The CEO of Sam’s Club is a racist. At least, that’s what some critics are charging. During a recent CNN interview, the retailer’s chief executive, Rosalind Brewer, explained that she—it’s OK; you can pause for a moment at that pronoun—encouraged diversity in her company and beyond.
Yeah, and?
And as a black CEO—that’s right; take that in too: a black female heading a major corporation—her comments were particularly appalling to some people.
What could Brewer have said that was so terrible? It all started when CNN’s Poppy Harlow asked: “You are a rarity in the corner office in America and it is something that so many people want to see change. Not only are you a female CEO; you’re a minority CEO. Where do you fall on who has to make the change and how it is going to happen so that there are more women like you represented in the top echelons of corporate America?”
Hardly a hardball question. Here’s what Brewer replied: “My executive team is very diverse, and I make that a priority. I demand it of my team and within the structure. And then, every now and then, you have to nudge your partners, and you have to speak up and speak out. And I try to use my platform for that…I try to set an example. I try to mentor many women inside my company and outside the company because I think it’s important.”
Which, let’s face it, is exactly the same response you had scripted for her in your head. It’s what Brewer said next, however, that eventually spurred #boycottsamsclub and #boycottracistsamsclub campaigns.
She added: “And I talk to my suppliers about it. Just today we met with a supplier, and the entire other side of the table was all Caucasian males. That was interesting. I decided not to talk about it directly with [the supplier’s] folks in the room because there were actually no females, like, levels down. So I’m going to place a call to him.”
Clearly, Brewer discriminates against white men. That’s your takeaway, too, right?
“As a white person,” someone explained on Twitter, “I need a safe space from racist blacks. I do not feel safe at Sam’s Club.” (I get it. I also don’t feel safe at Sam’s Club this time of year. Too many shoppers battling it out for veggie steamers.)
Then there’s this Twitter message: “We’ll take your money white people, but you’re not welcome in management.”
This makes perfect sense—if you have no sense. Brewer was merely pointing out that she believes in extending the principles and merits of diversity beyond her own boardroom. She never insisted she wouldn’t hire white men. How could she? Almost half of her executive team is white.
Still, that hasn’t stopped the mobs from standing up to Brewer’s obvious disregard for the rights of white men in corporate America—a group in desperate need of protection—and branding her a racist.
Meanwhile, the CEO of Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club parent company, is standing behind Brewer. “For years, we’ve asked our suppliers to prioritize the talent and diversity of their sales teams calling on our company,” said Doug McMillan. “Roz was simply trying to reiterate that we believe diverse and inclusive teams make for a stronger business. That’s all there is to it and I support that important ideal.”
That’s all there is to it.
