Donald Trump, Right-Wingers Have Blowout After Goodyear Tires Labels MAGA as Hate Speech
Goodyear Tires is facing hilarious right-wing backlash over a leaked pitcure classifying President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” as hate speech. Other phrases banned within the rubber conglomerate: Blue Lives Matter, All Lives Matter, and “political affiliated slogans or material.” Black LivesMatter and LGBT swag is permitted.
MAGA is widely considered to be an endoresment of Trump’s racist social, economic, and immigration policies.
The story first emerged in a local news report on WTVY in Dothan, Alabama, when a disgruntled employee called in to share her harrowing story.
“If someone wants to wear a BLM shirt in here, then cool,” the unnamed Karen 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.”
Goodyear responded.
“Goodyear is committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace where all of our associates can do their best in a spirit of teamwork.” Goodyear spokesperson Melissa Monaco said in a statement. “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.”
Goodyear’s policy is the newest Twitter hill that right-wing social justice warriors are willing to die on.
“According to @goodyear tires, a MAGA shirt is a zero tolerance hate symbol,” conspiracy theorist Cernovich wrote. “But Black Lives Matter is allowed.
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
Self-proclaimed “Constitution supporter” @Replicator decided to boycott Goodyear.
https://twitter.com/ReplicatorThe/status/1295915894057717761?s=20
Ben Shapiro, a right-wing commentator, called for “mutually assured destruction” for companies who “deliberately enter the political realm.”
“An absolute absurdity, Shapiro tweeted.” If businesses are going to deliberately enter the political realm at the behest of the wokest clientele, then everyone else will have to loudly boycott in response to establish mutually assured destruction.”
Does this apply to bakeries? Hobby Lobby? Who knows.
An absolute absurdity. If businesses are going to deliberately enter the political realm at the behest of the wokest clientele, then everyone else will have to loudly boycott in response to establish mutually assured destruction. https://t.co/mK0DbVdzHU
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 19, 2020
Another fringe voice, Paul Joseph Watson of Prison Planet – yes, that Prison Planet – whined that “the notion that expressing support for Black Lives Matter isn’t a political statement is absurd. Goodyear’s statement on this is beyond ludicrous.”
The notion that expressing support for Black Lives Matter isn't a political statement is absurd.
Goodyear's statement on this is beyond ludicrous.https://t.co/7mZwgp0DHE
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) August 19, 2020
LawEnforcementToday, a group that defends police brutality, also played victim.
“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,” the organization tweeted.
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/quonNEhnW8
— LawEnforcementToday (@LawEnforceToday) August 19, 2020
Then, on Wednesday morning, the president caught wind of the non-scandal and threw a tantrum on Twitter.
Trump berated Goodyear and called for a boycott.
“Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS,” Trump tweeted. “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!).
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1296092859226042368?s=20
Trump appears to be unaware that Akron, Ohio-based Goodyear – in business since 1898 – engineers the truck-sized, Kevlar-armored, run-flat tires on his presidential limo, colloquially known as “The Beast.”
1. Arent those Kevlar-reinforced Goodyear tires on The Beast?
2. You are violating Federal Ethics Regulations by using the office for personal gain.
3. What happened to #AmericaFirst ? pic.twitter.com/PWDCKDwHWh— Julie Danelle (@JulieDanelle777) August 19, 2020
Twitter dragged him for it.
Trump is attacking Goodyear Tires, an American company since 1898, for choosing NOT to allow their employees to wear MAGA hats at work, but won’t stand up to Putin placing a bounty on killing American soldiers. pic.twitter.com/KHchXGvVrQ
— David Leavitt (@David_Leavitt) August 19, 2020
GOODYEAR TIRES has been an American gem since 1898, and now Trump wants Americans to abandon them just because they don't support him politically.
Trump isn't President for America. He's only president for his supporters. This proves it!
— Heidi Krassenstein (@HKrassenstein) August 19, 2020
Keep in mind where Goodyear manufactures their products, versus where Trump makes his campaign junk.
MAGA hats made on China. GoodYear tires made in America. pic.twitter.com/oyHKyzWUQj
— JD (@jdye001) August 19, 2020
Turns out that people are not a fan of “displaying divisive messages” in the workplace.
It’s 100% appropriate to disallow employees from displaying divisive messages WHILE AT WORK, you divisive POS.
— Moshe Swartz (@fuzzymoshe) August 19, 2020
Cancel culture? Over tires? Really?
I thought you guys hated "cancel culture"…
— JDonavan (@JDonavan) August 19, 2020
Go make a better deal.
So you're encouraging your cult followers to buy French @Michelin, Japanese @Bridgestone, Italian @Pirelli or German @continentaltire tires instead of @goodyear, liar/racist/treasonist in chief?
— Tim Evans (@TFEvans) August 19, 2020
But North Korea, led by Trump’s nuclear button buddy and pen pal Kim Jong Un, wins today’s round. Trump has no friends.
“Orange faced freak Donald Trump soils his own trousers in his lust to wreck largest United States tire manufacturer,” the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea News agency tweeted. “Joint DPRK-Russia plan to destroy America without a shot fired is succeeding.”
Orange faced freak Donald Trump soils his own trousers in his lust to wreck largest United States tire manufacturer.
Joint DPRK-Russia plan to destroy America without a shot fired is succeeding. https://t.co/PzTbXduGVy
— DPRK News Service (@DPRK_News) August 19, 2020
It is what it is.
On Wednesday morning, the company issued an additional statement on Twitter, clarifying its policies.
“Yesterday, Goodyear became the focus of a conversation that created some misconceptions about our policies and our company,” the company tweeted. “Goodyear has always wholeheartedly supported both equality and law enforcement and will continue to do so.”
“We ask that associates refrain from workplace expressions in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party [like MAGA],” Goodyear said in an additioanl statement, “as well as similar forms of advocacy that falls outside the scope of racial justice and equity issues.”
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
Naturally, the White House felt compelled to reply.
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