When will firm exodus include Trump hotels?
It may be too soon to declare American democracy dead, but I’m at the point during a funeral where everything is grimly funny. Seeing the initial video from the racist rally in Charlottesville on Friday night, I was shocked and saddened. Then, out of some deep, dark place, I started laughing.
This citronella-scented tantrum was predictable in its terror, and yet surprisingly laughable in so many other ways. For example, did you think that Tiki Torch was a) a brand and b) in any way racist? I did not, but nonetheless, they released a statement.
“We do not support their message or the use of our products in this way,” the company said. “Our products are designed to enhance backyard gatherings and to help family and friends connect with each other at home in their yard,” they continued while dropping in a sales pitch for themselves.
(The only association I really had with them was the survivor casting-out ceremony. Will Jeff Probst have to come out and verify that none of the torches he ever snuffed out were racist? I can only hope.)
The indignant but befuddling statements just kept on coming. For hours, I had no idea what the Detroit Red Wings were talking about when they put out their statement which read, in part, “The Red Wings believe that hockey is for everyone, and we celebrate the great diversity of our fan base and our nation.”
For a while, I thought the team just wanted to remind people that they were still around. Anything’s possible, so it was not out of the realm of possibility that a hockey team would use a racist rally to sell some seats. (A group called the Detroit Right Wings uses the team’s logo.)
After all, a man did run for — and win! — the presidency because he thought he might sell more hotel rooms.
The time will come for all brands to dissociate from this administration. Based on the pictures of young men marching, it won’t be too long before polo-shirt companies will disavow white nationalism. Somewhere, a public relations agency for Polo by Ralph Lauren and/or Lacoste is in the middle of a heated debate about if and when to change the name of their tennis whites.
From candy conglomerates to e-commerce giants such as Etsy and Airbn, there has been a steady stream of brands taking a stand against the president. Or at least tweeting that they have.
Earlier this year, New Balance, the runningshoe company, had to clarify whether they were, as claimed by some, the official shoe of white supremacy. Now, New Balance was once the unofficial show of “these are the sneakers I can afford.” But they’ve moved up in the world. They’re now the semi-official (as decided by me) show of Wearing Heels At the Office But Not On the Way.
But like, the official shoe of white people? Nah. Racist footwear depends on what the racist is doing. Flip-flops aren’t inherently racist unless they’re being worn by a non-Indigenous person who is also wearing a headdress at a music festival. Then, yes, those are racist flip-flops.
Increasingly, companies and brands are making the connection between the American administration and the racists who support it.
It has been jarring to watch a parade of CEOs announce their departure from president’s Manufacturing Council.
The first to depart, Ken Frazier, CEO of Merck, said as part of his statement, “I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.”
When the government has lost the moral high ground to pharmaceutical companies, there’s something terribly wrong. Not to be public wrong-footed by anyone other than himself, the president in Trumpian fashion fired everyone by disbanding his Manufacturing Council and Strategic and Policy Forum.
I’m skeptical of any time the public is meant to trust in the morality of C-Suite executives. Call it a hunch.
In all this, the only person whose statement I respect is Clay Aiken, who tweeted, “Remember all those times I defended @realDonaldTrump and believed he was not actually racist? Well . . . I am a f*****g dumbass. #imsorry.”
The CEO of International Paper should copy-and-paste that instead of making any statements about valuing diversity.
At the pace things are going, even the Trump hotel brand will have to disavow the man.