Bed Bath & Beyond cancels Jack-o’-lanterns over blackface complaints

Bed Bath & Beyond has removed all black Jack-o’-lanterns from their shelves after a News 12 uncovered complaints that a law firm’s display had generated outrage.

The niche jack-o-lanterns are incredible festive, adding a moderate touch of Gothic to the already dark holiday.

However, it’s 2019, and some colours must not be appropriated. Due to complaints from community members, the plastic pumpkins were removed from the Feerick, Nugent, MacCartney Law Offices in Nyack to take the pumpkins down less than 48 hours after setting them up.

October 23, 2019

“We understand that someone complained about them and so once we got word of that we immediately took them down,” says law firm partner Mary Marzolla.

“We represent people of all colors and faiths, and we would never do anything to exclude anyone from any community.”

The pumpkins had also been custom made, each being engraved with the name of a partner at the firm. Marzolla asserts the pumpkins were purely meant to be festive and not designed to offend anyone.

” It’s just nothing I take offense to personally, but since it did offend someone we took proactive steps to take it down,” says associate Alak Shah.

However, taking them down wasn’t enough.

Local NAACP Director Wilbur Aldridge said it shows an “extreme lack of sensitivity,” and now both attorneys have scolded Bed Bath & Beyond over their insensitivity and lack of foresight.

Bed Bath & Beyond, of course, bent the knee and capitulated, removing all of the pumpkins from sale.