In the new issue of The Bourbon Country Reader, I try to put a positive spin on the ghastly decision by Brown-Forman to discontinue its programs to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the company.
Brown-Forman owns Jack Daniel’s and several other leading spirits brands. It is one of the Big Four, who make about 70 percent of America’s whiskey.
The decision is ghastly because Brown-Forman caved to right-wing extremists, specifically one Robby Newsom, who goes by the name Robby Starbuck. He threatened to call for a boycott of Jack Daniel’s like the one that devastated Bud Light.
So, what’s the positive spin?
It’s not so much positive as it is a clarification of who this decision harms. One problem with opponents of diversity initiatives is their misrepresentation of what DEI is and does. DEI as practiced is not what they say it is. They claim it harms more qualified white male candidates by giving jobs to less qualified ‘diverse’ candidates, i.e., women and people of color. That isn’t true, but Newsom and his supporters don’t care. Opposition to DEI is a proxy for their white supremacy agenda.
In this issue of The Reader, I describe my personal experience working on DEI for a major American retailer, not in the beverage alcohol business, and I explain why Brown-Forman's decision will primarily harm Brown-Forman. I don't usually use the first-person voice, but I do here because I'm writing about my personal experience, including with Brown-Forman, which spans 40 years.
Also in this issue, we ask the question "Did a Bourbon Family Murder Inspire the Song 'Careless Love'?" I'll tease this one a bit more in a few days. If you enjoy "true crime," it's quite a tale, and it will take more than one issue to spin it all out.
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13 comments:
Thank you, Chuck. So then let me say this publicly, the chances of me ever again buying, serving, evaluating or recommending any product produced or sold by Brown-Forman is, well, let’s see, uh, make that ZERO. That’s known as the boomerang effect. Throw the boomerang and it smacks you in the head. And this racist instigator uses the name Starbuck. Oh that’s rich.
This is one of the most asinine things I have ever read. To equate not agreeing with DEI policy to being a racist is idiotic. I believe these organizations should be blind to factors like race, gender, or sexuality and instead focus on hiring the most qualified individuals, regardless of background. This perspective doesn't make someone racist; it reflects a preference for policies that, in our view, emphasize individual achievement and merit over group identity. Economic factors drive companies to step back from DEI. They realize most of their customers don't believe in this agenda and believe these companies should avoid being swept into politically charged debates. Let your company's merits be based on your product's quality. It is people like you who are misrepresenting why people disagree with the DEI & LBGTQ+ agenda. It is not from a place of hate but of common sense. Everyone today is a victim and needs a policy or law to rectify their situation. If people put the amount of work into being successful as they do in their identity, they would be better off.
Obviously, you didn't read the article.
You are correct, Chuck. Either didn't read it, didn't understand it or is otherwise confused. You never even insinuated it. Bravo for the terrific article. I try to milk reading The BCR a little. Otherwise, Poof---it's gone as soon as it arrives.
Maybe the author of the earlier comment got the idea an accusation of racism might be involved when the person advocating the end of DEI policies is described in the headline as a "white supremacist" with no support anywhere in the article for that characterization. So what's the basis for that claim?
I gave you his name. You can look him up. However, the whole premise of anti-DEI agitation is the protection of white male privilege, i.e., white (and male) supremacy. Look it up. Guys like Starbuck make no bones about their ideology.
I should also reiterate that this is a tease for a much longer examination of this issue in the newsletter. Yes, I'm a capitalist. I'm trying to sell subscriptions. Maybe read the article before you comment on it? I promise it will anger some of you even more.
I did read a little about him in the context of a similar campaign involving another public company. Didn't read anything that would remotely justify calling him a "white supremacist." He's opposed to DEI policies as they're currently structured. You can agree with him or not.
I was able to pick a great single barrel with one of the people from Brown Foreman's program at Jack Daniels and was thrilled. It was a great program that grabbed a clearly well-suited candidate and put him in a position to thrive and succeed. I am generally a big Brown Foreman fan so it is sad that they caved to the pressure of this white supremacist jerk face. Thank you for all the great work you do and highlighting this issue.
Kind of stopped reading when I got to you calling a Hispanic man a white supremacist for opposing DEI. You then tell everyone to read the article, yet you couldn't read the guys biography (except the Wikipedia version). Just shoddy writing, but I expect nothing less from a leftist from Chicago.
He doesn't "use" the name Starbuck, it is the name on his birth certificate since birth. He is also of Hispanic and African decent, so your "racist" claim has as much validity as the White Supremacist claim of the author. None. But you got to posture in your living room and it gave you a dopamine rush to call someone a racist, so you got that at least.
Since no actual support has been provided for the "white supremacist" claim that has been repeated here (with "jerk face," etc. added as a supplement), maybe it should be retracted. It's a loathsome characterization to attach to someone with no proof offered. As I said earlier, you can agree with him or not and offer your own arguments for your position. Why isn't that enough?
The many, many companies that are now scaling back or eliminating their DEI programs are not caving to pressure. They're belatedly realizing that discrimination, antisemitism, anti-Americanism, and everything else that's baked into the DEI framework, are bad for business (and society). Do some research Chuck--if you think these programs are about true diversity (which is a great thing), you've been duped. Also, a white guy calling a Latino guy a white supremacist is not a great look.
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