Reports that Costco, one of the nation’s largest warehouse shopping chains, was no longer offering products manufactured by MyPillow to its members are being met with cheerful enthusiasm by progressives from coast to coast.
On Tuesday MoveOn.org, the leftwing group that pioneered the use of online petitions during the Clinton impeachment sent a message to its followers in which one of them, identified as “Dennis C.” of Tennessee, bragged about how an effort he started led to Costco’s decision to remove MyPillow products from its shelves several months ago.
“Within weeks, my petition grew to tens of thousands of signatures from people across the country, and over 250,000 MoveOn members signed onto my campaign in the following months. In April, I burst out in simultaneous laughter and tears of joy when I heard the good news that Costco stores stopped selling MyPillow products!”
MyPillow was founded by Mike Lindell, a conservative Minnesota businessman who transformed himself into a household name through a series of ads in which he pitched his products that appeared mostly on late night and cable television. An ally of President Donald J. Trump, Lindell campaigned vigorously in support of re-election and, later, was a major supporter of efforts intended to show the results of that election had been significantly tainted by voter fraud.
Lindell’s support for the controversial theory that the 2020 election was “stolen” by the Democrats has proven costly, as it led to the bedding products made by his company being “canceled” by Costco, which currently does not offer them for sale on its website.
When I learned that Costco was selling millions of dollars worth of MyPillow products, I was overwhelmed with confusion, disappointment, and anger. I love Costco and am a regular customer, but MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is a massive supporter of far-right political activity and pushes conspiracy theories, including those espoused by the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol.
I didn’t want one of my favorite companies, Costco, helping right-wing extremists make millions of dollars—especially as the gravity of the attack on the Capitol grew more clear by the day.
That’s when I thought of MoveOn and—inspired by previous experiences signing petitions—decided to start a petition of my own in January.
Within weeks, my petition grew to tens of thousands of signatures from people across the country, and over 250,000 MoveOn members signed onto my campaign in the following months. In April, I burst out in simultaneous laughter and tears of joy when I heard the good news that Costco stores stopped selling MyPillow products!1
This would not have been possible without the help of MoveOn members and our collective power. For that, I am eternally grateful.
I encourage you and all MoveOn members to find something that motivates you to start your own petition.
It’s incredibly frustrating at times for me to be living in a “red” state and unsure of who else will share my progressive values. It’s also frustrating to see the national news about how Congress is often slow to act on such massive problems as the rising cost of health care, obstacles to voting rights, fixing racism in the criminal justice system, and implementing immediate action on climate change.
However, my incredible experience working with MoveOn’s team and the free petition platform made the process of promoting and winning my campaign a lot more rewarding than I could have ever imagined.
Thank you to the hundreds of thousands of MoveOn members who signed my petition and remember that each of us has the power to create change when we work together.
Start a petition
Thank you!
–Dennis C.
MoveOn member in Tennessee