It’s been a while since a corporation showed the public that it had no sense of right or wrong, but Allstate, the title sponsor of the Sugar Bowl, apparently has tried. The insurance company has faced significant public backlash after a video message from CEO Tom Wilson drew widespread criticism. The message, aired before the College Football Playoff quarterfinal between Georgia and Notre Dame, was intended to address the tragic terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans but was widely perceived as misjudged in tone and focus.
In his pre-recorded remarks, Wilson extended condolences to the victims of the New Year’s Day tragedy and their families. He then pivoted to a broader call for national unity, urging Americans to overcome what he referred to as an “addiction to divisiveness.” He emphasized the importance of accepting others’ imperfections and fostering trust and collaboration within communities.
“Wednesday, tragedy struck the New Orleans community. Our prayers are with the victims and their families. We also need to be stronger together by overcoming an addiction to divisiveness and negativity,” Wilson stated in the video.
If I were the board of @Allstate I’d fire this CEO for being dumb enough to read the presser written by the woke intern.
— SteveAustinWI (@SteveAustinWI) January 3, 2025
There is nothing corporate elites love more than telling everyone that diversity is our strength while also explaining that differences are something that needs to be overcome.
Despite the CEO’s apparent good intentions, the response online was overwhelmingly negative, writes Fox News. Many social media users criticized Wilson’s comments as tone-deaf, arguing that his focus on societal divisions seemed misplaced given the severity of the attack. Hashtags calling for a boycott of Allstate began trending, and the company reportedly removed posts featuring the video from its social media channels.
The controversy unfolded in the aftermath of a horrific attack on Bourbon Street, where 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran, drove a truck into a crowd of revelers, resulting in at least 14 deaths and dozens of injuries. Authorities later discovered possible improvised explosive devices at the scene, and the FBI classified the incident as an act of terrorism. Jabbar was fatally shot during a confrontation with law enforcement.
In response to the backlash, Allstate issued a clarifying statement to address the growing criticism.
“To be clear, Allstate CEO Tom Wilson unequivocally condemns this heinous act of terrorism and violence in all forms. We stand with the families of the victims, their loved ones, and the community of New Orleans. The reference to overcoming divisiveness and negativity reflects a broader commitment to fostering trust and positivity in communities across the nation,” the statement read.
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I suspect that Allstate has a lot of the DEI agenda going on in it’s offices and corridors daily.
Just looking at him and the way he delivered his message wrecks of a liberal millionaire dirtbag. I hope anti-woke influencer Robby Starbuck takes this A-hole on immediately.
The divisiveness and negativity ARE traits of the looney left.
How many Americans would this POS have killed if he were NOT imperfect?
Hopefully he will open his golden parachute and get outta dodge and allow someone with real compassion and common sense to take over. I’d likely be able to do a better job at a tenth of his compensation.