Amazon Inc - Please Stop the

Commercial Exploitation of the Ebola Virus - Part 2

Amazon Inc - Please Stop the

Commercial Exploitation of the Ebola Virus - Part 2
Dear Board of Directors Amazon Inc,
Its been 44 days since we last wrote a letter urging you to use your good office to withdraw
the Ebola themed humorous (sic) t-shirts from Amazons online platform (Appendix 1). We
argued that by listing these products on its platform, Amazon was facilitating the commercial
exploitation of the Ebola virus.
Four days after we sent the letter, we got a one-liner email from one Sarah Crowner, a
Custom Relations Executive at Amazon stating, We appreciate your feedback and have
forwarded it to the correct team internally. Unfortunately, since then we have not heard back
from Amazon, neither has the offensive merchandise been taken off the platform. Instead,
some additional Ebola themed merchandise have been added to the platform such as Keep
Calm I Dont Have Ebola t-shirts and the sickening blood stained t shirt with the disgusting
inscription:

MY FRIEND WENT TO AFRICA AND ALL I GOT

WAS THIS EBOLA INFECTED T-SHIRT.
We are disappointed that Amazon has refused to address the issues raised in our previous
letter. It is a shame that profit maximization has overridden Amazons conscience, thereby
resulting in the dehumanization of people in vulnerable positions. We acknowledge that we
now live in a market driven world where everything is up for sale, but we thought that there
were some things which money should not be able to buy. Unfortunately Amazon has proved
us wrong.
Besides the commercialization of Ebola virus, which was addressed in our previous letter, we
would like to bring to your attention, the racial implications of Amazons actions and inaction.
First, we noticed that all the models used to sell these offensive Ebola themed t-shirts are
white people (See appendix 2). It is tragic that while thousands of people in Sierra Leone,
Liberia and Guinea are dying from the Ebola virus, some people choose to model products,
which poke fun at people suffering in areas populated by black people.
Second, the sale of the T shirt with the inscription: My Friend Went To Africa And All I Got
Was This Ebola Infected T-shirt serves a white privilege narrative that Africa is a dark
continent. There are around 54 countries in Africa out of which three countries have reported
high incidents of the Ebola virus, so we find it disappointing that the Amazon Board chooses
to turn a blind eye, as Amazon continues to facilitate the trade of products that encourage the
erroneous believe that Africa is a disease-ridden region.
Third, Amazon has provided a platform to encourage the linkage between President Obama
and the Ebola virus. A number of people on the privileged side of the color line find it
convenient to link Obama, the first black USA president with a disease that is inflicting three
black West African countries. This has resulted in some people changing Obamas name to
Eboma. For instance, someone wrote on Twitter: Ebola, ebola, eboma, ebama, Obama,
OBAMA! Omg Obama invented Ebola. Some of the products sold on the Amazon platform
include a number of Obama campaign logo bumper stickers with the inscription Ebola (See
Appendix 3).

This would not the first time that your company has put profit before people, human dignity
and justice. In 2008, Amazons allowed the sale of t-shirts praising Nazi leaders such as
Heinrich Himmler, Klaus Barbie and Reinhard Heydrich on its platform. In 2013, Amazon
allowed the sale of products that encouraged domestic violence against women including tshirts with inscriptions such as "Keep Calm and Rape a Lot; "Keep Calm and Hit Her"; "Keep
Calm and Knife Her" and "Keep Calm and Punch Her". After pressure from the public, most of
these offensive products where removed; however, when we searched through the Amazon
website today, we found a plywood print poster with the inscription "Keep Calm and Knife
Her" selling for 29.95 (see Appendix 4). It is a shame that in the last six years, all in the
name of collecting 1 or $1 from each sale of offensive materials, Amazon has allowed its
platform to be used to debase Jews, women, black people and Ebola victims. For how long
will this continue?
When Amazon went online in 1995, it was seen as a breath of fresh air. It was viewed as a
new economy firm that would do things in a new way. True to expectation, Amazon changed
the rule of the game and brought a new shopping experience to millions around the world.
However, ten years later, Amazon appears to be following the footsteps of some old economy
firms in debasing the marginalized and stripping them of their human dignity.
In 2010, Amazons founder and CEO Jeff Bezos delivered a Commencement Speech at
Princeton University titled "We are What We Choose." In that speech he spoke about gifts
and choices and cited an incident in which his grandfather told him, Jeff, one day you'll
understand that it's harder to be kind than clever." Bezos went on to say, Cleverness is a
gift, kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy -- they're given after all. Choices can be hard. You
can seduce yourself with your gifts if you're not careful, and if you do, it'll probably be to the
detriment of your choices. There is no doubt that Amazon has excelled in the gift of
maximizing value for its shareholders, there is no doubt that Amazon has excelled in the gift
of selling, there is no doubt that Amazon has excelled in the gift of expanding its area of
influence. However, the question that is worth asking is not whether Amazon has used its gifts
to attain success but whether it has seduced itself with its gift of success to the detriment of
its choice of kindness, empathy and compassion.
In conclusion, we once again urge you to use your good office to take these offensive
materials from Amazon.com
Selah
For and on behalf of Alatenumo Inc

Ahmed Olayinka Sule, CFA

01 December 2014
cc:
Operation Black Vote
Color of Change
NAACP
Ebola Alert
NASDAQ
National Action Network
Black Activists Rising Against Cuts
African Union
United Nations Human Rights Council
National Organization for Women

APPENDIX

Appendix 1

Jeff Bezos, Amazon - Please Stop the

Commercial Exploitation of the Ebola Virus
Ever since the Ebola plague reared its head in some parts of West Africa a few months ago,
the world has been in panic mode. Almost 9,300 people have been infected with nearly 50%
of the victims dying. The medical resources in the affected countries have been stretched to
the limit with a number of medical professionals getting inflicted with the virus. In recent days,
some isolated cases of the Ebola virus has been reported in the United States, Spain and
Germany. Governments around the world have put measures in place to contain the spread
of the virus, as people around the world remain vigilant and cautious for symptoms of the
disease.
As should be expected, in times of great crisis, individuals, corporations and governments
should rally round to overcome the crisis. So far, this has been the response to the Ebola
crisis. However, despite the good intentions of many, there are a few who are using the
current Ebola pandemic to pursue their own selfish agendas.
Some are exploiting the Ebola crisis due to their prejudiced mindset. To recap most of the
confirmed Ebola cases reported so far have been limited to some countries West Africa. In
the West some individuals have used the prevalence of the disease in some parts of West
Africa as a basis to stigmatize people of African origin. To these people, Africa is a single
country ravaged with Ebola. Due to scare mongering, the sight of any black person in the
West vomiting instills fear as people run away for fear of catching Ebola. In the United
Kingdom, a child of Sierra Leone heritage was refused admission into school, while in Texas
two Nigerian students were rejected from gaining admission to a school because they came
from a country that had some confirmed Ebola cases. Some politicians have used the crisis to
pursue their selfish agenda.
Another category of individuals are those taking advantage of the Ebola crisis for commercial
purposes. These individuals who see the crisis as a money making venture have created a
market in Ebola themed merchandised products. It is because of these commercial
exploiters that we have decided to pen this open letter to you.
Amazon is one of the success stories of America. From its small beginnings, it has
metamorphosed into the largest Internet based company in the USA. It provides a platform for
buyers and sellers to exchange goods via the Internet. Unfortunately, since the outbreak of
the Ebola epidemic, Amazon has become a platform to trade Ebola themed merchandise.
Amazon to an extent has acted as a market maker that connects the first category of
individuals earlier described (the buyers) with the second category of individuals (the sellers).
Some of the buyers include those who view the whole Ebola epidemic as one big joke.
Amazon has served as a platform to connect willing Ebola themed merchandise sellers with
willing Ebola merchandise buyers at an agreeable fair market price (sic). In short, Amazon
has become a melting pot for bigots, jokers and Ebola merchandise traders.
Some of the Ebola merchandise traded on Amazon range from
The not so good:
Ebola Apocalypse Response Team T-Shirt ;
CDC Center for Denial and Confusion Ebola Response Tank Top ;
Ebola Apocalypse Response Team Premium Hoodie Sweatshirt ;
Ebola Can't Kill My Swag Funny Novelty - Womens T-Shirt
The Bad:
EBOLA Obama's Legacy to America Bumper Sticker ;
Jesus Saves Ebola Kills Obama Golfs Bumper Sticker ;

 Ebola Don't Kill My Vibe Funny Novelty - Womens T-Shirt

The Ugly:
Survived Ebola and All I Got was this T-Shirt Funny Sleeveless T-Shirt ;
Ebola Free Hoodie Sweatshirt ;
Africa t shirt Ebola virus disease Africa T-Shirt ;
EBOLA "Everyone Believes Our Lying Assholes" BLACK T SHIRT
We are conscious of the fact that Amazon is in the business of making money, we are also
conscious of the fact that Amazon provides employment for hundreds of thousands of people
around the world; we are also conscious of the fact that Amazon has to maximize value for its
shareholders, but we are also aware that Amazon has responsibilities.
Martin Luther King once said, It is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends. While
there is nothing wrong in maximizing shareholders value, there is something morally wrong if
the means to achieve it is immoral. When Amazon makes a financial gain from people who
trade in the misery of others there is something morally wrong in that. Amazon cannot achieve
the moral end of profit maximization from the immoral means of the commercialization of the
Ebola Virus. In short for what will it profit Amazon if it maximizes its earnings and loses its
soul.
We therefore appeal to you to withdraw these offensive t-shirts and other Ebola themed
humor merchandise from the Amazon platform. Thousands of people are dying from the
Ebola virus and it is morally wrong for people to use it as an opportunity for financial gain. As
a gesture of goodwill, we suggest that you use your good office to help alleviate those
impacted by the virus.
About 2,000 years ago, there was a certain person who lived in Palestine. He had just been
welcomed into Jerusalem. A few moments later, he went into a Temple and he saw people
buying and selling things that they should not have been dealing in. In response he
overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves and
said, My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of robbers."
2,000 years after this incident, we are urging you to drive out the bigots, the jokers and those
selling Ebola themed merchandise out of Amazon and tell them, Amazon will be called a
platform for responsible trading but you are making it a den of insensitivity.
Selah.
For and on behalf of Alatenumo Inc
Ahmed Olayinka Sule, CFA
October 2014
Disclosure of Interest: The author of this letter is of African origin.
Cc
Jeffrey M. Blackburn
John Seely Brown
Tom A. Alberg
Diego Piacentini
Thomas J. Szkutak
Patricia Q. Stonesifer

Appendix 2 Models used to Advertise Ebola Themed merchandise on Amazon.com

Appendix 3 Obama Campaign Logo Bumper Stickers With The Ebola Inscription

Appendix 4: Merchandise Promoting Domestic Violence Against Women