Major Company Accused of Discrimination for Allowing BLM, LGBT Clothing, Banning Other Political Statements
Goodyear is facing accusations of discrimination after an employee blew the whistle on the company’s rules for what employees are allowed to wear to work.
WIBW-TV first reported on the furor over a diversity training session at the Goodyear plant in Topeka, Kansas.
The station noted that an unidentified employee took a picture of a slide that outlined what clothing was acceptable to wear to work and what was banned. The list, labeled “Zero Tolerance,” originated with the Goodyear home office in Akron, Ohio.
Under the “Acceptable” label were two categories: “Black Lives Matter (BLM)” and “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride.”
Under “Unacceptable” were “Blue Lives Matter,” “All Lives Matter,” “MAGA Attire” and “Political Affiliated Slogans or Material.”
WIBW quoted an unidentified employee as saying the list was unfair.
“If someone wants to wear a BLM shirt in here, then cool,” the employee said. “I’m not going to get offended about it. But at the same time, if someone’s not going to be able to wear something that is politically based, even in the farthest stretch of the imagination, that’s discriminatory.
“If we’re talking about equality, then it needs to be equality. If not, it’s discrimination.”
The news prompted President Donald Trump to call for a boycott of the company.
“Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS,” Trump said in a tweet Wednesday morning. “Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!)”
Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS. Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2020
In a statement to WIBW, Goodyear’s Melissa Monaco said, “Goodyear is committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace where all of our associates can do their best in a spirit of teamwork.
“As part of this commitment, we do allow our associates to express their support on racial injustice and other equity issues but ask that they refrain from workplace expressions, verbal or otherwise, in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party as well as other similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of equity issues.”
Many on social media were irate at the company.
Goodyear, the tire company that produced what has been called “the deadliest tire ever made” just released it’s Diversity Training manifesto which supports BLM and LGBT but NOT Blue Lives Matter or MAGA!
In other words “we’re racist, but in a good way”.#BoycottGoodyear
— Dean Browning (@DeanBrowningPA) August 19, 2020
Hey @goodyear – the people that nearly beat a man to death in Portland the other night weren’t wearing blue lives matter shirts or MAGA hats. The Left is ruining this country. https://t.co/tmStzjkWFw
— Doug Collins (@CollinsforGA) August 19, 2020
A slide has been leaked from the Goodyear (which loves selling tires to police officers) telling workers what they can and can’t support – and it’s unbelievable.https://t.co/rv43Rnn7Ag
— LawEnforcementToday (@LawEnforceToday) August 19, 2020
This can’t be real. Surely. Can you advise if this is fake, @goodyear? Or do you actually support a neo-Marxist group but think ‘blue lives matter’ is unacceptable. https://t.co/BLNJVHZxwZ
— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) August 19, 2020
In an Op-Ed on The Daily Wire, blogger Matt Walsh lashed out at Goodyear’s logic.
“If ‘blue lives matter’ is political, it is only because one side of the political aisle has decided to define itself by its raw hatred for law enforcement. But that does not make the message inherently divisive. All decent and sane people (a dwindling demographic, to sure) can agree that the lives of police officers matter,” he wrote.
Walsh noted that “[m]any of the most powerful corporations in America have endorsed and offered financial support to Black Lives Matter. Of course it is only by virtue of its name that this avowedly Marxist organization, which has been been involved in rioting and looting in cities across the country, has managed to gain such widespread and mainstream acceptance. If BLM had a more accurate name like ‘Marxists United,’ or something similar, I doubt very much that Pepsi and and Goodyear would be lining up behind it.”
Goodyear Bans Blue Lives Matter And MAGA Shirts, Allows BLM And LGBT Messageshttps://t.co/O9nbGLyatB
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) August 19, 2020
He said he has reversed a prior position against boycotts, arguing that it is time to fight back.
“[C]orporations that support Marxist organizations, while censoring messages of support for groups like police officers, should face a severe penalty from their customers,” Walsh wrote. “Conservatives, myself included, tend to shy away from boycotts. Now is probably time to get over that aversion.
“Goodyear should not see another dime from us until it has abandoned this policy, apologized for it, and explicitly affirmed the important truth that blue lives, and all lives, do in fact matter.”
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