Decorative Cotton At Hobby Lobby Causes Controversy

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A post to Hobby Lobby's Facebook page has gone viral after a woman wrote that she was offended by the company's decorative cotton stems.

Daniell Rider wrote to Hobby Lobby that she found the cotton sprays offensive because of their connection to the history of American slavery and asked the store to remove the item.

"This decor is WRONG on SO many levels. There is nothing decorative about raw cotton... A commodity which was gained at the expense of African-American slaves.

A little sensitivity goes a long way.

PLEASE REMOVE THIS 'decor.'"

Thousands of people wrote back that they disagreed, noting that people of all races and many backgrounds worked on farms and picked cotton in the south as a source of income.

"I decorate with it throughout my house and what your implying here has never crossed my mind till you brought it to my attention... but I assure you it WONT be taken down or put away," writes one woman.

"HOBBY LOBBY? SERIOUSLY? Who goes there any more? PIGS!" writes one man.

The "Cotton Stems In Glass Vase" Rider saw in store are being sold at Hobby Lobby for $15.

Cotton has been popular in home decor. Stores like Pier 1 and Magnolia Home also sell cotton decorative pieces.

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