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Woke Corporate Hypocrisy

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Speech Police Partner with Puffin Books to Censor Classic Children’s Stories

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On February 18, Puffin Books announced it would be revising and issuing new versions of classic children’s stories by Roald Dahl such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and James and the Giant Peach. Dahl has been dead since 1990. The decision was the result of a partnership between the Roald Dahl Story Company (which controls the rights to Dahl’s books) and an organization called “Inclusive Minds,” a company that pairs so-called “Inclusion Ambassadors” with authors to “help identify language and portrayals that could be inauthentic or problematic.” Inclusive Minds claims not to “edit or rewrite texts,” but their actions say otherwise. The changes to the books include modifying the description of Augustus Gloop, the gluttonous child in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, from “enormously fat” to “enormous”; the famed Oompa Loompas are now gender-neutral “small people” instead of “small men”; the tractors described in The Fabulous Mr. Fox are no longer “black, murderous, brutal-looking monsters” but now “murderous brutal-looking monsters.” In the novel Witches, a woman masquerading as a “cashier in a supermarket or typing letters for a businessman” is now a “top scientist or running a business.” In James and the Giant Peach, Aunt Sponge, who was once “terrifyingly fat / And tremendously flabby at that” is now merely “a nasty old brute.” Public outcry in response to the news was loud and swift, from everyday American to British royalty. Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles said, “Please remain true to your calling, unimpeded by those who may wish to curb the freedom of your expression or impose limits on your imagination.” Comedian Ricky Gervais pondered “whether they’ll change any of the words I’ve used in my work after I’m dead, to spare those who are fragile and easily offended.” Salman Rushdie, an author who was stabbed at an August 2022 book event, said of the censorship, “Roald Dahl was a bigot and he never supported me, but really?” On February 24, Puffin Books backtracked, announcing they would print two versions of Dahl’s books: new, revised, and censored versions and unchanged “classic” editions. …unless you have the e-book versions of the Dahl tomes. On March 14, news broke that Puffin Books would be forcing e-book readers to accept and download the updated editions altered by their “inclusive” sensitivity editors. The Foundation for Individual Rights (FIRE), which has collaborated with the New Tolerance Campaign in the past, rightly stated: “Let’s leave Dahl’s words the way he intended them to be read. Let the work speak for itself, so we can all speak freely about the work.” We agree.

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Limited Run Games Must Apologize for Caving to Agitator Demands

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One complaint — by one transgender activist — about one tweet — from six years ago — was all it took for a videogame company to terminate an employee. This week media was ablaze with news that boutique gaming publisher Limited Run Games (LRG) fired their community manager Kara Lynne (pictured above) for not “supporting an inclusive culture.” Lynne’s violations? She expressed excitement for the upcoming Harry Potter game; she followed three conservative influencers on Twitter; and, in 2016 — before even working for LRG — she wrote a tweet concerned about sex offenders using pro-transgender laws to commit crimes. All of this was too much for transgender agitator Purple Tinker, who tweeted at Lynne’s employer LRG calling Lynne “a transphobe who follows a veritable who’s who of right-wing transphobic creeps. Unless and until she is fired from the company permanently, I am not giving them another single dime.” LRG gave in, ending Lynne’s employment — but even that wasn’t enough for Tinker, who went on to demand a refund for “over $1200 in pending orders.” Kara Lynne did nothing wrong! Lynne has moved on and is currently seeking other opportunities…but questions remain for LRG. Tell Limited Run Games co-owners Douglas Bogart and Josh Fairhurst to apologize for caving to cancel culture!

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New Tolerance Campaign Announces 2022 “Worst of the Woke” Awards

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WORST OF THE WOKE 2022 “The Great Unwokening” The Top 10 most hypocritical institutions of the year — and one “Champion of Tolerance”  In the past year, there was no shortage of institutions pushing phony tolerance under the banners of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” and “environmental, social, and governance” initiatives. But 2022 was also notable for the American public pushing back on institutions and their double-standards. Here are the 10 worst offenders: Award Winner: Disney* Reason: In 2022, now-ousted CEO Bob Chapek gave a master class on how not to respond to woke demands. Following the passage of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill (erroneously yet ubiquitously branded by the media as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill), Chapek demurred when Disney employees demanded the company condemn the legislation, rightly asserting that “corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds.” Weeks later, Disney did an about-face, declaring the company would support organizations seeking to “replace” the law or have it “struck down in the courts.” Florida legislators and Governor Ron DeSantis responded by stripping Disney of special taxation and self-governance perks it’s enjoyed for decades. The public wasn’t buying Disney’s activism either — quite literally. Following a string of box office bombs, in November Disney abruptly announced Chapek would be stepping down as CEO, making way for his predecessor Bob Iger to return. Iger stepped back into the role of chief executive committing to “quiet” the obsession with cultural issues at the entertainment powerhouse and “respect” consumers of their content. Award Winner: BlackRock* Reason: When you follow the ESG money trail, almost all roads lead to BlackRock. The financial behemoth manages $10 trillion dollars, and has been prioritizing investments in “socially conscious” companies and those dedicated to “environmental sustainability” — except in China, a nation notorious for its rampant industrial pollution and human rights abuses. When called out on the hypocrisy, CEO Larry Fink doubled down. The result: treasurers in West Virginia, Louisiana, South Carolina, Missouri, Florida, Arkansas, Utah, and Arizona pulled state investments from BlackRock totaling $4.28 billion. Award Winner: Twitter* Reason: After years of subjective censorship, account suspensions, and partisan activism, Twitter was at a breaking point by October of this year when Elon Musk stepped in and took over the tech giant, ushering in a new era of free speech and open debate. He also pulled back the curtain on Twitter’s previous policy revealing the platform’s critics’ worst fears: Twitter’s staff censored accounts at the bidding of political elites. Award Winner: Apple Reason: Apple touts a commitment to “diversity, equity, and inclusion” in the United States, while contracting with suppliers in China using forced labor that has propelled the company to record profits. In 2022, Apple took the hypocrisy to a dangerous new level: blocking iPhone communication features in China at the behest of the Chinese Communist Party to help crush domestic protests. Award Winner: American Express Reason: At American Express, prejudice and hypocrisy are everywhere you want to be. In 2022, journalist Christopher Rufo exposed AmEx rules that incentivized hiring and promotion based on race and sex. Not only are such policies illegal and in violation of the company’s fiduciary duties — they’re also un-American. In 2022, NTC unveiled the “UnAmerican Express” campaign in partnership with Color Us United and Consumers’ Research, rallying grassroots action that to date has generated more than 46,000 messages to state pension trustees alerting them to the concerning personnel standards at AmEx. Award Winner: Georgetown University Reason: The woke mob roared into action in January following a tweet by constitutional scholar Ilya Shapiro declaring SCOTUS nominees should be selected based on accomplishment rather than race. Georgetown Law responded by suspending Shapiro as the school’s Executive Director. The university exerted no such discipline in 2018 when Professor Christine Fair wished “miserable deaths” on supporters of Justice Kavanaugh. During a months-long Georgetown “investigation” into Shapiro’s tweet, students demanded that Georgetown use the moment to develop a “reparations” package that included free food and a designated place on campus for students to cry. The fiasco prompted Shapiro to walk away from Georgetown — and its cancel-culture mob — entirely. Award Winner: ACLU* Reason: The Amber Heard-Johnny Depp defamation trial made news for weeks. At the heart of the case: the ACLU and a 2018 op-ed bylined by Heard that implied abuse at Depp’s hands. Courtroom testimony from ACLU Chief Operating Officer Terrence Dougherty revealed the organization was “involved in conceiving, drafting and placing” the piece. By the time all was said and done, Heard was found guilty of defaming Depp, the #MeToo movement was effectively dead, and, in the words of Richard Klein, the once-respected ACLU had become little more than “a disgraced group of attorneys.” Award Winner: The Olympics Reason: The International Olympic Committee bent over backwards to accommodate China’s authoritarian government during the Winter Olympics in Beijing: gaslighting about the wellbeing of tennis star Peng Shuai and refusing to condemn CCP human rights abuses (in direct contravention of the Olympic Charter and Code of Ethics). Fox News host Laura Ingraham stepped up and rallied concerned Americans to tell NBC #NotOneMinute of their time would be spent watching Olympics television coverage. With Ingraham’s amplification, NTC supporters sent more than 26,000 messages to NBC executives. The United States staged a diplomatic boycott of the Games, and ratings reached record lows for NBC. Award Winner: School Boards Reason: “Nonpartisan” school boards pushing far-left agendas got a wake-up call this year, as parents asserted their right to know what their children are being taught in the classroom. In-home instruction via Zoom during the COVID pandemic alerted parents to the radical gender ideology and critical race theory being taught in grade schools. This year, alarm turned into action as grassroots campaigns driven by concerned parents replaced school board members pushing cultural agendas. Award Winner: The NBA Reason: The world of pro sports continued its wokeward drift in 2022, but none more so than the National Basketball Association (NBA). This year, for the first time in its history,

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Morningstar Revises Antisemitic Policy Following NTC Action

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In October 2022, 17 state attorney generals sent a scathing letter to Morningstar’s lawyers sharing concerns that the company’s subsidiary Sustainalytics is using ESG ratings to deny investment in corporations with ties to Israel. The ratings “draw no distinction between companies that operate in certain parts of Israel and those that operate in countries responsible for horrific human rights abuses,” the letter states, outlining how Morningstar views investment in Israeli companies on the same level as China, Russia, and Iran. Following work encompassing Jewish advocacy organizations and NTC grassroots action, Morningstar announced on Oct. 31, 2022 that it would be revising its policy.       [Photo credit: Montecruz Foto, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr (cropped)]

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Tell State Pension Boards: Divest from Un-American Express

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Whether you know it or not, your taxpayer dollars are funding “wokeness” run amok at American Express — and you have the power to turn the tide of this madness. There’s nothing American about viewing employees primarily by their race — but Un-American Express is doing exactly that. Last August, Manhattan Institute fellow Christopher Rufo detailed the full embrace of woke doctrine at Un-American Express. Their “anti-racism” program actually perpetuates racism and inequality among their customers and employees. Among their policies: AmEx is tying executive bonuses to racial “equity” instead of merit AmEx instituted critical race theory training, teaching staff that “capitalism is racist” and asking workers to rank themselves on a hierarchy of “privilege” AmEx gave preferential contracts to suppliers based on race All of these practices are possibly unconstitutional and illegal. Even worse — your taxpayer dollars are funding this nonsense via mutual funds, index funds, and even direct investments made by state pension boards, who may not even be aware they’re directing taxpayer revenue to underwrite Un-American wokeness run wild. But this isn’t a lost cause — far from it! In January, West Virginia Treasurer Riley Moore announced he would divest all state investments from the woke capitalists at Blackrock. Now it’s Un-American Express’s turn. Send a message to your state pension board: their responsibility to taxpayers like you requires they divest from Un-American Express!

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Hundreds of Advocates Told Coca-Cola to Stand Up to Russia

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Update: After widespread pressure including hundreds of messages sent to Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey by NTC advocates, Coca-Cola announced its suspension of operations in Russia on March 8, 2022. One year ago, Coca-Cola Company CEO James Quincey was falling all over himself to denounce the passage of voting rights legislation in the state of Georgia that critics called “restrictive.” “Let me be crystal clear and unequivocal — this legislation is unacceptable,” he told CNBC. “This legislation is wrong and needs to be remedied, and we will continue to advocate for it both in private and in now even more clearly in public.” Contrast that with the soft-drink giant’s muted response to the ongoing brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces: dead silence. If the Coca-Cola Company truly believes in its stated values, then this moment requires that they condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and join the many global brands ceasing to do business in the country. It’s not as though the Coca-Cola Company prefers to remain silent on social issues — their website’s homepage currently highlights company positions on climate change, “racial equity,” and features an image of a Coca-Cola LGBTQ-themed lapel pin. On March 3, the company issued a statement, “Support for Ukraine,” in which they outlined their donation of “€1 million to support the brave efforts of the Red Cross movement operating in Ukraine” and “a further €550,000 to support refugees” — financial contributions for Coca-Cola that represent a drop in the bucket compared to their consistent revenues of more than $30 billion each year. Notable about Coca-Cola’s statement of “Support for Ukraine”? No mention of Russia whatsoever. It’s not difficult to connect the dots: Coca-Cola’s Swiss-based bottler, Coca-Cola HBC, gets about 21% of its volume from Russia and Ukraine. There is no doubt that suspending business ties with Russia would be a blow to Coca-Cola’s bottom line, but if they’re truly the socially conscious brand they claim to be, cutting ties with Russia is the only choice.   [photo credit]

Past Campaigns

Hundreds of NTC Advocates Demanded that Golden State Warriors Leadership Condemn Uyghur Persecution in China

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Update: NTC advocates sent countless messages to Golden State Warriors President Rick Welts and VP of Communications Raymond Ridder demanding they explicitly condemn the persecution of the Uyghurs taking place in China.  Unfortunately, Mr. Welts and Mr. Ridder have remained silent.  On January 17, news broke that Chamath Palihapitiya, co-owner of the Golden State Warriors basketball team, asserted that “nobody cares” about the persecution of Muslim Uyghurs in China. “Nobody cares about what’s happening to the Uyghurs, okay,” Palihapitiya said on the “All In” podcast. “You bring it up because you care and I think it’s nice that you care. The rest of us don’t care. I’m just telling you a very hard, ugly truth. Of all the things that I care about, yes, it is below my line,” Palihapitiya explained. He subsequently issued a general apology. Hours later, the team’s PR department went into damage control mode — and their statement only made things worse: “As a limited investor who has no day-to-day operating functions with the Warriors, Mr. Palihapitiya does not speak on behalf of our franchise, and his views certainly don’t reflect those of our organization,” the team tweeted. Exactly what “views” would those be? As Casey Mattox wryly paraphrased: “His views do not reflect our views which we will not be releasing at this time and, to all appearances, are functionally the same as his views.” If the Golden State Warriors are serious about standing up against human rights abuses in China and disagree with Chamath Palihapitiya’s assertion that “nobody cares,” they need to step up and say it.   [photo: Mike Disharoon “Mike D,” [CC BY-SA 2.0], via [CC BY-SA 4.0] / Wikimedia Commons]

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Tell CEO Karen Lynch You’re DONE with CVS Health Until They End Hypocritical CRT Trainings

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On Wednesday, September 22, in a blistering exposé, Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Christopher Rufo published insider information revealing the latest major U.S. corporation to go “woke”: CVS Health. In the article, Rufo presents information from multiple whistleblowers detailing a so-called “antiracist” training program that required employees to deconstruct their “privilege.” Trainers told CVS Health employees to circle their identities — “including race, gender, sexuality, and religion” — and then rank themselves accordingly on a “privilege” scale. Larry Merlo, who served as the CEO of CVS Health until January of this year, hosted a conversation with Boston University professor and leading proponent of critical race theory Ibram Kendi, who told more than 25,000 CVS Health employees that Americans are “walking through society completely soaked in racist ideas,” including children as young as two to three years old. “Our kids are basically functioning on racist ideas, choosing who to play with based on the kid’s skin color,” Kendi said. As wage-and-hour CVS Health employees were lectured on their “privilege,” Merlo raked in a salary of $22 million — 618 times the median company wage of $35,529. CVS Health must end its hypocritical critical race theory trainings. Merlo is now retired. His replacement, Karen Lynch, took over as the CEO of CVS Health in February. She also sits on the company’s Board of Directors. Her appointment brings with it an opportunity to end future CRT trainings for CVS Health employees, encouraging an environment in which no one is labeled as inherently racist and everyone is valued equally. Send a message to CEO Karen Lynch: tell her you will no longer support CVS Health until they end their hypocritical CRT Trainings!  

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Over 3,600 told Major League Baseball to stop the woke hypocrisy involved in moving the Atlanta All Star Game

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Major League Baseball (MLB) withdrew the 2021 All-Star Game from Atlanta to protest a new election law passed by the Georgia legislature in a clear example of hypocritical corporate virtue-signaling. Like the NBA (which reconsidered a past All-Star game in North Carolina), MLB hypocritically protested a US state for democratically-passed legislation while coddling the Chinese government as it commits genocide against Muslim minorities. Indeed, MLB is a partner with the government-owned Beijing Real-Estate Group Limited in developing dozens of new baseball facilities in China. MLB is formally engaged with this dictatorial government that allows NO democratic elections, brutally represses democracy in Hong Kong, and commits ethnic cleansing against Muslims. Yet MLB is silent on China. If MLB is going to affirm its values in Georgia, the league must apply those values consistently. Why give a pass to the Chinese government for its despicable human rights violations?  Are respect and inclusion reserved for Americans only? Or is selective outrage just another marketing gimmick to sell tickets? MLB’s double standard leaves Georgians feeling singled out, victims in China feeling hopelessly ignored, and fans wondering where the league really stands. Over 3,600 NTC activists sent messages, but sadly, the MLB didn’t budge.

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NTC Advocates Held Twitter Accountable For Verifying A Hitler-Praising Journalist

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Update: When Twitter failed to follow its own account suspension policies, NTC grassroots advocates took action. They sent countless emails to CEO Jack Dorsey demanding that Twitter follow their own rules and stop giving Adeel Raja a prominent place on their platform to promote hate and violence.  Yet again, Twitter failed to follow its own policies on account suspension, this time giving a pass to a reporter who has repeatedly praised Hitler and called for others to continue his murder of the Jews. On May 16 as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinians continued, CNN freelance contributor Adeel Raja used his verified “Blue Check” account to tweet, “The world today needs a Hitler.” This vile tweet prompted other Twitter users to discover that Raja has been using the platform to spew pro-Hitler bile for years. “Hail Hitler!” Raja declared in July of 2014. “The only reason I am supporting Germany in the finals — Hitler was a German and he did good with those Jews!” he wrote that same year. CNN has since publicly cut ties with Raja, but Twitter continues to allow him to push his anti-Jewish hate with the added benefit of his verified status. Raja deleted the tweets, but then doubled down a day later, tweeting on May 17: “Glad a single tweet contributed to the #Palestine cause and brought it to limelight with me loosing [sic] my job and the West’s claim of Freedom of expression and human rights!” In the past, Twitter has removed verified (“Blue Check”) status, suspended, and even de-platformed accounts entirely that the social media site has deemed to promote hate. Their own rules and policies state that Twitter prohibits “content that wishes, hopes, promotes, incites, or expresses a desire for death, serious bodily harm, or serious disease against an entire protected category and/or individuals who may be members of that category.” For Twitter users, the selective enforcement of the platform’s “hateful conduct” policy has created mass confusion about what is and is not considered acceptable speech—but if wishing for another Hitler in this world does not meet that criteria, what does!? It’s been 76 years since the end of World War II, but for those still living who survived the Holocaust, as well as the families of those who did not, the pain of Adolf Hitler’s evil is still very real. Providing a stage for Adeel Raja to hope for a second Hitler—and the authoritative limelight that comes with a verified account—is beyond the pale.

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