Penzey's Spices CEO writes to his fellow CEOs

It's important to recognize that for America, today's culture of politics being everywhere is not a passing fad or a trend that came out of nowhere. It is instead the outcome of our long-standing past colliding with what is hopefully our temporary present. America, though not yet perfect, is a pretty unique and amazing country, well crafted with realism by our founders to be forever seeking a more perfect union through greater equality for all. After 241 years of progress, this is who we are and something that can't be changed overnight. What has changed is the Republican Party.

As business leaders it's our job to look past our own party affiliations and previous political traditions and see the bigger picture. The fact is, and there's not much point in sugarcoating this, the moment the Republican Party chose to bring racism and the fear of "others" to the forefront of its election strategy is the moment being able to keep politics at a distance became a thing of the past. Like it or not, the moment the the Republican Party turned away from the drive for equality and began to instead promote inequality is the moment politics entered every facet of American life. Last weekend, in what may well be a turning point, while the players did the right thing in kneeling in support of equality, the owners did the math and the right thing. A big part of why so few until now have chosen to stand up to this administration on racism is that they've been very successful in creating an inflated sense that their support is much larger and far deeper than it truly is. Until last Sunday, they had pretty much succeeded in creating the sense that if you stood up to their racist bullying you would lose half your business. This past Sunday the owners called the administration's bluff.

When it comes to calls for boycotts from the right, we have some experience. And even if you didn't believe us before when we said those few that actually follow this president have almost no economic impact, the math is not hard to do for yourself. Most Americans simply don't vote. Even among voters, the president came in at well less than 50% and that was back in November when there still was the perception that he was a successful businessman and skilled negotiator. Factor in those just voting party lines, and the reality of who the NFL risks losing now that the president has called for a boycott by his supporters, and it's high single digits at most and it's not in the groups their advertisers most want to reach. In our experience, that loss will be more than offset by the bonus that comes with doing the right thing.

Here's the important part—if the NFL can keep their resolve, if they can hold their ground, they will push open a previously rapidly closing door to a whole new generation of viewers who, until Sunday, never saw the NFL as reflecting their values. The league has made missteps in recent years, leaving many who were their fans a decade to find other things to do on their Sunday afternoons. Standing up to the president in support of their players' drive to bring awareness to America's need for greater equality is something worthy of all our respect and a big step in bringing those lost fans back to the fold. Well done.

But for all that's good about what's come from the NFL's response to this issue, there's also something bigger in all this that we need to come to grips with. As much as the Republican Party cynically nurtured racism to elect the majority they needed to cut the Affordable Care Act and fund tax cuts for the wealthy, the reality is they can't control it anymore. Many of the NFL owners donated large sums to the Republican Party but still could not be shielded from what they set in motion.

To put racism back into its box won't be an easy task, or happen quickly, and it's going to take all of us acknowledging that this is a very real problem. That the very same people, who seem totally at ease giving a free pass to a white president for saying POWs are not heroes because they where captured, see a grave affront to our veterans that can't go unchallenged in African American athletes taking a knee to protest inequality, is an undeniable sign we have issues. Issues that won't go away by themselves.

One of the things we learned on our path is that giving visible support to those on the front lines of this struggle really means a lot, as does challenging behavior that crosses the line. From my emails it's pretty clear this president has emboldened many to share ideas and use words that have not been a part of public dialogue in a long time. As business leaders, we must not step back from calling out all that is at odds with the fundamental American belief in equality. This country is just too important to let fade on our watch.

Dear CEO, In the wake of last weekend's NFL events, we have a few practical ideas from our own experience with boycotts since last November's election that I would like to share. In theses days where issues can engulf a business seemingly out of nowhere, there really is great value in planning ahead. As the NFL found, as much as they tried to stay on the sidelines, they could not keep the reality of politics being everywhere today from overwhelming events on the field.

Politics have always been everywhere. Citizens vote. Who knew? There wren't special circumstances that called for your elevated public discourse at this time.

It's important to recognize that for America, today's culture of politics being everywhere is not a passing fad or a trend that came out of nowhere. It is instead the outcome of our long-standing past colliding with what is hopefully our temporary present. America, though not yet perfect, is a pretty unique and amazing country, well crafted with realism by our founders to be forever seeking a more perfect union through greater equality for all. After 241 years of progress, this is who we are and something that can't be changed overnight. What has changed is the Republican Party.

Once again, politics have been everywhere since our founding. Citizens vote. They have opinions. They make them known. They always have. They always will. What an amazing discovery by this guy, the later part. Just amazing... /S Came out of nowhere. In the past we had more sense than to inject these things in our passtimes.

Yes, America is a pretty unique and amazing country. How generous for you to admit this. LOL Then you express the idea this can't be changed overnight. Why would someone want to change a pretty unique and amazing nation, well crafted with realism by it's Founding Fathers? And yet, there you are lamenting that it won't happen overnight. What a world-class dufus. Lie after lie after lie...

The Republican Party has not changed, at least not in the way he wants you to think it has. (we all know it has changed, but certainly not in a way this guy would disagree with, and he damn well knows it too) This comment is obviously setting the stage for some incredible nonsense to come.

As business leaders it's our job to look past our own party affiliations and previous political traditions and see the bigger picture. The fact is, and there's not much point in sugarcoating this, the moment the Republican Party chose to bring racism and the fear of "others" to the forefront of its election strategy is the moment being able to keep politics at a distance became a thing of the past. Like it or not, the moment the the Republican Party turned away from the drive for equality and began to instead promote inequality is the moment politics entered every facet of American life. Last weekend, in what may well be a turning point, while the players did the right thing in kneeling in support of equality, the owners did the math and the right thing. A big part of why so few until now have chosen to stand up to this administration on racism is that they've been very successful in creating an inflated sense that their support is much larger and far deeper than it truly is. Until last Sunday, they had pretty much succeeded in creating the sense that if you stood up to their racist bullying you would lose half your business. This past Sunday the owners called the administration's bluff.

Does he think Leftist leaders need to look beyond their past affiliations? No. He's appealing to traditional Republican business leaders, trying to pry them away from the more sane side. His denigration of the "Republican Party" is key, if he can only sell it...

Has the Republican Party decided to use racism and fear of others as a divide and conquer tactic? Are ANTIFA, the BLM movement, and campus racist rabble rousers Republican creations? What a great example of someone doing the pointing, and the majority of fingers pointing back at himself.

The Republican Party is promoting inequality? Whose little disciples are preventing free speech on college/university campuses? Whose little disciples have been introducing a whole new lexicon of vocabulary references focused on denigrating, slandering, and subjugating a race of people? And which race is it? Blacks? Hispanics? No, they are the White race. This guy could not be more off target. He is full on 180 degrees off. He knows it too. This is yet another propagandist tactic, charging the other side, with exactly what it is you and your fellow travelers are doing.

As for a turning point, he is right. It was one. It was a time when the employees of a business, decided to act out publicly against the national anthem, and respect for the nation this Leftist just praised above. It now becomes clear, he tossed in that praise only to shield himself from subsequent evaluation and ridicule. Why I'm as big a lover of this nation and it's Founders as anyone. Ah well, not really. No, the NFL owners didn't do the math, unless their math involves 2+2=89 logic. And no, they didn't do the right thing. Folks know it, and they are being taken out behind the woodshed by the public as we speak.

This administration hasn't been attacked for racist views, because it has not exhibited racist views. How utterly desperate this writer is. He's lying his ass off. Of course his most sacred operating guideline is this. The ends justifies the means. All that matters is that he effectively destroy the United States. He doesn't respect it or it's Founders. Any lie, any tactic, any cause of lost rights, suffering, loss of life or limb, it's all worth it if he can bring about the collapse of our nation. Then Communism can once again claim a massive body of people to enslave, and ultimately kill tens of millions of them off. That's what this guy's favorite system always does. Look at Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela... it never fails. Where no rights have been impinged, lie about them being impinged, and then bring about the blanketing of the full body of citizens, to deny almost every human right. Ultimately families will be broken up, all manner of vile situations created for humans to have to deal with, then many will be kill off as they object or fall out of favor with the central committee. That's the promise of this guy's world view.

They had pretty much created the world view... creating world views. Isn't that exactly what this hit piece is all about, creating a world view. This commentary presents lies based on lies based on lies, based on lie after lie after lie after lie...

When it comes to calls for boycotts from the right, we have some experience. And even if you didn't believe us before when we said those few that actually follow this president have almost no economic impact, the math is not hard to do for yourself. Most Americans simply don't vote. Even among voters, the president came in at well less than 50% and that was back in November when there still was the perception that he was a successful businessman and skilled negotiator. Factor in those just voting party lines, and the reality of who the NFL risks losing now that the president has called for a boycott by his supporters, and it's high single digits at most and it's not in the groups their advertisers most want to reach. In our experience, that loss will be more than offset by the bonus that comes with doing the right thing.

The breadth of the negative response to the NFL is now quite visible. This guy can dismiss it if he wants. The public has overwhelmingly said no, they do not approve.

Did the players, team manager, owners, and league leaders do the right thing? That vast majority of U. S. Citizens are disgusted, and say NO. Their disgust is not focused on Trump. His numbers are up. NFL supporters numbers are down, WAY DOWN.

Spin like your political life depends on it, you Leftist nut job. It does. Your ideology has been seen for what it is. It is dying around the planet. Even China has adopted the Capitalist system economically. It's people's lives have experienced a massive improvement. Why would we want to become them before the improvement, by joining you in supporting your communistic globalist goals?

Here's the important part—if the NFL can keep their resolve, if they can hold their ground, they will push open a previously rapidly closing door to a whole new generation of viewers who, until Sunday, never saw the NFL as reflecting their values. The league has made missteps in recent years, leaving many who were their fans a decade to find other things to do on their Sunday afternoons. Standing up to the president in support of their players' drive to bring awareness to America's need for greater equality is something worthy of all our respect and a big step in bringing those lost fans back to the fold. Well done.

Yes, well done driving away at least 10% of your fan base in a mere few weeks. Well done trying to cast Whites and the government as racist anti-minority bigots. Well done peaking more racial unrest than has been exhibited in 125 years. Well done in promoting anger on both sides, as the minority misconception is hit with a blow-torch causing a backlash amongst folks whose only thought prior to this was the hope everyone would take advantage of the opportunities in this nation regardless of race. Well done, advancing the Charlie Manson goal of a race war. Eh who cares, the ends justify the means.

But for all that's good about what's come from the NFL's response to this issue, there's also something bigger in all this that we need to come to grips with. As much as the Republican Party cynically nurtured racism to elect the majority they needed to cut the Affordable Care Act and fund tax cuts for the wealthy, the reality is they can't control it anymore. Many of the NFL owners donated large sums to the Republican Party but still could not be shielded from what they set in motion.

Wow this guy's mind is twisted. He's a prime example of what you would popularly term a classic case of, there's a screw loose.

All the good of the NFL's response. The NFL is in the process of destroying there business. And for what, you ask? To smear the government and Whites as two ends of an evil racist partnership. Never-mind that the facts and statistics do not bear this premise out. They reveal it to be a massive false premise.

To put racism back into its box won't be an easy task, or happen quickly, and it's going to take all of us acknowledging that this is a very real problem. That the very same people, who seem totally at ease giving a free pass to a white president for saying POWs are not heroes because they where captured, see a grave affront to our veterans that can't go unchallenged in African American athletes taking a knee to protest inequality, is an undeniable sign we have issues. Issues that won't go away by themselves.

Racism is alive and well, and it has been over 100 years since it has been as prominent as it is right now. If you're the right skin color, you can be racist on TV and get kudos from idiots like this guy. You can be racist on college and university campuses. You can prevent people with other views from presenting them. You c an pick up a club and beat others, destroy property, and not even be challenged by the police. City councils will praise you. Public figures will praise you. Some presidential candidates will praise you. Racism, is being praised at the highest levels in our nation, right now. This writer is a massive racist. You have to wonder if he grasps that. My take on it, is that he does. The ends justify the means.

One of the things we learned on our path is that giving visible support to those on the front lines of this struggle really means a lot, as does challenging behavior that crosses the line. From my emails it's pretty clear this president has emboldened many to share ideas and use words that have not been a part of public dialogue in a long time. As business leaders, we must not step back from calling out all that is at odds with the fundamental American belief in equality. This country is just too important to let fade on our watch.

Here is a guy trying to overturn our government, who at the same time talks of it being, just too important to let fade on our watch.

Lying is what these people do. It's all they have. If people are weak enough to fall for it, they will play into their own destruction. It's as simple as that.

Thanks for reading, and please pass along to wherever you think this can help,

Please join my cause, and help us destroy this nation. You'll be so glad you did, when the next government nationalizes your business for the better good.

Bill Penzey bill@penzeys.com

Hopeful future communist block captain

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