Boycott Ford

When CEO's talk, managers listen. When CEO's at Fortune 500 companies say "Jump!" managers ask "How high?" When Jacques "Jack the Knife" Nasser, the CEO at Ford, says "Diversity!" managers say "Fire the old white guys!" And 33 old white guys who believe they were fired by Ford for the twin crimes of whiteness and manhood are mad as hell and they are not going to take it anymore. Free the FoMoCo 33!

The old white guys in question range between 41 and 61 years old. Sounds like me and my golfing buddies. All worked for the Ford Motor Company for somewhere between 11 and 36 years. Their common story includes excellent performance ratings throughout their careers. Those ratings began to change when Jac Nasser took over in 1998 and commenced his diversity jihad. Boycott Ford.

While looking into this story I learned some things about Nasser. He tends to refer to the Ford Motor Company as FoMoCo. Really, no kidding. FoMoCo. It has a condescending, faux hiphop ring to it that probably appeals to people with no clue. He also appears to love his nickname, "The Knife." It is his street name for when he is gettin' down in the MBA hood; proves how tough he is.

Guys who want to be called by tough guy nicknames, especially guys in suits, tend to have other issues but that's not my main point here. Anyway, think of him as "The Knife," anti-whit lord of the FoMoCo Clan and all around bad person. And he is dissin' me and my old white boys, big time.

The 33 former Ford managers (Free the FoMoCo 33!) say they were sacrificed on the altar of PC. It seems their performance ratings all took the same sudden and mysterious turn for the worse after Jac's Jihad began. You see, executives have their bonuses and their own continued employment tied to the achievement of "diversity goals." (Collectivist code word alert!) By a happy accident, their subsequent firings made room for promotions among the company's minority and female employees. Lucky break, that. Lucky unless, of course, you are a 50ish white man who has paid his dues, worked hard, and done a good job and who can no longer support his family for the PC crime of success while white.

We have become accustomed to the code words of the totalitarian left. "Bipartisan" means do it my way or I'll demagogue you in the media. "Risky scheme" means let me spend your money. "Mean spirited" means someone is rational rather than emotional. "For the children" means watch out, Bill of Rights, here we come again. "Harassment" means whatever she wants it to mean. And "diversity" means fewer whites. George Orwell was probably the visionary genius of the 20th Century and he nailed the totalitarians and their use of language before we ever heard of PC.

During their diversity, training seminars for top executives one of the lowlights is a videotaped message from Knife Nasser. During that address he says, "I do not like the sea of white faces in the audience and FoMoCo (See, I told you. He actually says FoMoCo!) must ensure that in the future the company reflects the broad spectrum of Ford's customers." Boycott Ford.

Color balance might be a great way to choose a tie and equal representation of the sexes is a good idea if you are planning a dinner party but they strike me as singularly poor reasons to hire an engineer. But they are great reasons never to buy another car from these people. Boycott Ford. If he doesn't like to see a sea of white faces why should we inflict one on him at his dealerships? Those Ford dealerships are another excellent reason to boycott their vehicles but that's another story. As for me, my face is white, my money is green, and my car is ABF – anything but Ford. Boycott Ford.

Add to that the fact that you will be buying a car designed and engineered by someone chosen for his job based on some attribute other than his mathematical aptitude and mechanical reasoning ability. You think Ford transmissions are bad now? Boycott Ford.

Lord Nasser has a strategic plan called "Equitable Representation – Vision Objective." It outlines a drive to reduce the number of white males in various levels of management by anywhere from 17% to 34% between now and 2007. Boycott Ford. As David Murphy, the VP of Human Resources, says, "You aren't going to do that by pleasing everybody, by having some kind of consensus." Or as another great HR guy cut from the same cloth once said, "You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs." That was Lenin. He'd fit right in at FoMoCo. Boycott Ford.

In the race toward their evil, phony diversity goals why should they stop at race and gender? The idea is to reflect "the broad spectrum of Ford's customers," right? FoMoCo certainly has its share of stupid customers. Why not quotas for dopes? They would have a natural mentor in the HR VP. Boycott Ford.

As you probably guessed, I intend to Boycott Ford. The first car I ever bought was a 1960 Ford Galaxy. The rear right quarter panel had been smashed in a collision and I got it for $100 as an 18 year old kid in 1970 with my first paycheck from working construction. I loved that vehicle. It is tough to leave old loves behind but I will never buy another Ford. Not until Nasser is corporate history. Not until the FoMoCo 33 receive justice. Free the FoMoCo 33! Not until Ford judges their employees by the content of their personnel files and not the color of their faces. Boycott Ford.

I won't take one as a rental. I won't cheer for Mark Martin. Sorry, Mark. I intend to root for the hit men in the Charger (Go Dodge!) the next time I watch "Bullitt." Sorry, Steve. And no more "Mustang Sally." Sorry, Mr. Pickett, but evil is evil. Boycott Ford.

Join me. Boycott Ford!

    May 26, 2001