The Mail
HON-derstood
Published: February 9, 2011
I found the article on Denise Whiting disturbing in so many ways (“Ms. HON-derstood?” Feature, Feb. 2). I moved to Hampden almost 20 years ago, and attended the early HonFest in the parking lot, which I walked away from since I felt it more a local smackdown than a warm and fuzzy “I love the neighborhood” experience. Ms. Whiting was quoted in your article, when meeting with the owners of Thanks, Hon in Towson, to dispute the name of their store, as stating, “This is nothing personal, it’s just business.” That is probably the only real statement I feel that she has made. Misunderstood? I don’t think so. Crying victim? Absolutely. Can we cut the crap now and call a spade a spade? It is all about business, and protecting your cash flow. And as far as giving to charitable causes, as many of us personally and in business do, we prefer to stay quiet.
Becky Kelley
Baltimore
As a resident of Hampden, I have heard different takes on Denise Whiting’s actions in trading marking “hon.” Some feel that she co -opted a community idiom for her profit. A better explanation, it seems, is a comparison to what Steven Jobs did with that red round autumnal fruit—no one biting into it pays a percentage to Jobs, but anyone selling something with the logo on it does pay. Another example is the “Virgin” brand. But perhaps the point has been made. . . .
Sharon Price
Baltimore
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