Costco Board Rejects Demands Of Anti-Diversity Group

Finally a company showing how to stand up to the bigot racist and calling out the real reasons these groups are demanding these changes.  I hope the shareholders stand firm on inclusion and diversity.  Hugs


 

Newsweek reports:

The Costco Board pushed back against its anti-diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) shareholders, who had suggested the wholesale corporation re-evaluate its “illegal discrimination” program.

The Costco board responded to a group of shareholders, unanimously recommending a vote against the proposal to “report on the risks of maintaining DEI efforts.”

The shareholders had suggested Costco employees would potentially become victim to “illegal discrimination because they are white, Asian, male or straight,” which could create “tens of billions of dollars” in legal costs to the company.

The Hill reports:

In its response to the proposal, Costco called out the group for “inflicting burdens” on companies through “policy bias” and said their proposal did not aim to address financial risks but to strike down DEI efforts.

“The proponent’s broader agenda is not reducing risk for the Company but abolition of diversity initiatives,” the board of directors added.

The annual meeting where shareholders will vote on the matter will take place in late January. Earlier this year, Lowe’s, Harley Davidson and Walmart announced the repeal of DEI practices after facing similar pushback from conservative groups.

Hit both links for much more.

Colorado Man Accused Of Attacking Reporter, Saying ‘This Is Trump’s America Now’

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/colorado-man-accused-attacking-tv-reporter-trump-america_n_676f8133e4b03f311afdc4bd

The Colorado TV reporter told police that he believed he had been followed by the man because he is Pacific Islander.
 

A Colorado man is facing possible bias-motivated charges for allegedly attacking a television news reporter after demanding to know whether he was a citizen, saying “This is Trump’s America now,” according to court documents.

Patrick Thomas Egan, 39, was arrested Dec. 18 in Grand Junction, Colorado, after police say he followed KKCO/KJCT reporter Ja’Ronn Alex’s vehicle for around 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the Delta area. Alex told police that he believed he had been followed and attacked because he is Pacific Islander.

After arriving in Grand Junction, Egan, who was driving a taxi, pulled up next to Alex at a stoplight and, according to an arrest affidavit, said something to the effect of: “Are you even a U.S. citizen? This is Trump’s America now! I’m a Marine and I took an oath to protect this country from people like you!”

Alex, who had been out reporting, then drove back to his news station in the city. After he got out of his vehicle, Egan chased Alex as he ran toward the station’s door and demanded to see his identification, according to the document laying out police’s evidence in the case. Egan then tackled Alex, put him in a headlock and “began to strangle him,” the affidavit said. Coworkers who ran out to help and witnesses told police that Alex appeared to be losing his ability to breathe during the attack, which was partially captured on surveillance video, according to the document.

 

According to the station’s website, Alex is a native of Detroit. KKCO/KJCT reported that he was driving a news vehicle at the time.

Egan was arrested on suspicion of bias-motivated crimes, second degree assault and harassment. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday to learn whether prosecutors have filed formal charges against him.

Egan’s lawyer, Ruth Swift, was out of the office Friday and did not return a telephone message seeking comment.

 

Eight LA sheriff’s deputies fired for 2023 arrest and beating of trans man

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/25/los-angeles-sheriff-trans-man

So much of this story is upsetting.  But one detail stood out to me, and it has not been stressed enough when police violence and false arrests.  The man, Mr. Brock lost his job three days after the brutal assault and may have suffered severe financial distress.  Police and prosecutors know that often just being charged can ruin a persons life.  Hugs

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Joseph Benza III, main officer involved in incident with Emmett Brock, pleaded guilty in federal court last week

Some grand thoughts from Rev. Ed Trevors. I really wish I could think / reason as he does. Hugs

A Few Weeks Ago, We Discussed The Situation of Inequity in Education,

and there was quite a comments thread either here or on Jill Dennison’s place, (I think it was a little in both places, and the link to Jill’s is not that thread) about resistance and community teaching. Here’s an example, right there in Florida. All the links within are pertinent and worth clicking to read.

Peace & Justice History for 12/26

December 26, 1862
38 members of the Santee Sioux tribe were hanged in a public mass execution in Minnesota. 300 members of the band had been convicted of participating the the Minnesota Uprising and ordered to hang. However, all sentences except the 38 had been commuted by President Abraham Lincoln.
For decades white settlers had been encroaching on Santee Sioux territory, and they had been victimized by corrupt federal Indian agents on the reservations.In July agents and contractors had withheld food when their demands for kickbacks had been refused. The Indians eventually struck back, killing Anglo settlers and taking some hostages. In two battles with the U.S. Army, they killed or wounded dozens of soldiers, but ultimately lost and were put on trial.


America’s only legal mass execution
===========================================
December 26, 1966

The first Kwanzaa was celebrated in Los Angeles, California. It was conceived and organized in the wake of the Watts riots by Dr. Maulana (Ron) Karenga, a professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University at Long Beach. Kwanzaa is a non-religious African-American holiday focusing on family, community, and culture.The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruits” in Swahili. The celebrations are expressed through song, dance, drumming, storytelling, poetry and the lighting of candles in a Kinara, all followed by a large traditional meal. The holiday is observed for seven days, each representing a different principle:

a Kwanzaa Kinara
• Umoja (oo-MO-jah) Unity
• Kujichagulia (koo-gee-cha-goo-LEE-yah) Self-Determination
• Ujima (oo-GEE-mah) Collective Work and Responsibility
• Ujamaa (oo-JAH-mah) Cooperative economics
• Nia (NEE-yah) Purpose
• Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) Creativity
• Imani (ee-MAH-nee) Faith

Ron Karenga lighting the Kinara
History, Principles, and Symbols of Kwanzaa 
============================================
December 26, 1971


Two dozen members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War “liberated” the Statue of Liberty with a sit-in to protest resumed U.S. aerial bombings in Vietnam. They flew an inverted U.S. flag from the crown as a signal of distress.
more on this action 
=============================================
December 26, 1992

photo: Simran Sachdev Belgrade, 7.2009
Women In Black began campaign against rape during war, Belgrade, Serbia.
WIB website 
Women in Black is a world-wide network of women committed to peace with justice and actively opposed to injustice, war, militarism and
other forms of violence.

================================================
December 26, 1999

Alfonso Portillo Cabrera scored a resounding victory (nearly 70% of the vote in the second round) in Guatemala’s first peacetime presidential elections following a 36-year civil war.

Alfonso Portillo Cabrera after his election
Some perspective 

https://www.peacebuttons.info/E-News/peacehistorydecember.htm#december26

More cult of tRump maga hate, bigotry, and stupid. They specialize in it.

Listening to clips of Rev. Ed Trevors on this day as Ron and I are spending loving time in the kitchen cooking far more food than we alone can eat. It is the together time that is important. Best wishes to all. A good way to celebrate Christmas day don’t you think. Hugs

If you only watch one of these please watch this one.  He talks about the cost of marginalizing those minorities who have less, giving hate to those groups that are different based on your own egos such as the LGBTQ+.  He explains why that was never the plan Jesus had for those who claimed to be his followers.  I do not share his belief in a deity, but I sure do endorse him message of inclusion and love.  Oh and I am about to peel 9 hard boiled eggs so Ron can make deviled eggs which I love warm, he has the new chicken supreme sauce recipe in the oven along with a large ham, only there is no chicken in the chicken supreme.  Instead it has lots of potatoes and large sliced mushrooms.  We both love the gravy the sauce makes and so thought why not do it with other things.  Hope your meals will be as grand as ours.  I am so happy right now, the most happy I have been in two months.   Hugs.

This is another important one about Christian nationalism and how seeking power ends up losing god.  Love it.  Hugs

Right wing Preacher Needs To Be Called A Bigot…

The Cost To The Church For Going MAGA

I have not been posting my by Rev. Trevors.  That is an error on my part.  This is a video about why the church shouldn’t be bigots, shouldn’t be haters.  It is about the distance such things cause in families and people.   Hugs