Freedom for all or a few?

By: American Decency Staff

 

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. ~ I Corinthians 10:23

We’re thankful for the freedom of speech, but how that freedom is used is not always helpful.  We’re thankful for the “right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances”, but as we’ve seen with the recent election, not all protests are peaceful, nor build up the unity of our nation.

That verse of scripture would be good reminder to many of the CEOs of American corporations who have the habit of using their corporate position to advance their personal political agenda and lecture the American people on how they should think and vote.

A prime example is Indri Noovi, the CEO of PepsiCo.  Indri Noovi has lived the American dream.  Noovi, an immigrant who grew up in India, attended Yale School of Management, became an American citizen, and rose to lead one of the largest corporations in America by the age of 51. 

Though granted great opportunity in America, Noovi’s view of the country became apparent in an interview she took part in soon after the recent presidential election.  Instead of respecting the outcome after millions of voters – and consumers of PepsiCo’s products – voted for a candidate that she didn’t support, she implied that those voters had ushered in the death of America.

“I had to answer a lot of questions from my daughters, from our employees. They were all in mourning.  Our employees were all crying.” 

Really?  “All” her employees were crying over the election?  I find it hard to believe that of the 263,000 Pepsi employees there wasn’t one Trump voter.

Noovi went on to add:  “And the question that they're asking, especially those who are not white, 'Are we safe?' Women are asking, 'Are we safe?' LGBT people are asking, 'Are we safe?' I never thought I would have to answer those questions.”  Noovi advised:  “We should mourn."

Every four years our nation goes through a presidential election where one side wins and another loses – where one set of values prevails over another.  To suggest that entire groups of people won’t be “safe” as a result of what has always been a peaceful transition of power is outrageous and irresponsible.  It only fosters the division she supposedly is decrying.

And PepsiCo is not alone in this type of reaction.  Matt Maloney, the CEO of the online food delivery service, GrubHub, sent an email to all employees threatening the jobs of any GrubHub employees who voted for Donald Trump. 

Maloney wrote:   “…  I absolutely reject the nationalist, anti-immigrant and hateful politics of Donald Trump and will work to shield our community from this movement as best as I can. … If you do not agree with this statement then please reply to this email with your resignation because you have no place here.  We do not tolerate hateful attitudes on our team.”

As a result, the company received immense backlash.  As one person commented online:  “Congrats, Grubhub. You just alienated half of your customers!”  And people expressed their opinion with their pocketbooks as well.  GrubHub stock dropped five percent overnight after this letter was released and continued in freefall, down ten percent within days.  As a reporter for The Wall Street Journal remarked:  “Perhaps Mr. Maloney was trying to get his customers so angry that they worked up an appetite.”

Steve Tobak of Fox Business points out:  “There is something truly ironic about the way some executives say they support diversity and inclusion, unless of course you happen to disagree with their narrow point of view on the topic.  It's shockingly myopic, if not downright incompetent, for the CEO of a consumer-facing company to risk insulting half his stakeholders that way.   …  I'll reiterate something I say often, but apparently not often enough: If your business isn't politics, keep politics out of your business."

With #BoycottPepsi and #BoycottGrubHub trending online, one would think corporations would recognize it’s not good business sense to alienate half of your customers.  Pepsi – whose brands include Tostitos, Lays, Doritos, Gatorade, Quaker Oats, Frito-Lay, Tropicana, and Lipton brands – has already lost favor with pro-life customers due to PepsiCo’s funding of Planned Parenthood.  When consumers buy PepsiCo products, the profit from those purchases empower PepsiCo’s radical abortion and political agenda.

And the trend of public figures using their positions to push their politics is only increasing.

ESPN has reported that eight NBA teams say they won’t stay at Trump hotels when their teams travel because they don’t want to be associated with our President-elect.  This includes The Dallas Mavericks, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Memphis Grizzlies.  Detroit Pistons coach Stan VanGundy took aim at Donald Trump and anyone who voted for him in a six minute rant to a group of reporters before a recent game.  This all follows the NBA pulling the 2017 All Star game from North Carolina due its commonsense bathroom law which designates restrooms based on sex, not “gender identity.” 

And now some fashion designers are stating they will not design clothing for the next first lady, Melania Trump.  Fashion designer Sophie Theallet , who has designed clothing for Michelle Obama, wrote in an open letter,  “As one who celebrates and strives for diversity, individual freedom, and respect for all lifestyles, I will not participate in dressing or associating in any way with the next First Lady.”

Theallet went on to add:  “we consider our voice an expression of our artistic and philosophical ideals.”

Of course each of these public figures is exercising their freedom of speech and freedom of association.  However, why does that freedom not apply to Christian bakers and florists who stated they could not participate in a gay wedding based on their religious beliefs?  They, too, ‘consider their voice an expression of their artistic and philosophical ideals.”

The left applauds those such as this fashion designer who refuse to violate their moral principles, but condemns Christian business owners who won’t compromise the tenets of their faith.  

The New York fashion designer has the freedom to say “thanks, but no thanks” to the business of the Trump family, but those rights are being denied to bakers such as Melissa and Aaron Klein who lost their business and were fined $135,000 by the state of Oregon for doing the same thing in regards to participation in a gay wedding.  

And in the state of Washington, the case of Barronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers, is currently before the state Supreme Court – not for refusing to do business with a homosexual client she has served for years, but declining to participate in his same-sex wedding.  As she described what led to her being sued by her long-time client, Rob:  “When he came in to ask about his wedding I just gently put my hands on his and said I'm sorry Rob I can't do your wedding because of my relationship with Jesus Christ.”

“We could lose our home, our retirement, our life savings and our business simply because we have a different view point on marriage than Rob.”  Rob certainly has every right to freedom to believe what he believes and I am just asking for the same.”

Rights cannot be just for those who uphold the values with which you agree.

Freedom of speech and free association isn’t just for CEOs, fashion designers, and sports figures. 

Last month’s election demonstrated that there are millions of Americans who are sick and tired of having their mainstream values ridiculed and undermined by the Left.  What was made clear by the election is that freedom is for all Americans.  At least it’s supposed to be.

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