Well, at least they aren’t sending us to camps… yet.
That’s probably next. One thing does follow another, like dominos. The logic of it being as inexorable, ultimately, as gravitational pull.
So I ought not to be surprised that GM has pulled its panties tight and told me I will no longer be granted access to GM press vehicles because of the article (this one) I wrote a few weeks back about GM’s retiring Vice President of Diversity, the right reverend Dr. Eric Peterson, LLD, DDS.
Well, GM hasn’t said it’s because of that.
Sort of like not mentioning the role of the Moon’s pull on the inflow of the tide.
It is just coincidence that, after an unbroken 23-year run of regular access to GM’s press fleet, of having written for almost every major auto mag/paper/web site, including cars.com, TheCarConnection, AOL Autos, The Detroit Free Press, Chicago Tribune, major airlines’ in-flight magazines… it just happens that a couple of weeks after that article ran, I get a sour note from Joseph LaMuraglia of GM’s “media team” (we’re all team players!) that their internal metrics or some such criteria as fed into an algorithm have spat out the result that I am no longer eligible:
Eric,
Thank you for your notes. As I mentioned before, we are in the midst of a restructuring of our fleets to reduce costs. This cost reduction involves reducing the number of vehicles and consequently, the number of loans we offer.
Unfortunately, based on the responses you provided on the survey and the facts stated above, we cannot offer you any vehicles at this time.
Thank you for your understanding.
Joe LaMuraglia
Meanwhile, EPAutos has more eyes on it than my old newspaper – The Washington Times – ever did.
I mentioned this to LaMuraglia without effect.
He, of course, did not mention the Peterson article, the true source of the trouble.
Someone inside GM saw it and – no doubt – an outgushing of micro (and macro) aggressed aggrievement erupted.
Within the company, to show less than orgiastic enthusiasm for “diversity” – however defined by the perpetually aggrieved – is a worse offense than forged engineering credentials or having designed a defective engine. One must demonstrate the sort of striving joy toward Persons of Color (except one color) described by Orwell when he portrayed the yoga-suited harpie female exercise (“physical jerks”) leader who put Winston Smith through his paces.
“You’re not trying, Comrade! Anyone under 40 is perfectly capable of touching his toes! Watch me. I am 35 and I have had three children. There! That’s better!”
This isn’t just GM; the entire industry is lousy with racial (and sexual) Stalinism. To be white and male is to be a cretin by default who must genuflect and atone; who must never, ever evince the slightest hesitation about embracing diversity.
Your Libertarian Car Guy pulled away from the camel clutch – and now GM wants to make me hombel.
Not just me, either.
The message is clear: Do not criticize the gods else the gods will be angered. Cue smoke, glowing eyes and – where possible – thunderbolts of punishment.
Oz is affronted!
Well, good. It’s high time.
Racial animosity – on the part of most whites – is a phantom menace. Myself – and other white guys I know – haven’t done any oppressing lately.
I have, however, rolled my eyes at race-hustling “journalists” Of Color who hector the car company marketing/PR people at press conferences with race-laced questions about what efforts the company is making toward “increasing diversity” and “appealing to the (put racial/sexual/preferential category here, except straight white male) “community.”
That is crime enough.
Writing an actual column along those lines amounts to a capital offense – or the next best thing.
I have been privileged (not in the racial entitlement sense) to have interviewed guys like Bill Porter, the Pontiac engineer who designed the gorgeous Honeycomb wheels that grace my ’76 Trans-Am and also early GTOs and other classic Pontiacs. I am privileged to know Martyn Schorr – a name car guys will immediately recognize. I have become friends with many people inside GM, some of whom remain – but must remain silent, else they will no longer remain there.
The business is no longer about cars. It is about politics.
Truckling, kowtowing and ass-licking.
And it will be their undoing.
The diversity mongers may have noticed that people begin to not care about cars much anymore. It is a dying business. Because who gets passionate about the number of air bags a car has? Its crash test scores?
Whether an ad campaign is “diverse” enough?
I touched the third rail. I mentioned an unmentionable, in print no less.
Well, so be it.
I’m not getting rich doing this. At least I have the compensation of knowing I didn’t suck the rancid tit when it was presented. Others who get paid more can do that.
They have earned it, I suppose.
Get in line.
Diversity: which is best descriptor?
“racial and sexual Stalinism”
or
White Genocide
Too bad you won’t have a ‘courtesy car’ anymore but its a corporate world out there and only ‘yes’ men and woman are needed. Thing is what are you missing out on?
I’ve actually walked out to the parking lot and gotten into the wrong car. Not the same car as mine but one that was the same color and looked the same. They all look the same now and differ mainly on the number and placement of the gadgets they offer.
For a century you had a key ( that cost $5 to replace) to start your car. Now you have a bulky fob to open the door and start your car and if you lose it it will cost you several hundred dollars to replace. Who in the hell decided that is what the customer wanted? Mary Barra because she put defective ignition switches in her cars?
Been there many years ago the only white male in the room for a job interview with the civilian service job with the coast guard . Qualified beyond the job requirements , it became obvious during the interview no answer would be adequate . I finally said ” You gentlemen have no intention of hiring me and you knew it when I walked in the door ! The false bravoto of insult was similar to a group of caged animals being poked with a stick ! I walked out knowing that these assholes will retire with a government pension and will speak of me as that white guy who Insulted them on an interview this was in 1984 and political correctness has just gotten worse . I now work for a small black owned company as a key person funny not everyone is racist but many blacks are and they will use racism as an excuse to cover their own inadequacy . Look at the state of our nation now , political correctness is a cancer that you cannot stop , new speak , Orewell would not be shocked
Eric could always remind all those schmucks at GM that his last name is shortened from the original Yiddish (((Peterstein))) in the old country. Whether or not it’s true, it could be fun.
More coffee.
I thought the writer was joking about a vice president of diversity…until i looked it up and saw it…which means there is a whole department to boot. Amazing.
Eric, we ain’t sending you no car, either. But I always did like those trans am honeycombs. Your pal, Elon.
if Eric has a wife, he could have her write his stuff. That’s how affirmative action is usually gamed: white guy who owns an HVAC company makes his wife the owner. Voila, female-owned company which qualifies for preference in government contracts.
I showed my kids how many TV shows have a token person of a different race to be PC.
It must be sad when people think because of your skin color that you need some kind of extra help and special attention over others.
We will have equality whether we like it or not, I am trying to be as diverse as possible when I play golf. I use the regular tees with a white ball, the senior tees with a yellow ball and the ladies tees with a pink ball. In the future when transgendered tees are mandatory I will be at a loss. I guess a diverse collection of marking pens will help, but some will be offended no matter what, it’s just a game, you know!