at Publix decided to be politically correct and include South Americans dates for their South American customers."
The calendar includes Haitian Flag Day, but decides to leave Sept. 11 blank. Most calendars mark 9/11 as Patriot Day because of the terrorist attacks.
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Publix began giving the free calendar out in late December and it is packed with money-saving coupons, but the headache from the outrage has forced the grocer to stop giving out the calendar.
