At General Mills, gum control needed

General Mills is in the news today for caving in to demands that it abandon a “controversial Pillsbury plant in the West Bank,” as the Star Tribune puts it this morning. BDS advocates claim victory. Speaking for itself, General Mills states: “We have made clear the global business strategy that drove this decision.”

The company’s headquarters are located in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Yesterday we heard from a Power Line reader working at headquarters:

I have worked for General Mills for [redacted] years and have been disappointed by leadership’s seeming inability to stay out of the political arena (gay marriage, Obamacare, Covid, police reform, etc.). I assumed these statements were always initiated by a few execs who deemed it appropriate to speak on behalf of the entire organization. I still believe that is true but I think they have now created a culture that empowers employees to demand that leadership take action to address all of their political concerns.

This morning, in a large group chat my team received a request to sign an internal petition [addressed to “General Mills Leadership Team,” signed by “General Mills employees,” and attached to the message but omitted here] from one of my division managers demanding that leadership take a stand on gun reform. I do not want politics in my workplace and I don’t want my workplace involved in politics but what is one to do?

I would ask my direct manager for assistance but he is one of the signatories on the petition. I would go to HR but [the employee was dinged once for less than enthusiastic participation] in a diversity and inclusion exercise….

I have accepted that there isn’t anything I can do. I am just putting in my time until retirement. Maybe your readers will gain some benefit by my story.

This is bad enough. The petition with its 200-plus signatories is also idiotic beyond belief. “It is easier to get a gun of mass destruction (over the counter!),” the petition argues, “than it is to get birth control (must have a doctor’s prescription!).” Support gum control!

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