Times ARE changing

[PEL]

Children,

As you all remember, I did a lot of work with a certain nation-wide restaurant chain <https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/06/us/restaurant-name-trnd/index.html> in the 80s. I ate cherry pancakes at over 300 locations - including the original in Santa Barbara. I knew both “Sam” and “Bo”.

Back then the company fought fiercely to protect the name - which was composed of the founders: Sam Battistone and Newell “Bo” Bohnet. They pointed out, correctly, that “Little Black Sambo” was Indian, not African. And it was obvious that most protesters had not “read” the book.

Yet, recognizing that in our fact-free age, image counts a lot, the kids have made a good move. I think Sam and Bo would understand.

Suddenly I’m hungry for cherry pancakes… Road Trip to Santa Barbara, anyone?

Dad