Free Republic

Diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, was the hot thing in corporate America a few years ago. Now: not so much. Why it matters: The business community, long averse to political risks or controversies, backed away from DEI programs over the past two years in the wake of widespread attacks from lawmakers, high-profile rich guys and conservative activists like former Trump aide Stephen Miller. The big picture: Companies that never cared much about DEI, or that fear lawsuits over programs, are using the moment to back away. Others are sticking with these efforts but doing it quietly. Between the lines:...

Michigan’s Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is facing backlash for her rent subsidies for illegals program after an illegal border crosser allegedly murdered a woman. A previously deported illegal alien, identified as Brandon Ortiz-Vite, was arrested and charged with the murder of 25-year-old Ruby Garcia in Kent County, Michigan. The illegal from Mexico was charged with felony murder, open murder, carjacking, carrying a concealed weapon, and felony possession of a firearm for the March 22 incident. Ortiz-Vite stands accused of murdering Ruby Garcia and leaving her body beside the road on U.S. Highway 31.

For the first time in two years many Russians are trying to make a difference but they are still minority.

Senate majority leader says Israeli prime minister has ‘lost his way’ and warns that country risks becoming ‘a pariah’ SNIP In remarks from the Senate floor, Schumer said he had a longstanding relationship with Netanyahu but believed he “has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of Israel”. Noting the prime minister’s inclusion of far-right officials in his government, Schumer said Netanyahu “has been too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows. Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah”. Israel’s...

Predictably, in her resignation statement, she played the victim, offered no apologies and blamed her downfall on those who exposed her misconduct. In a key passage showing that her sense of entitlement remains intact, she wrote that “it has been distressing to have doubt cast on my commitments to confronting hate and to upholding scholarly rigor — two bedrock values that are fundamental to who I am — and frightening to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus.” In another passage, she ignored the elephant in the room by insisting that her appointment let people from...

Social media users are pushing back after the American Ornithological Society (AOS) announced it would rename dozens of North American birds named for people. The AOS said on Wednesday that it would rename all bird species in its jurisdiction that were named for people regardless of the name's history. The announcement came after birdwatchers have debated bird names for years, specifically ones that commemorate historical figures who committed acts of racism. The decision comes as numerous organizations reexamine landmarks, statues and other objects named for controversial figures. "There is power in a name, and some English bird names have associations...

Progressives are facing backlash over their initial responses to the attacks on Israel by Hamas militants, revealing the degree to which they’re at odds with others in the Democratic caucus over the issue. Members of the Squad such as Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.) took heat from fellow Democrats this week over statements criticized for being too tepid in the wake of the violent attacks against Israeli civilians. Meanwhile, after mounting pressure, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) condemned the “bigotry and callousness” at a pro-Palestinian rally aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in New York City.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday on CNN’s “Inside Politics” there needed to be a “backlash” to the “extremists” in the House GOP. On the Democrats voting to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from his speakership, Clinton said, “That was a very tough call for the Democratic caucus, but the problem was for them, as I understand it, he was totally untrustworthy by any measure. He immediately after they did help him keep the government open, as you know, began to blame them for all kinds of extraneous matters. At some point, a leader who has lost all...

Razor company Braun may be the next company to face a boycott, as backlash mounts to a resurfaced ad featuring a trans male with visible mastectomy scars. In a Braun Series X Hybrid Trimmers ad posted on the bottom of the company’s website, a shirtless man with scar lines under his breasts can be seen using the product to apparently shave his face. The shaving accessory is advertised as being for beard hair, body hair and head hair. As the photo was again circulated online, X users slammed the company for promoting sex change operations — and have begun to...

Despite impeachment and allegations from the Texas State House, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has broken personal fundraising records. In a press release from Ken Paxton's office, he disclosed that in the near "two months after the House’s sham and illegal impeachment, Attorney General Ken Paxton raised $1.7 million dollars in 11 days." In May, an impeachment of Paxton was pursued by the Texas House over alleged bribery and abuse of public trust. Paxton released a statement in response to the impeachment, calling it "unfounded" and "politically motivated." The Dallas Country GOP then passed a unanimous resolution defending Paxton from...

Lance Armstrong set off a firestorm when he said he thought transgender athletes should compete in their own category on Monday's episode of Stars On Mars. The conversation on the subject of transgender athletes happened when Lance, 51, started telling UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, 36, that he did a podcast last month and that the podcaster wanted to ask him about transgender athletes in sports. .....

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Has the LGBTQ+ et al movement hit a ceiling — and has it sowed the seeds of its decline? For the first time since Gallup began polling on the question of same-sex relationships, American public approval of their morality suffered a statistically significant decline, falling seven points to its lowest level in four years. And while that decline has a strong partisan flavor, it’s also falling among its traditional allies.First, the overall results show a sharp drop in support in the overall population:Americans’ views about the morality of a number of behaviors and practices are...

Right-wingers are accusing the war game of going “woke.”Here at Them, we like to poke fun at the increasingly bonkers boycotts over “woke” capitalism. But it’s starting to get out of hand. How can you engage people who earnestly believe the soyboy agenda has now infected Call of Duty? Yes, your college roommate’s favorite thing to do instead of washing dishes made headlines last week, following a show of allyship from its publisher, Activision Blizzard. It started when popular Twitch streamer Puckett shared a video on June 7 of anti-LGBTQ+ extremists assaulting counterprotestors outside a school board meeting in Glendale,...

More than 200 LGBTQ groups are demanding Target restock its controversial Pride merchandise and take a stand against 'extremists' within 24 hours. The Human Rights Campaign, along with GLAAD and the controversial GLSEN released a statement Monday, asking the retail giant and other businesses, including Bud Light brewer Anheuser-Bush, to 'reject and speak out against anti-LGBTQ+ extremism going into Pride Month.' Over 200 other progressive organizations also signed the statement, arguing that showing support for the community is good for business. It is not clear what action the coalition will take if Target fails to back the LGBTQ+ community within...

The entire beer industry is floored that Bud Light is still taking heat over its now-infamous promo with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney and the backlash has put rival beers in high demand, according to the publisher of prominent trade publication Beer Business Daily. "The whole industry is in shock. Even Bud's competitors aren't really dancing on the grave because they know it could have happened to them," Beer Business Daily editor and publisher Harry Schuhmacher told Fox News Digital. "This particular promotion just really struck a chord. It was just a bridge too far, apparently, for consumers… we’re in week...

"Nobody imagined it would go on this long," Schuhmacher said. He continued: "It seems random — it struck a nerve. I've never seen anything to compare it to, in all of the [consumer packaged goods] industry. It’s a real shock."

Transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney admitted 'haters really wore me down for a second' following the backlash over her controversial partnership with Bud Light. There were worldwide calls for a boycott of America's best-selling beer after she shared a series of posts with her 11 million social media followers on April 1. Mulvaney sparked widespread fury with the partnership content which showed her sitting in a bathtub and swigging from custom Bud Light cans sporting her face. She appeared on comedian Chelsea Handler's podcast, Dear Chelsea, on May 4 and said she is 'not processing' the surrounding fallout. But she revealed...

A pair of state representatives are calling for an investigation into the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) for misuse of power against a local farm opposed to the Gotion battery plant. MDARD is investigating Majestic Friesians Horse Farm in Green Charter Township in Mecosta County. The investigation comes nearly two weeks after the owner of the farm, Lori Brock, hosted a rally against the proposed battery plant. “I feel like we’re being harassed,” Brock exclaims. “They are trying to shut me up. They’re trying to scare me and I’m not going to put up with it.” The rally...

Bud Light is back-peddling on their decision to partner with transgender media personality Dylan Mulvaney. Anheuser Busch’s decision to promote the trans influencer has been faced with severe backlash. Reports are now surfacing that “no one at the senior level” gave the green light for their new marketing campaign.According to two sources familiar with the matter, The Daily Wire reported that the decision to feature Mulvaney in an advertising campaign aimed at younger customers was not authorized by any high-ranking executives in the company. “No one at a senior level was aware this was happening,” one anonymous source said. “Some...

When George Floyd was murdered, many Americans wanted to do something. Some protested; others pushed to defund the police. The business community, looking to do its part (and receive favorable media attention), went on a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring spree, bringing on highly-paid executives – mostly racial minorities – to create programs to make their workplaces more attractive for minorities. But then the economy began to slow. Want to guess what happened next? According to a recent report from HR consulting firm Revelio Labs, DEI executives were terminated at a much higher rate than all other executives in...