As we closed another tiresome Pride Month, we all got some good news of corporate courage and sensibility on June 27. As many major corporations ramped up their Pride kowtowing, others grew a spine and took strong stands to reverse a once-woke course.
An online journalist revealed the very deliberate woke actions of a Tennessee-based, Fortune 300 company that supports and equips rural livelihoods. Their customers had complained as well. The CEO had been working hard to achieve 100% DEI scores for his company in order to win the favor of big city elites.
As a leader, this man had lost his way. The journalist carefully explained how his actions were diametrically opposed to the values of his faithful customer base, the people who pay his salary and those of his employees. The CEO listened, to his great credit, and Tractor Supply dramatically reversed course and declared it would no longer play the DEI, gay-pride game.
The company put out a press release apologizing for this mistake. It states forthrightly,
We work hard to live up to our Mission and Values every day and represent the values of the communities and customers we serve. We have heard from customers that we have disappointed them. We have taken this feedback to heart [emphasis added].
The farm supply behemoth told their customers … and the world, “Going forward, we will ensure our activities and giving tie directly to our business.” Tractor Supply stated this specifically means they will:
1. No longer submit data to the Human Rights Campaign.
What major corporation has ever said “no” to HRC? None that we know of.
2. Refocus our Team Member Engagement Groups on mentoring, networking and supporting the business.
3. Further focus on rural America priorities including ag education, animal welfare, veteran causes and being a good neighbor and stop sponsoring nonbusiness activities like pride festivals and voting campaigns (emphasis added).
4. Eliminate DEI roles and retire our current DEI goals while still ensuring a respectful environment.
5. Withdraw our carbon emission goals and focus on our land and water conservation efforts.
Each of these are important eliminations and realignments. Tractor Supply then promises, “We will continue to listen to our customers and Team Members.”
Daily Citizen strongly applauds this decisive and honest action. All it takes to resist the current tide of corporate-sponsored silliness is sound reason, moral courage and the humility to admit and correct one’s mistakes. A thousand congratulations to Tractor Supply and its leadership for being the first Fortune 300 company to respond to its customer base and reverse their misguided course. They have returned to the sanity that made them a strong, thriving company making important contributions to their, and our nation’s, essential community: farmers and ranchers.
May this move be the first drop in a tidal wave back towards values that built this great country and many others.
Related articles and resources:
Walmart Ramps Up Pride Merch as Target Stores Scale Back
The Hallmark Channel Reverses Course, Decides to Air Ad Featuring a Lesbian Wedding
Target Launches New Merchandise From ‘Transgender’ Designer With Links to Satanism and Occult
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