Once upon a time, corporate America eschewed the squabbles between red and blue by focusing on a different color: green. Even if or when companies gave to politicians, the underlying desire was not to promote an agenda but to stoke revenues and profits.
Then, the era of wokeness dawned.
Major companies now routinely line up behind liberal causes because their execs are true believers, hope to avoid tougher scrutiny from left-wing pols, or seek to avert pressure from rabid Twitter mobs.
Coca-Cola did this recently by protesting Georgia’s new voting law, a key provision of which will require Georgia residents to proffer a photo ID to vote.
Appearing on CNBC last week, Coke’s CRO James Quincey called the law a “step backwards.”
Check out our ‘Cancel Corner‘, a section we launched in February, where we report on the latest Cancel Cases and stories from around the globe.
“It is a step backward and it does not promote principles we have stood for in Georgia around broad access to voting, around voter convenience, about ensuring election integrity,” Quincey said. “This is frankly just a step backward.”
“This legislation is wrong and needs to be remedied,” Quincey said. “We will continue to advocate for it in both private and now even more clearly in public.”
Going woke was not a surprise for Coke, which is an economic and cultural icon in its native Georgia.
Back in January, the company announced it would only do business with law firms that gave at least 30 percent of its work to “diverse” partners and associates, and at least half of that – or 15 percent overall – must go to black lawyers.
Apparently, Coke did not hear about federal laws mandating colorblind hiring.
Nonetheless, eight Republican lawmakers who supported the new law – and, unlike many of their critics, actually read it – said enough’s enough.
They sent the company a letter on Saturday saying they were removing Coke products from their offices.
The legislators noted they had “celebrated” Coke and its success, and enjoyed partnering with the drink-maker to promote Georgia’s corporate culture.
“Unfortunately,” they wrote, “your company has made the conscious decision to perpetuate a national dialogue that seeks to intentionally mislead the citizens of Georgia and deepen a divide in our state.”
“We have the responsibility to all of Georgia to not engage in those misguided intentions nor continue to support corporations who choose to. (The law) expands early voting hours, provides a pathway to ensure shorter voting lines secure the use of drop boxes which otherwise would be illegal, as well as other provisions allowing all Georgians greater access to fast, secure and transparent elections.”
“Given Coke’s choice to cave to the pressure of out-of-control cancel culture, we respectfully request all Coca-Cola Company products be removed from our office suite immediately. Should Coke chose (sic) to read the bill, share its true intentions and accept its role in the dissemination of mistruths, we would welcome a conversation to rebuild a working relationship.”
The GOP lawmakers who signed the letter are state Reps. Victor Anderson, Clint Crowe, Matt Barton, Jason Ridley, Lauren McDonald III, Stan Gunter, Dewayne Hill, and Marcus Wiedower.
Coke is not the only one fomenting falsehoods about the law. Recently The Washington Post, of all places, ripped President Joe Biden for lying about changes in voting hours under the new statute.
Check out our ‘Cancel Corner‘, a section we launched in February, where we report on the latest Cancel Cases and stories from around the globe.