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Thread: In Post-George Floyd America Speaking Plain Truths Is Risky Business - Bernie Goldberg

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    Administrator fuego's Avatar
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    In Post-George Floyd America Speaking Plain Truths Is Risky Business - Bernie Goldberg

    In April of this year, a 7-year old Black girl was shot and killed while sitting in a car with her father at a McDonald's drive-thru in Chicago.

    A few weeks earlier, a 13-year old Latino boy was shot and killed by a Chicago police officer at 2-30 in the morning. He had been running away from the police and was shot a split second after tossing a gun he had been carrying.

    Murder in Chicago is hardly breaking news. So far the city has recorded about 800 victims of homicide. But this time a new element was added to the same sad story. This time the CEO of a major American corporation weighed in. And what made his reaction to the deaths interesting is that he didn't blame the usual suspects – systemic racism and rogue cops.

    Chris Kempczinski, who heads up Chicago-based McDonald's sent a text message to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot that was recently made public in which he said that the shootings were "tragic." Then he added: "With both, the parents failed those kids."

    No parent wants to be accused of failing a child, but let's take a look at whether Kempczinski was needlessly insensitive or if had reason to come to the conclusion that "both parents failed those kids."

    The father of the dead girl reportedly has a long criminal record and admitted on social media that he knew he was a target for gang retaliation. But that didn't stop him from letting his 7-year old daughter sit in a car with him.

    As for the 13-year old boy who was shot and killed by a police officer: What was he doing with a gun? And what was he doing running around with a 21-year old repeat gun offender -- at 2-30 in the morning no less? The two had also been caught on video shooting at random moving cars when someone called the police. Gunpowder residue was found on the boy's hand.

    So based on the information we know, it looks like the McDonald's CEO was onto something, that he did nothing more than tell an inconvenient truth.

    But when his message to the mayor was revealed through a Freedom of Information Act request, there was a swift backlash. Activist groups called the text "ignorant, racist and unacceptable."

    "You relied on lazy, outdated and racist stereotypes in order to uphold the status quo and avoid accountability for those in power," the groups wrote. "As the leader of one of the world's largest private employers and most iconic brands, you have a responsibility to do so much better."

    Perhaps Kempczinski should have seen the backlash coming. But for whatever reason he didn't. So did he hold firm and stand by his words? Did he say anything about whether the dead children's parents had a responsibility to do better? Of course not. Like so many CEOs these days, he apologized – over and over again.

    In a letter to McDonald employees, he wrote: "I have not walked in the shoes of [those children's families] and so many others who are facing a very different reality. Not taking the time to think about this from their viewpoint was wrong."

    In a video he sent to his employees this month he added, "I let you down, and I let myself down."

    Then he met with more than 100 pastors and community leaders from Chicago and across Illinois where he apologized again. As Jason Riley noted in the Wall Street Journal: "Mr. Kempczinski was stating a plain truth, making an observation surely shared by an overwhelming majority of rational adults."

    But we now live in post-George Floyd America – and simply stating "a plain truth" has become a risky proposition. Uttering a reasonable opinion that is deemed "unacceptable" by the woke mob can get you smeared as a racist. It can get you "cancelled," especially if you're talking about members of racial and ethnic minorities.

    For quite a while now we've heard serious people say that we need to have an honest conversation about important matters like race. I used to think that was a good idea. Not anymore.

    Now we live in a time when too many of us – including too many CEOs of major American corporations -- have given in to the activists and have become afraid to tell plain truths. We're afraid that the woke mob will come after us.

    But what happens when we become a nation of people who are afraid to speak plain truths? What happens when it's easier to be a coward than to speak honestly about what we believe?

    Not too long ago we Americans proudly believed the final words of our national anthem, that we were the "land of the free and the home of the brave." In many ways, of course, we're still a great nation -- but those words don't seem as obvious anymore. They don't resonate the way they used to.

    And sooner or later the American people – the rational ones, anyway – will (hopefully) say, "We've had enough of this woke nonsense."

    For many Americans, that day can't come soon enough.

  2. #2
    Did the CEO know the details when he made his tweet? If so, then I don't think he should have apologized, but if he made them based on where the shootings happened, it could be a little more nuanced. I had a very uncomfortable experience when I served on a jury that was hearing a case about a teenage boy who was being charged with gun possession. He was accused of running from the police and dropping the gun. The police officer did not show for trial and the case was dismissed. I said to the lady sitting next to me, "I hope this young man does better with his second chance" I absolutely assumed the boy was guilty before I heard one word about the case. It registered when I was driving home and I was deeply ashamed of myself. It was a reflex reaction that I think a lot of people have. When a situation like the above happens, I think it's best to take a breath, say a prayer for guidance, and go from there.

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    QUOTE: "He said that the shootings were "tragic." Then he added: "With both, the parents failed those kids."


    I find this very interesting, because Hubby and I were just discussing the fact that if parents were held accountable for their children's actions - Like the recent School Shooter's Parents - Then, perhaps they'd be more vigilant and diligent about discipline and staying on top of their kid's where-abouts, school attendance, associations, etc.

    Edited to Add: Yes, I know there are exceptions, and extenuating circumstances, etc. but for the most part, if the Fathers are present and active in these kids lives, it would make a HUGE difference.

    Does that statement make ME a racist too?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Romans828 View Post
    QUOTE: "He said that the shootings were "tragic." Then he added: "With both, the parents failed those kids."


    I find this very interesting, because Hubby and I were just discussing the fact that if parents were held accountable for their children's actions - Like the recent School Shooter's Parents - Then, perhaps they'd be more vigilant and diligent about discipline and staying on top of their kid's where-abouts, school attendance, associations, etc.

    Edited to Add: Yes, I know there are exceptions, and extenuating circumstances, etc. but for the most part, if the Fathers are present and active in these kids lives, it would make a HUGE difference.

    Does that statement make ME a racist too?
    Racism has been politicized, the word isn't really meaningful anymore. If you are not in lock step with the insane Left then you support the white patriarchal power structure, so yes, according to the them you are a racist.

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    Quote Originally Posted by John View Post
    Racism has been politicized, the word isn't really meaningful anymore. If you are not in lock step with the insane Left then you support the white patriarchal power structure, so yes, according to the them you are a racist.
    It's so absurd even blacks can be 'white racists'. When Larry Elder was running against Gavin Newsom in CA for his recall of Governor in CA, the Los Angeles Times had an article titled, I am not making this up, "Larry Edler, the Black Face of White Supremacy." These people are mentally ill, insane, and basically just plain stupid.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Romans828 View Post
    QUOTE: "He said that the shootings were "tragic." Then he added: "With both, the parents failed those kids."


    I find this very interesting, because Hubby and I were just discussing the fact that if parents were held accountable for their children's actions - Like the recent School Shooter's Parents - Then, perhaps they'd be more vigilant and diligent about discipline and staying on top of their kid's where-abouts, school attendance, associations, etc.

    Edited to Add: Yes, I know there are exceptions, and extenuating circumstances, etc. but for the most part, if the Fathers are present and active in these kids lives, it would make a HUGE difference.

    Does that statement make ME a racist too?
    There are a few school districts in the country where dads are volunteering to do security.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...school-fights/

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    Senior Member Pentecali's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fuego View Post
    It's so absurd even blacks can be 'white racists'. When Larry Elder was running against Gavin Newsom in CA for his recall of Governor in CA, the Los Angeles Times had an article titled, I am not making this up, "Larry Edler, the Black Face of White Supremacy." These people are mentally ill, insane, and basically just plain stupid.
    You are right. I clearly remember that.

    Gavin allegedly won by 68%.

    We know that's a lie

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