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Is Standing on Steps Racist?
Wall Street Journal | 4/19/2005 | Chad Terhune

Posted on 04/19/2005 9:10:00 AM PDT by reaganaut1

Pepsi, Vowing Diversity Isn't Just Image Polish, Seeks Inclusive Culture

By CHAD TERHUNE Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL April 19, 2005; Page B1

"Steve Reinemund says he was stunned when he got an e-mail late one night back in 2001, shortly after becoming PepsiCo's chairman and CEO. He had spent the evening with a small group of African-American employees at Pepsi headquarters in Purchase, N.Y. At the end, he had stood on some patio steps to give a few closing remarks. In the e-mail, one of the attendees wrote that the scene reminded her of a plantation owner lecturing his slaves from on high.

Mr. Reinemund was troubled she felt that way -- and grateful she shared her concerns. Ever since, he tries to avoid speaking from a podium."


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: holysmokes
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Maybe Reinemund needs to be more sensitive -- or maybe some crybabies need to grow up!
1 posted on 04/19/2005 9:10:02 AM PDT by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1

Link, please.


2 posted on 04/19/2005 9:11:45 AM PDT by JoJo Gunn (Help control the Leftist population. Have them spayed or neutered. ©)
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To: reaganaut1
one of the attendees wrote that the scene reminded her of a plantation owner lecturing his slaves from on high.

Unless she herself was a slave on a plantation, then she ehrself wasn't reminded of a freakin' thing, except what she saw once in a storybook.

3 posted on 04/19/2005 9:12:23 AM PDT by TheBigB (Proudly annoying stupid people since 1970!)
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To: reaganaut1

They can always quit. No one will stop them.


4 posted on 04/19/2005 9:13:05 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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To: reaganaut1

How about if he stands in front of the Lincoln Memorial?


5 posted on 04/19/2005 9:13:50 AM PDT by massgopguy (massgopguy)
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To: reaganaut1

I wish more people, when charged with racism at moments such as this one, would simply refuse to answer such "charges" as being too ridiculous to merit a reply.


6 posted on 04/19/2005 9:14:30 AM PDT by Sans-Culotte
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To: reaganaut1

I doubt that a plantation owner stood on any steps and talked. They had their overseers to do their bidding. Just as the democrat party has their paid overseers doing their bidding and passing it on to their bought voters.


7 posted on 04/19/2005 9:15:40 AM PDT by YOUGOTIT
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To: reaganaut1
I think he reminds me of the English who oppressed the Irish for so long. I mean, making his remarks while standing on Paddy O'Steppes.
8 posted on 04/19/2005 9:15:40 AM PDT by Fido969
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To: reaganaut1

hahahaha!!!! this is totally hilarious.


9 posted on 04/19/2005 9:16:16 AM PDT by GodfearingTexan
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To: reaganaut1

-In the e-mail, one of the attendees wrote that the scene reminded her of a plantation owner lecturing his slaves from on high.-

Said attendee is way too self-absorbed. There should be a mandatory class for that.


10 posted on 04/19/2005 9:16:49 AM PDT by AmericanChef
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To: reaganaut1
Ever since, he tries to avoid speaking from a podium."

This is silly. MOST speakers stand on some type raised platform, stage, etc.

11 posted on 04/19/2005 9:17:27 AM PDT by KJC1
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Comment #12 Removed by Moderator

To: reaganaut1
In the e-mail, one of the attendees wrote that the scene reminded her of a plantation owner lecturing his slaves from on high.

hmmm, I wonder if her memories of plantation owners lecturing slaves from on high were innate memories passed along in her DNA from her great great great grand-ma-ma, or rather if the scene reminded her of a scene from "Roots" or some other epic drama she might have viewed as a child. Or perhaps it called to mind the great Reverened Je$$e Ja¢k$on lecturing his serfs from his plantation porch reminding them to vote democrat to keep the plantation strong, and she subconsciously equated that with the plantation owner.

13 posted on 04/19/2005 9:18:16 AM PDT by VRWCmember
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To: reaganaut1

I wonder if she'd feel that way at a speech by Jesse Jackson?


14 posted on 04/19/2005 9:18:37 AM PDT by theDentist (The Dems are putting all their eggs in one basket-case: Howard "Belltower" Dean.)
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To: reaganaut1

If only we were a society of REAL men and not sensitive twerps. The person who expressed her concerns to Mr. Reinemund truly is a horse's a-s who should have, at the very least, been politely ignored.


15 posted on 04/19/2005 9:19:16 AM PDT by Clemenza (Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms: The Other Holy Trinity)
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To: reaganaut1

I see some people have discovered the fountain of youth.


16 posted on 04/19/2005 9:19:29 AM PDT by cyborg (Serving fresh, hot Anti-opus since 18 April 2005)
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To: reaganaut1

In this story, there is a person who is unabashedly racist. Three guesses who it is.


17 posted on 04/19/2005 9:20:10 AM PDT by ruiner
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To: Sans-Culotte
I wish more people, when charged with racism at moments such as this one, would simply refuse to answer such "charges" as being too ridiculous to merit a reply

The poor fool who made the accusation in the first place is the one truly locked on the plantation. Anyone with a compulstion to see oppression in every wink and gesture shouldn't have a place in management. Whoever said this is picking cotton in their mind, every day of their lives. That's not the sort of person you to whom you give stewardship.
18 posted on 04/19/2005 9:20:12 AM PDT by farmer18th ("The fool says in his heart there is no God.")
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To: JoJo Gunn

You need a subscription to access the WSJ.


19 posted on 04/19/2005 9:20:19 AM PDT by BufordP ("I wish we lived in the day when you could challenge a person to a duel!"--Zell Miller)
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To: reaganaut1
" Diversity Isn't Just Image Polish"

As a Polish-American, I strongly object to this phrase.

20 posted on 04/19/2005 9:22:57 AM PDT by Fido969
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