Goodyear 'zero tolerance' policy: BLM, gay rights acceptable; Blue Lives Matter and MAGA forbidden

It was a Goodyear employee at a plant in Topeka who noticed this notion and drew attention to it. The employee was hearing a presentation from his manager about the company’s “zero tolerance” policy concerning, I guess, anything that isn’t sufficiently woke.

It was then that the chart captured (in the above photo) appeared on his computer screen, and he had the presence of mind to take a photo of it. This was going to be a tough sell to most of the media, but WIBW-TV in Topeka was interested, which is the only reason we know about it at all.

The policy appears to be that employees can wear shirts, hats or anything else that proclaims Black Lives Matter or anything pertaining to gay rights. There is nothing wrong with that. A company that claims to be “inclusive” (which Goodyear does) would be welcoming of any point of view and the expression thereof.

But Goodyear is not really so inclusive after all. As you’re not allowed to display the message that Blue Lives Matter, nor can you say or display that all lives matter. And if you want to wear a MAGA hat or shirt . . . dude, don’t even think about it.

The official response from Goodyear is a classic in scared corporate weaselism:

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“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.”

Melissa Monaco, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

So you can express yourself all you want, provided it’s in support of “racial injustice and other equity issues.” But you can’t express yourself on any issues that “fall outside the scope of equity issues.”

So what constitutes an “equity issue,” and why is that the only kind of issue on which Goodyear employees can hold forth? What if you want to advocate for a flat tax, so that everyone pay an equal rate? Could that not be described as an equity issue? How about advocating for the use of vouchers to support tuition at private schools, so everyone’s opportunity to use vouchers is equal? Equity! Right?

I don’t think that’s how Official Corporate Spokeswoman Melissa Monaco means it.

It would be one thing if they simply banned all candidate promotions. If you can’t wear MAGA stuff, but you also can’t wear Biden stuff, no problem. Everyone know MAGA means Trump. But why ban “politically affiliated” material, then also make a point of banning MAGA stuff?

And why ban Blue Lives Matter attire? One form of BLM protests brutality against black people. Another form of BLM opposes violence against police officers. Both seem entirely respectable to me. Why allow the one but not the other?

And why specify that BLM and gay rights are OK, but not – say – Jesus is Lord?

Of course, the answer is obvious. Goodyear is checking the boxes it thinks it needs to check to keep the woke mob off its back. The woke mob doesn’t want to see any Blue Lives Matter shirts, so the corporate cowards of America aren’t going to allow any.

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American corporations don’t really have values. They say they do. But the only “values” they really embrace are the ones that shield them from criticism, boycott campaigns and negative publicity. This is why they’ll turn their logos to the colors of the rainbow during Pride Month, but they won’t proclaim that the Savior is born in December. Christians won’t loot their stores and burn down their headquarters. The woke mob just might.

All Goodyear has really done here is show us who it thinks it needs to pander to in order to survive. Pretty much like every other corporation that isn’t Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-A or My Pillow. They’re all just scared, and don’t want any trouble.

Does anyone believe in anything for real?