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2024-08-20 -Great Cultural Revolution

Harley-Davidson slams brakes on ‘woke' policies after sparking biker and social-media outrage

[NY Post] Prove it.
Harley-Davidson released a statement on Monday renouncing DEI and other controversial company initiatives in the wake of social-media outrage and withering pressure from longtime loyal bikers.

"It is critical to our business that we hire and retain the best talent and that all employees feel welcome," the statement reads."That said, we have not operated a DEI function since April 2024, and we do not have a DEI function today. We do not have hiring quotas and we no longer have supplier diversity spend goals."

The statement also said Harley-Davidson was reassessing employee training initiatives and sponsorships while refocusing on its most loyal customers.

"As a consumer brand, we will focus exclusively on growing the sport of motorcycling and retaining our loyal riding community, in addition to the support we already provide to first responders, active military members and veterans."

One veteran felt it was a long overdue mea culpa by the bike maker, but remained skeptical.

"I think it’s great. But they never should have changed in the first place," Jesse Clay, a former U.S. Navy SEAL and longtime Harley-Davidson rider from Colorado, told Fox News Digital.

"Let’s see what actually happens."

Harley-Davidson had faced grumblings for years from longtime customers, including hard-core bikers, who claimed that the Milwaukee-based company "used" them to build its "bad—s" brand, then abandoned them as the motorcycle’s popularity expanded to upscale riders.

The dissatisfaction exploded in July when social-media influencer Robby Starbuck outed several controversial internal woke policies at Harley.

"@harleydavidson has been one of the most beloved brands in America but recently on CEO Jochen Zeitz’s watch, they’ve gone totally woke," Robby Starbuck shared with his more than 528,000 followers on X.

Starbuck, based in California, celebrated Harley’s announcement on Monday.

"We have a movement to bring down DEI and wokeism in corporate America and inject some sanity back into the workplace," Starbuck said in a phone interview on Monday with Fox News Digital.

"Corporations can’t ignore our movement anymore. They have to take us seriously. They made this statement because we’re obviously having an impact on their customer base."

Starbuck said his social-media movement is now "three for three" after recent efforts to spotlight similar leftist corporate initiatives led to policy changes at John Deere and Tractor Supply Co.

Harley-Davidson’s statement noted that the company was “saddened by the negativity on social media over the last few weeks, designed to divide the Harley-Davidson community.”

Starbuck responded to the criticism: “They can be saddened all they want. I got the changes we wanted, but we still want the CEO [Jochen Zeitz] gone, too,” he said.

“He’s a true believer, and we’ll keep constant tabs on their internal business,” said Starbuck.

“In his elite social circles, this move will not be popular. His world does not include bikers. This statement sounds like a board decision and not his decision. I’d be surprised if he was OK with this decision.”

Posted by Frank G 2024-08-20 03:48|| || Front Page|| [11135 views ] Top

#1
HD's Top Management has exposed its intent, to adopt a PC liberal business agenda, that it will now quietly implement and follow.

It has sealed its own doom and lost the trust of likely the majority of its current enthusiasts (customers).

HD is NOT a Crotch Rocket, it is a serious scoot.
A scoot that has protected the image of physical power, touring enjoyment and masculinity, over any rice burner for 100+ years.

Rice burners, to me, project the image of a get there and back as fast as you can, and little more.

But now also look at how WOKE & DEI has negatively impacted just about every major business that actually joined the liberal agenda bandwagon and played with it. Even far worse for those that actually fully tried to implement it.

Bud-lite anyone? Its sales revenue declined 23.9% in 1 year.
Biden, White House Admin, anyone?

Posted by NN2N1 2024-08-20 05:05|| 2024-08-20 05:05|| Front Page Top

#2 So, is the German guy still running it? If so, this is a BS campaign.

Posted by ed in texas 2024-08-20 10:16|| 2024-08-20 10:16|| Front Page Top

#3 And everyone else at the top who supported or just nodded to get along.

Posted by swksvolFF 2024-08-20 12:45|| 2024-08-20 12:45|| Front Page Top

#4 Harley, like most corporations in America, operate on a line of credit for operating capitol. Its just business in America. The banks, being blackmailed by the World Bank, force the DEI scores as the way to adjust interest rated for the capitol. Thus forcing businesses to take on DEI policies. The World Bank will set the rates to non compliant companies at rates they can not continue operating at.
Some of the companies, Harley the latest, are getting pushback against these policies. John Deer is another that recently stopped the DEI crap.

Harley and John Deer will fail. They will slide into history as financial failure and an example to all that the World Bank rules this nation, like it or not. We, the people are boycotting Harley and the others, an entirely stupid move on our part. We are doing exactly what the WEF wants us to do and drive these folks out of business.

Our anger is completely misdirected. I read folks are looking at their next bike will be an Indian. Indian is owned by Polaris, a Canadian company fully vested in DEI. We need to be angry with who is forcing this function. DO homework, it the World Bank, Carl Schwabb and the rest. They are our enemy, not Harley or John Deer.

Posted by 49 Pan 2024-08-20 13:44|| 2024-08-20 13:44|| Front Page Top

#5 John Deere (that's how it's spelled, BTW) has embraced the CCP/MBA way for at least a decade. If you want good iron, made to last, buy Japanese.

Much of their stuff is made in America, by Americans, to be sold to Americans.

Posted by Regular+joe 2024-08-20 17:11|| 2024-08-20 17:11|| Front Page Top

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