As time goes on, have you noticed how politics seems to be affecting and infecting more and more of our lives? It used to be politics was limited to, well, politics. In other words, life went along more or less like normal for a few years, there was a “campaign season” that lasted a few weeks, Election Day, and then voila, it was over.
Now, however, politics is influencing and corrupting so much of K-12 education, higher ed., the family, news media, law enforcement, entertainment, sports, economics, health care, recreation, hiring and promotions, religion, language…it seems never ending. Plus, with “early voting” we find that “Election Day” has morphed into “Election Season” and that has metastasized into something without boundaries. This year, for instance, President Trump announced his bid for the White House in 2024 while many elections from November 2022 were still too close to call or seemingly mired in incompetence or malfeasance.
Historically, big businesses were pro-Republican because the GOP has generally been the party of higher growth and less regulation, while the Democrat Party was more pro-union and pro-regulation. Now, however, we are seeing more big businesses allying with big tech and the Democrat Party to form a kind of leftwing oligarchy. As explained here, ESG scores play a role in this.
As also explained here, here and here, Kroger Corp. has changed its focus from being a grocery store to promoting a leftwing political agenda.
Responding to these columns, a number of Roanoke Star readers have expressed their sentiments on social media, which are shared below.
Wow – enlightening, and well-documented. Had no idea that Kroger was this deep into woke ideology and connections. Wonder what percentage of the company’s store employees are aware of what their employer is promoting? -D.W.
I shop at Kroger every week and spend $125 a week. Never again. I am a big advocate of gay rights. But don’t force employees to take a public stand. Let’s see: $125 a week= $500 month = $6,000 a year that is now going to Publix. Go woke and go broke! -J.F.
OMGOSH. I was unaware of this until this morning, heard something on the news and checked it out. Live in a small town in Georgia with a Walmart and a Kroger. I shop at Kroger and pay more to keep from shopping at Walmart. I am 70, widowed, retired on Social Security. There isn’t a lot I can do now, but I will drive outside my comfort zone and pay the extra for gas to never shop at Kroger again. I might have to get a subscription to the Roanoke Star. -L.I.
Very disappointed in Kroger!!! I’ll spend my money anywhere but there!!! Change your leadership Kroger before u go broke! -D.S.
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Mailbag: This question comes via email from reader M.P.
Q. One column mentioned that Kroger is running free ads company-wide in their stores and on their website for a leftwing political group that works to put Democrats into office. I was looking for this, political ads on Kroger website, and couldn’t find it. Where is Kroger doing this???
A. In both June 2021 and 2022, at least some Kroger stores in the Roanoke, VA area had signs prominently displayed near the entrances that read “Bringing Diversity to the Table” and the name and logo of the political group that endorsed and supported both Hillary Clinton’s and Joe Biden’s presidential campaigns. Moreover, the main Kroger website had a “pride” page with one of the cartoon figures that Kroger now uses in its promotional campaigns waving a flag displaying the logo of that same political group.
When I spoke by phone with Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic director in June 2022 and explained that such political messages seemed wildly inappropriate for a grocery store and asked that it be removed, he told me, politely but firmly, no, all the signs were in all Kroger and affiliate stores across the nation and all would remain put.
I tried to explain how their rigid, “one size fits all” policy irrespective of local markets and cultures seemed the opposite of “diversity” which he talked about but was in fact uniformity, but he was undeterred.
I also tried to explain that one of the signs was in the Vinton Kroger, and how in the fall 2021 elections, at least some Vinton precincts nearby had voters choosing Republicans over Democrats by as high as a 4 to 1 ratio. In Roanoke County overall, the ratio was 2 to 1. Thus, such blatant politicking by Kroger ran the risk of offending and alienating a large population of their customer base. That hardly sounded like the “inclusivity” that the director told me Kroger was trying to foster.
Thank you, M.P., for reading and reaching out!
–Scott Dreyer
