And here’s a closer-in shot:

There are a few things I feel the need to point out:

1. Note the relative size of my picture as compared with that of Newt Gingrich, winner of the South Carolina primary. I’d say it’s about 8-1, wouldn’t you? Seems fitting.
2. Notice the juxtaposition: I’m usually the guy smiling, and Newt’s usually the guy with his mouth open screaming.
3. OK, Broadway it ain’t, but improv is sure fun.
4. If you live in the area, and haven’t come yet, you’re missing it!

I consider it a public service to blog about companies both to avoid and to patronize.  A few years ago, I blogged about why I will never give another dime to DirecTV (their incessant mailings to me notwithstanding).  I had signed up for DirecTV and the salesperson had not been honest with me about the commitment involved, and thus since I do not do business with unethical companies, when my two-year “commitment” was up, I changed my service and vowed never to do business with them again as long as I lived (though I remain perfectly willing to give them all the bad publicity they so richly deserve).

Now, the same thing, essentially, has happened with Sprint.  After a number of relatively happy years with Verizon, I succumbed to what looked like a deal too good to be true to switch to Sprint.  Turns out it was.  I was quoted a price by the salesperson in store, assured my bill would be that price, and now, lo and behold, the bill is ca. $30 more than I was promised.  Contacting their support department was to no avail; they “apologized”, but explained there was nothing they could do.  Fine.  Thankfully, there are some things I can do.  I can fulfill my commitment (I guess at least in this case, I was told I would be making one!), and then change carriers, never again to do business with Sprint.  I can let my friends know that if they are considering Sprint, they ought to look in another direction (that’s what a friend ought to do, right?).  I can learn, I guess, what I need to ask next time I sign up for such a “service” (I think that next time, I am going to literally get a salesperson to write in longhand–and sign–the understanding that we’ve reached).

By the way, while I”m on the subject, just a word about other companies I do not patronize, and why:

• Apple – Apple led the fight in California for the legalization of “gay marriage”, and I have no interest in my money going to fund the further destruction of American society;
• La-Z-Boy – The culprit here wasn’t unethical behavior, or some social stance; rather, it was the singularly most inept customer service I’ve ever received.  Happened many years ago, and it was probably, in all honesty, limited to the suburban Pittsburgh store with which we dealt, but it put a bad enough taste in my mouth that I doubt I’ll ever do business with La-Z-Boy again.
• Comcast – Actually, I am still doing business with Comcast, but weighing my options; again, it is the horrible customer service that I’ve typically received from Comcast which colors my choice here.

I should balance this piece with some businesses that I consider to be great businesses.  I work for one, of course: Chick-fil-A is the real deal.  I thought this when I was just a customer; I know it from the inside now.  Kohl’s is one of the finest companies going.  My wife and daughter became fans and drug me along; now I’m totally sold on the place.  The Cheesecake Factory is a great restaurant that consistently delivers great experiences, and the one time we had a bad experience there, I was dealt with in such a way that I never hesitated going back.  There was a company whose name I don’t remember, and with which I doubt my readers will ever do business, but recently I ordered something from them second-day air, and when it was not there when I was promised, they promptly refunded my money.  I called them back specifically to tell them what a stand-up outfit they were.  And  if I think of some more companies, I’ll be happy to add them as well.

But here’s the point of this post: in crafting his argument, and then later reiterating the same basic position, he on each occasion resorted to apocalyptic language, warning that by this decision, he feared Chick-fil-A, a company long known for its foundation of Biblical principles, indicated that we were capitulating.  In his follow-up, he wrote about how all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

Please.  I mean, really, please.

If you have a point to make, make it.  If you have an argument to support it, fine.  But every time we exaggerate the stakes, we weaken our argument.  Frankly, I thought that this particular fellow had a relatively tiny good point to make, but when he overmade his point so, I wrote off his entire argument.

Now this doesn’t mean that there aren’t some small decisions that have large consequences, or that there’s no such thing as a “slippery slope”.  But I think that as we make arguments—whatever the topic—we would do well to remember a proper sense of proportion.