A retail giant just joined what appears to be a growing national effort to step all over religious freedom.

Office Depot is facing criticism for refusing to print a flyer containing a prayer and statistics on abortion.

Maria Goldstein, the pro-life advocate who was refused service, said that on Aug. 20, an Office Depot employee in Schaumburg, Illinois, told her that the contents of her flyer were “restricted by corporate policy,” and that the chairman of Office Depot stood by that employee’s decision.

Office Depot said that printing the flyer would violate the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance, but Thomas Olp, a lawyer with the Thomas More Society, said the opposite.

“Anyone can order printing at Office Depot,” said Olp. “But because Ms. Goldstein’s flyers had religious content — namely calling for prayer for Planned Parenthood — Office Depot refused to complete her order. This is a blatant violation of the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance, which forbids public businesses from discriminating based on religion.”

Olp has sent a letter on behalf of Goldstein to Office Depot to urge reversal of the policy, or else the Thomas More Society has indicated it will pursue Goldstein’s right to print the flyer through court action.

Goldstein was attempting to distribute the flyers as part of a prayer campaign against recent discoveries that Planned Parenthood was selling fetal body parts.

The campaign will resume on Saturday and run until Sept. 20, according to the Rev. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, who wrote the “offensive” prayer found in the flyer.

Pavone told Life News that he is proud of Goldstein and is calling on Office Depot to reconsider its decision.

Unlike the government’s attempts to squash religious freedom, businesses and corporations will likely be countered by consumers fighting back with their wallets.

Office Depot should brace for a backlash.

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Ian Bayne

Ian Bayne is a former political consultant, radio talk show host, and small business owner.

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