'Wokeness is on its deathbed': Walmart kicking DEI, LGBT activism to the curb



Normalcy advocate Robby Starbuck and other conservatives keen to depoliticize corporate America have gone online to celebrate a massive victory in the war on woke this week: Walmart, which employs roughly 1.6 million workers nationwide, is scrapping its divisive DEI initiatives and curbing both its customer-facing and worker-facing LGBT activism.

"This is the biggest win yet for our movement to end wokeness in corporate America," said Starbuck, who has successfully pressured a number of other American companies, including Ford, Harley-Davidson, Tractor Supply, Jack Daniel's, and John Deere, to abandon their race-obsessive policies, embrace of gender ideology, and other alienating leftist commitments.

"This won't just have a massive effect for their employees who will have a neutral workplace without feeling that divisive issues are being injected but it will also extend to their many suppliers," continued Starbuck. "Companies like Amazon and Target should be very nervous that their top competitor dropped woke policies first. I think Target specifically will suffer serious sales problems as a result and Walmart will benefit."

Following "productive conversations" with Walmart executives, Starbuck announced Monday that Walmart committed to ending its participation in the LGBT activist group Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, a "national benchmarking tool on corporate policies, practices and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees" used strategically to crush dissent and maximize conformity.

Walmart once again secured a perfect score on the index last year by engaging in LGBT activism and outreach and by providing sex-change guidelines; at least one additional transvestite "inclusive policy or practice for its employees"; and LGBT training elements and an "intersectionality" training session.

'The landscape of corporate America is quickly shifting to sanity and neutrality.'

Starbuck noted that Walmart has also committed to: identifying and removing "inappropriate sexual and/or transgender products marketed to children"; reviewing all funding for LGBT events to ensure that kids are not targeted with inappropriate sexualized content; letting its Center for Racial Equity initiative expire; ensuring that supplier diversity programs are not discriminating on the basis of race; eliminating the term "LatinX" from official communications; discontinuing "racial equity training"; and ditching the use of the term DEI.

The company has confirmed its change of course, telling the Guardian in a statement:

Our purpose, to help people save money and live better, has been at our core since our founding 62 years ago and continues to guide us today. We can deliver on it because we are willing to change alongside our associates and customers who represent all of America. We've been on a journey and know we aren't perfect, but every decision comes from a place of wanting to foster a sense of belonging, to open doors to opportunities for all our associates, customers and suppliers, and to be a Walmart for everyone.

Walmart spokeswoman Molly Blakeman told CNBC that the company will no longer permit third-party sellers to sell various LGBT-themed items on the Walmart website, especially products, such as harmful chest binders, that target confused children.

Chest binders are pieces of compression clothing that flatten a woman's chest to make her more "male-presenting." They reportedly can cause breathing difficulties, chronic back pain, headaches, skin infections, broken ribs, and malformations of the spine. According to a 2021 study in the journal Pediatrics, 97% of those who use them suffer health problems as a result.

While Walmart is taking steps to shield children from LGBT propaganda and deformative apparel, it will continue to award grants and funding to LGBT events such as Pride parades.

Blakeman also confirmed that the company will no longer share data with the HRC and will wind down its Center for Racial Equity.

"Our campaigns are now so effective that we're getting the biggest companies on earth to change their policies without me even posting a story outlining their woke policies," wrote Starbuck. "Companies can clearly see that America wants normalcy back. The era of wokeness is dying right in front of our eyes. The landscape of corporate America is quickly shifting to sanity and neutrality. We are now the trend, not the anomaly."

'Keep up the pressure.'

Starbuck was deluged with congratulatory messages and thanks for helping Walmart find its way back to common sense.

"Great!" wrote Elon Musk.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, recently nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as American ambassador to Israel, tweeted, "Standing ovation for @robbystarbuck who is perhaps the most influential person in America restoring our culture & country to sanity! He is [fire emoji]! And thanks to @Walmart for focusing on the core business of retail. It's a gift to the customers & shareholders."

Andy Puzder, the former CEO of Hardee's, similarly thanked Starbuck and noted, "The list of actions Walmart is taking to walk away from DEI is impressive! The #1 US employer’s labor policies will once again be based on qualifications, merit and character not sex or skin color. A true win for US workers of every race & both sexes!"

"Wokeness is on its deathbed," tweeted All-American swim star Riley Gaines.

Starbuck appeared to agree with the sentiment, noting elsewhere, "Wokeness is on life support. We just have to keep up the pressure."

The Bud Light boycott demonstrated the vulnerability of corporate giants to conservative boycotts. While the threat of a repeat performance may be enough to prompt companies to act, some organizations may also be responding to the U.S. Supreme Court's June 29, 2023, decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard/UNC banning race-based college admission. The high court held that it is unconstitutional under the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause and a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for colleges and universities to factor race into the admissions process.

While some legal experts have indicated that the decision has no direct legal impact on private employers, it has nevertheless paved the way for numerous lawsuits and federal civil rights complaints targeting companies' DEI initiatives, such as the complaint America First Legal filed in September with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the kitchenware retailer Williams Sonoma.

Just weeks after the Supreme Court ruling, the attorneys general of 13 states wrote a letter reminding Fortune 100 CEOs of their obligations as employers under federal and sate law to "refrain from discriminating on the basis of race, whether under the label of 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' or otherwise."

It appears that companies that depoliticize their offerings will not only maximize their market reach but possibly also minimize their legal liability in the face of increasing effective backlash.

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Normalcy advocate Robby Starbuck makes Harley-Davidson do a U-turn on woke policies



Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck announced on X Monday that under threat of boycott and amidst a concerted pressure campaign, the 121-year-old motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson has scrapped various leftist initiatives.

"We did it again," wrote Starbuck. "3 for 3. The left fears what I'm doing because it's effective. The attacks will increase with the plan we have but we have a plan and it accounts for the arrows that will be fired at us. We won't slow down for anyone."

Starbuck has now successfully targeted Tractor Supply, John Deere, and Harley-Davidson for their race-obsessive policies, embrace of gender ideology, and other alienating leftist commitments, which appear to be at odds with the conservatives amongst these companies' clientele.

The ideological capture of Wall Street and of beloved American businesses was long in the making; however, by the time many realized what exactly had happened to the system and the brands they grew up with, the time to mount a meaningful defense had passed.

Some conservatives have recently gone on offense, threatening companies' bottom lines only to discover that this — and perhaps only this — is the means of reconquest.

Having undoubtedly gleaned insights both into corporations' low tolerance for consumer backlash from the Bud Light saga and into the efficacy of an unflinching information assault of the kind waged by Christopher Rufo against universities' DEI czars, Starbuck and others have gone to war with American legacy companies over their wokery.

'When we use our voices and wallets to vote our values, we can change the world.'

Blaze News previously reported that Starbuck and others blasted Tractor Supply, a company established in 1938, for mandating its employees to undergo "LGBTQIA+ training," for funding sex-change mutilations through its health plan, and for sponsoring so-called family-friendly transvestite performances, as well as for other leftist initiatives.

The exposure was evidently too much to handle, as Tractor Supply announced on June 27 that it had taken the "feedback to heart," and would: no longer volunteer data to the powerful LGBT activist group that calls itself the Human Rights Campaign; ditch "DEI roles and retire [its] current DEI goals"; and jettison its carbon emission goals.

When similarly targeted for liberation, John Deere similarly traded the LGBT colors back for the red, white and blue, indicating it would "no longer participate in or support external social or cultural awareness parades, festivals, or events," and would be taking additional steps to shore up customer trust.

Last month, Starbuck launched his latest campaign: a boycott of Harley-Davidson, a once-beloved motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1903.

In a series of social media posts and videos, he provided fuel for a Bud Light-style boycott, alleging that the company

  • supports legislation that would enable men to enter "girl's bathrooms, sports and locker-rooms";
  • required thousands of employees to undertake training on "how to become LGBTQ+ allies";
  • was a founding member of the Wisconsin's LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce — a group that opposed a law which would have saved children from sex-change mutilations;
  • celebrated two additional "Months of Inclusion" beside so-called Pride Month;
  • worked on having "less White suppliers, dealers and employees";
  • partnered yearly with "Pride Ride"; and
  • partnered with the Human Rights Campaign on non-straight activism, ultimately securing a 90/100 rating on the HRC's CEI index.

'We are saddened by the negativity on social media over the last few weeks.'

Starbuck also highlighted some statements made and actions taken by the company's German-born CEO, Jochen Zeitz, that might prickle customers, including the climate alarmist's

  • boast that his corporate activism had at least one peer calling him the "sustainable Taliban";
  • signing of a joint letter to the COP28 presidency demanding an end to fossil fuels;
  • criticism of President Donald Trump for leaving the Paris Agreement;
  • committal of Harley-Davidson to the UN Global Compact; and
  • advocacy for DEI.

"I don't think the values at corporate reflect the values of nearly any Harley Davidson bikers," wrote Starbuck. "Do Harley riders want the money they spend at Harley to be used later by corporate to push an ideology that’s diametrically opposed to their own values?"

Starbuck added, "When we use our voices and wallets to vote our values, we can change the world and we can restore great American companies to a culture of sanity, meritocracy and culture war neutrality OR we can inspire competitors to step up to fight for our business."

Whatever pressure Americans helped apply in concert with the conservative filmmaker appears to have been enough.

At noon on Monday, Harley-Davidson stated on X, "We are saddened by the negativity on social media over the last few weeks, designed to divide the Harley-Davidson community. As a Company, we take this issue very seriously, and it is our responsibility to respond with clarity, action and facts."

Harley-Davidson claimed that pursuant to an internal stakeholder review initiated earlier this year, the company has kicked its supplier diversity spend goals to the curb and does not have hiring quotas. It noted further that its "DEI function" has been dead since April 2024 and the company does "not have a DEI function today."

Harley-Davidson also indicated it will no longer participate in HRC scoring going forward and "will focus exclusively on growing the sport of motorcycling and retaining our loyal riding community."

"Socially motivated content" in training sessions will apparently disappear in the rear view mirror along with the company's race obsession and HRC participation.

— (@)

"Harley-Davidson corporate can be sad all they want but our movement gets results," said Starbuck.

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Harley Davidson Faces Boycott as its DISGUSTING Woke Agenda is EXPOSED

Harley Davidson Faces Boycott as its DISGUSTING Woke Agenda is EXPOSED

Jason Whitlock: Tennessee lawmakers use dead children to destroy America



Three Tennessee lawmakers were subject to expulsion over a gun protest — and the left is claiming racism as the motive.

However, Jason Whitlock sees it as nothing more than “political theater.”

He says he “thought of 'Paradise Lost' yesterday when three Tennessee politicians stepped on the dead bodies of three 9-year-olds to elevate themselves as political cult heroes.”

The three he is talking about are Justin Jones, Justin Pearson, and Gloria Johnson.

He claims they “have made themselves the face and victims of the Nashville Covenant School massacre,” when they organized an anti-Second Amendment protest at the House that disrupted work on the floor.

Their protest sparked a Republican-led effort to expel the state lawmakers. They succeeded in expelling Jones and Pearson, but came up one vote short of expelling Johnson.

Jones, who will be reinstated shortly, took to the floor to capitalize on his expulsion.

Standing at the podium, he said, “Just yesterday the House speaker took to national news to condemn us and call for expulsion before any evidence was presented, before any trial happened. And so what we see today is just a spectacle. What we see today is a lynch mob assembled to not lynch me, but our democratic process.”

Jones later went on MSNBC to tell Joy Reid that he was voted out for being an “uppity negro.”

Whitlock says, “It’s just cosplay intended to distract from focusing on what caused a transgender woman to snap and kill Christians.”

Days later in Colorado, police arrested a transgender woman who was allegedly plotting a mass shooting at schools and churches. The suspect, like the Nashville shooter, had also penned a manifesto expressing communist beliefs.

“There might be a pattern here,” Whitlock says.

He asks, “Is it a coincidence that leftists always seem to use dead children to advance their agenda?”

While the mainstream media is pointing at racism and guns as the problem, Whitlock sees it differently.

“School shootings are being used to undermine the Second Amendment. We can protect kids in schools without disarming the American public. If we spent the money we funneled to Ukraine on school safety, we could eliminate mass shootings at schools.”

“Children,” he says, “are being sacrificed to empower the government and undermine the rights of citizens. We’ve lost the American paradise.”


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