(This post may contain disputed claims. We make no assertions as to the validity of the information presented by our Opinion Columnist. We are an opinion blog, not a traditional news outlet, and this post should be treated as such. Enjoy.)The Goodyear Tire Company allegedly issued bans on all MAGA hats and political attire as part of their “diversity training.” Their new zero-tolerance policy allegedly states that anything with “Blue Lives Matter” or “All Lives Matter” is unacceptable. However, they also allegedly state Black Lives Matter attire, or anything to do with “lesbians, gays, or bisexuals,” is totally acceptable. Well, that’s when President Donald Trump made sure they regretted it. You’ll love this.
Goodyear is finding itself in a world of hurt after one employee shared a new “diversity training” policy.
In a photo posted on Twitter, claiming to be taken from an alleged company diversity training program, the policy stated any pro-police and pro-Trump slogans should be banned from company stores.
A list of “acceptable” expressions in the workplace included any “Black Lives Matter (BLM)” or “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT)” messaging.
An anonymous employee leaked the training slide from Topeka, Kansas, local outlet WIBW reported, and said the training came from the corporate offices in Akron, Ohio.
Support for “Black Lives Matter (BLM), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride (LGBT)” was acceptable.
“According to @goodyear tires, a MAGA shirt is a zero tolerance hate symbol. But Black Lives Matter is allowed,” posted investigative journalist Mike Cernovich.
According to @goodyear tires, a MAGA shirt is a zero tolerance hate symbol. But Black Lives Matter is allowed. pic.twitter.com/1kWRqSDFQa
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) August 18, 2020
That’s when President Trump called for a boycott of Goodyear tires, tweeting that message out to his 85.3 million followers.
“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!)” the president posted Wednesday morning.
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
Immediately, Goodyear released a statement Wednesday, denying that corporate headquarters created or distributed the slide as part of a diversity training program.
“The visual in question was not created or distributed by Goodyear corporate, nor was it part of a diversity training class,” the company said.
Really? Or did they just get caught? Can you imagine if Trump supporters, many who are truckers, farmers, and all the middle-class families owning SUVs, boycotted Goodyear?
Goodyear also said they “ask that associates refrain from workplace expressions in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party, as well as similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of racial justice and equity issues,” which seems to imply that some political expressions are deemed acceptable while others are not.
Well, why is Blue Lives Matter banned and Black Lives Matter is not? The truth is BLM really is a political entity, but saying “blue lives matter” has nothing to do with an organization.
Goodyear issued this tweet about an hour after Trump posted his boycott: “Yesterday, Goodyear became the focus of a conversation that created some misconceptions about our policies and our company. Goodyear has always wholeheartedly supported both equality and law enforcement and will continue to do so.”
Yesterday, Goodyear became the focus of a conversation that created some misconceptions about our policies and our company. Goodyear has always wholeheartedly supported both equality and law enforcement and will continue to do so. pic.twitter.com/oO6jUg2rTR
— Goodyear (@goodyear) August 19, 2020
Proving Goodyear is scared of the controversy surrounding their alleged diversity training, that tweet has disabled the ability to comment.
Americans weighed into the debate on social media.
“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,” tweeted Rep. Doug Collins.
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
“How the hell is this not considered some kind of discrimination?” tweeted Errol Webber, who is running against Maxine Waters’ good friend Rep. Karen Bass.
How the hell is this not considered some kind of discrimination? https://t.co/YaOXRHMWG7
— Errol Webber For Congress (CA-37) (@ErrolWebber) August 19, 2020
“Goodyear bans blue lives matter and all lives matter messages while allowing BLM and LGBT. We need to get #BoycottGoodyear trending. They need to overturn this discriminatory police, apologize for it, and apologize for their support of a violent Marxist organization,” tweeted Matt Walsh, who runs a pro-Trump blog.
Goodyear bans blue lives matter and all lives matter messages while allowing BLM and LGBT. We need to get #BoycottGoodyear trending. They need to overturn this discriminatory police, apologize for it, and apologize for their support of a violent Marxist organization. pic.twitter.com/MYfnbvsEPo
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) August 19, 2020
The Goodyear employee, who wanted to remain anonymous over job concerns, provided a statement to WIBW:
If someone wants to wear a BLM shirt in here, then cool. 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.
Goodyear had to scramble after Trump put the word out to his supporters. These companies supporting BLM are all on the wrong side of history. They are also all blatantly un-American.
