Patriots, conservatives, and even students of human nature will want to pay close attention to the downfall of John Schnatter, a.k.a. "Papa John" of pizza fame. Not so long ago Schnatter committed the barely-pardonable sin of remarking that the NFL's brand had been harmed, and his pizza sales had fallen, because of the controversy over NFL players' decision to kneel during the national anthem. Schnatter was, of course, only stating the obvious, but that didn't stop the NFL from terminating its relationship with Papa John's, even after Schnatter had resigned as CEO.
All of that is small potatoes compared to the recent dust-up. Schnatter, in a marketing conference call, unwisely used the n-word, but not to denigrate blacks -- he was using it to illustrate the profound changes that have occurred in people's racial attitudes. He also referred to past instances of lynching targeting "African-Americans" -- not in a way that implied his approval, but his disapproval. Nonetheless, some people participating in the call were offended, and...Schnatter is toast. Papa John's has severed all ties with him, and it is attempting to erase even his memory at the company (he's the founder, inconveniently). But that's not all. Not happy with destroying the image and career of a man not even accused of racism, but mere insensitivity, the Left is demanding that Papa John's, even after its disavowal of Schnatter, must be punished as a company. Numerous NFL and Major League Baseball teams are ending their relationships with the pizza chain. Every single employee of Papa John's, it seems, must suffer for John Schnatter's sins. Wow!
And what is Schnatter's principal sin? Being white, naturally. The n-word is offensive, yes, but let's not kid ourselves -- black people use it often. Comedians use it. Leftist social critics use it. Assuming you have the right pedigree, you can use the word without undue risk to your reputation or your livelihood. Schnatter, though, is a white male who appears to harbor some glimmerings of patriotism (thus his insistence that NFL players should stand for the anthem), and he may even be -- gulp! -- a conservative or a Republican. Clearly, he must be destroyed at all costs.
Why does any of this matter? Personally, I don't know John Schnatter from Adam, nor have I so much as sampled his pizza. That isn't the point. The point is that a man, even a powerful one, can these days be scorched simply for failing to abide by PC values and injunctions with sufficient care and thoroughness. As a white male, if you step out of line, even for an instant, the leftist horde is done with you. Have you performed a litany of worthy deeds throughout your life? Who cares. Are you, 99% of the time, subservient and reverent towards the twin gods of Diversity and Inclusion? Not good enough! The Left demands total compliance -- or annihilation!
The other reason that these stories matter is fairly obvious: Schnatter's fate will intimidate, as it is meant to, other corporate leaders into towing the line of leftist orthodoxy. If we allow this sort of nonsense to continue, well, we can kiss the idea of winning the "culture wars" good bye, because our fate is sealed.
Friends, the inmates are running the asylum. Don't put a foot wrong -- that's my advice, because the PC crowd is taking no prisoners, and you and I are already on their naughty list. Watch out! And, if you can (without taking direct fire from the PC goon squad), fight back!
Read more about the Schnatter saga here:
https://nypost.com/2017/12/21/papa-john-abruptly-out-after-blasting-nfl-leadership/
https://nypost.com/2018/07/11/papa-johns-stock-dives-on-report-that-founder-used-racial-slur/
https://nypost.com/2018/07/13/papa-john-says-he-was-pressured-to-use-n-word-during-conference-call/
The fact that African Americans use the N-word is no excuse for Schnatter to use it. He was stupid and insensitive, and his defense was tone deaf. He deserved to lose his position.
ReplyDeleteBTW, African Americans can use the word. It was used as a word of oppression against them by whites. When African Americans use it, it is not used in a way to oppress. Of course, as a conservative white guy, you wouldn't know that.
Good to have you in the mix, Rod.
ReplyDeleteObviously, I disagree. When black people use the n-word, I'm offended. Isn't the gold standard of political correctness that no one should ever be offended? I kid, but honestly I don't accept that black people are allowed to say and do things that white people aren't. How does that move us beyond racism? It doesn't.
And if being "tone deaf" is a just cause for inflicting social death and career-ending termination on someone, who among us will be left??? Haven't you ever heard of forgiveness?
Dr. Waddy: For my own part, I don't care if black people use the n-word. Its been used to motivate terrible wrongs; blacks could at one time only use allusions and irony to express their outrage at their oppression, lest they be subject to mayhem and if they continue it today, even after very much progress in race relations, I can still live with it, for what it matters. That said: I believe that outrage at the mere utterance of the word (or a word much like it meaning penurious or materially inconsiderate behavior ,and I have seen people publicly excoriated for using it) is a tactic disingenuously used by many leftists to disarm fearful conservatives. They often employ it to neutralize the "white guilt" they "feel". The fear that anyone faces in this context is real, as the consequences faced by Mr. Schnatter confirm. It takes guts to openly question it, as you have done. The NFL is a typical big corporation - an undeniable asset to our country both for quality and redeeming entertainment and for economic generation - but very cautious about public relations and loath to break ground. That's the corporate culture, which I thank with all my heart for our prosperity. Having experienced the alternative I thank them yet again.
ReplyDeleteOur President, with his defiance of political correctness, both with great courage in his campaign and with constancy both in his administrative practices before his election and in his tenure in office, provides us with a shining promise of progress beyond this conflict. Jack
Jack, I agree that President Trump handles the PC morass with about as much common sense as one could hope for in a President. Thank heavens!
ReplyDeleteYou're right that corporations are carefully not to be offensive, and that's part of capitalism, and I have no problem with that. I think you'll find, though, that they're far more anxious about offending liberals than conservatives. How many corporations and corporate leaders went out of their way to condemn Trump and embrace Hillary Clinton? They didn't have to do that. They risked offending half the country by doing it. They believe, it seems clear, that conservatives are quiescent, while liberals are rabble-rousers. They're right!
Dr. Waddy: So many corporate leaders are college grads, within the last 10 to 40 years. So many of them are committed, of necessity, to a "go along to get along" posture which they may well embraced on campus and in beginning positions in order to get their tickets punched. In corporate management, they have their priorities and I would guess they have mostly to do with the bottom line. I don't blame them for that. You have to acquire power before you can make real change and even then you must know your limits. (Don't I know it; I tried to work change from a powerless position in state gov't and fluffed) And being prosperous and older than they were in their salad days, what incentive to do most of them have to stick their necks out? So they abide the brainless leftist platitudes they experienced on campus. I know what its like, in a way: when the "affirmative action" commissars would visit our provincial outposts to indoctrinate us in "Albanythink" we would nod dutifully while our perceptions of day to day realities were changed not a whit. We took such action as was required, without a shred of conviction.
ReplyDeleteIf corporate America perceives conservatives as that faction less likely to ruin their day, we must continue to disabuse them of that notion by persistence in the restoration of common sense to American public life. They'll take note, I think, eventually.
Jack, your last sentiment is spot on: if the squeaky wheel gets the grease, then, as I've said before, conservatives better start squeaking! In 2016, we made a good start. I'm sure you're right that corporate America will fall in line, IF we can keep winning elections. That's a big "if".
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy: We are, I think, living through a historical era which will prove as decisive as did the 1850's and their tragic denouement, which nonetheless redefined the American dream. I think we are in the political version of that final conflict now and the result, though it may still be in the balance, ala Spring 1864, is looking good for the real America. We must stay true, because if we prevail (maybe, just maybe I'll live to see the eventual triumph secured)we will have preserved humanity's best hope, as a latter day Lincolnlike orator could note at (where else?) Gettysburg.
ReplyDelete