When it comes to racism, Nike decided to “just do it.”
The woke footwear company that enthusiastically promoted serial grifter and race-baiter Colin Kaepernick is — surprise, surprise — fixated on skin color and other external characteristics rather than merit. Now, however, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced on February 4 that it had filed an action in federal court against Nike.
The EEOC is investigating Nike over its various diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) projects and goals for last year. The court filing, according to the federal agency, accuses Nike of "a pattern or practice of disparate treatment against white employees, applicants, and training program participants" based on DEI ideology.
In the past 12 months, many major companies have at least pretended to draw back from DEI because of the Trump administration, but it appears that Nike was too far gone to make even a pretense. Either that or it just assumed that it was too big to face any real consequences.
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The EEOC press release on the court filing explains:
Information sought included criteria used in selecting employees for layoffs; information related to the company’s tracking and use of worker race and ethnicity data, including as a factor in setting executive compensation; and information about 16 programs which allegedly provided race-restricted mentoring, leadership, or career development opportunities. When the company failed to produce all the information sought by the subpoena, the agency filed an enforcement action in federal court.
The filing is in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The EEOC had to take Nike to court because the company refused to voluntarily reject DEI and follow the law, according to the federal agency.
EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas explained, "When there are compelling indications, including corporate admissions in extensive public materials, that an employer’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-related programs may violate federal prohibitions against race discrimination or other forms of unlawful discrimination, the EEOC will take all necessary steps — including subpoena enforcement actions—to ensure the opportunity to fully and comprehensively investigate."
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Even while preaching equality and tolerance, Nike could very well be in violation of U.S. civil rights law. Talk about being hoisted on your own petard. This company wanted to make society focus on race, and now it's in the spotlight for racism.
Lucas continued, “Title VII’s prohibition of race-based employment discrimination is colorblind and requires the EEOC to protect employees of all races from unlawful employment practices. Thanks to President Trump's commitment to enforcing our nation’s civil rights laws, the EEOC has renewed its focus on evenhanded enforcement of Title VII." The Trump administration has replaced the Biden administration, and Nike is going to feel the change.
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