Robby Starbuck could be either the feared opponent of online political ideals or considered one of the last activists fighting for free speech and transparency amidst the growing “woke” corporate imposition on America.
The filmmaker has become a prominent figure advocating for what some may consider “conservative rights.” Starbuck ran as a write-in candidate in Tennessee’s 2022 United States House of Representatives elections. He now focuses his efforts on leading a social media movement to uncover recent DEI initiatives by major companies.
“After years of increasing division and adoption of far-left policy, corporate America badly needs a reset, and I intend to give it to them,” Starbuck told DX.
As previously covered by The Dallas Express, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in corporate America are negatively impacting some of the country’s biggest and most traditional brands, both objectively in terms of economic success and emotionally through consumers’ connections to certain brands.
Whether it be Harley-Davidson, Jack Daniels, John Deere, or other companies prioritizing virtue signaling over their business’ success, Starbuck isn’t slowing down in his effort to expose woke policies and agendas.
“Our movement has the momentum. Over the past two months, our work has influenced the following to abandon woke policies: Tractor Supply Co., John Deere, Harley-Davidson, Polaris, Indian Motorcycle, Jack Daniel’s, Lowe’s, Ford, and now, Coors,” Starbuck added.
“One by one, we will bring corporate America back to sanity and neutrality. That’s a promise,” Starbuck stressed.
In a previous DX report, Starbuck’s work had a noticeable effect on Harley-Davidson, which is evident in the significant number of bikers who backlashed at the Sturgis Bike Rally in August, the largest motorcycle rally in America.
Starbuck was concerned about Harley-Davidson’s move away from its traditional branding and heritage and the negative response from long-time Harley owners who chose to focus on woke initiatives, which included DEI training over basic mechanics for employees.
“Moving forward, we will focus exclusively on growing the sport of motorcycling,” Harley-Davidson said in a recent response to the growing negative narrative amongst bikers.
However, that short concession may not have been enough for many long-time bikers, as Harley’s sales have dropped considerably. Many bikers are shifting to different American motorcycle manufacturers like Indian Motorcycle Co.
Vinny Terranova, who owns Pappy’s Vintage Cycles in Sturgis, South Dakota, informed Fox News Digital that the value of a Harley that was once $30,000 just a few years ago has now dropped to $4,000.
“It’s branding suicide,” added Terranova. “A lot of bikers are switching over to Indian. They killed Harley. It breaks my heart.”
According to a report from Reuters published earlier this year, Harley-Davidson reported a 23% drop in profits due to a slowdown in sales, leading to a significant decline in its stock price. The company is also facing challenges as demand for its motorcycles decreases. This recent downturn in profits has caused buyers of the bikes to lose considerable confidence and a return on their investments in their vehicles, resulting in a sharp fall in the value of the company’s shares.
In late August, Harley-Davidson announced it would discontinue its DEI initiatives, pushing away from left-leaning policies that are becoming more common among major U.S. companies under growing consumer pressure. The move immediately followed the social media campaign led by Starbuck.
Harley-Davidson posted a statement on X expressing regret over the recent controversy: “We are disheartened by the social media negativity over the past few weeks, which has aimed to divide the Harley-Davidson community.”
Yet, Harley-Davidson was only one of many American companies that have fallen victim to selling themselves to wokeness, prioritizing DEI initiatives over objective standards of business efficiency.
Boeing’s 2022 public filings show executive bonuses are linked to achieving DEI and climate objectives. In contrast, the annual incentive plans for 2021 were exclusively focused on “product safety, employee safety, and quality.”
Boeing’s prioritization of wokeness over safety has led many to believe that its increased failure to maintain safety standards, as verified in reports from federal authorities, is a direct consequence. Boeing’s multiple aircraft crashes and lapses in safety standards have resulted in mid-flight emergency landings, as highlighted numerous times by DX.
The Wall Street Journal reported on September 3 that Boeing’s stock experienced its most significant drop since May 23, plummeting by 7.3% following a Wells Fargo downgrade. This decline resulted in a decrease of roughly 84 points in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Boeing’s recent consistent failures and a critical report from the Department of Justice are just more examples of why DEI initiatives don’t seem to return value in the workplace.
Starbuck is moving forward in his mission to uncover companies in America that place DEI quotas above the success of their employees or the preferences of their consumers.
“Divisive partisanship and social issues just don’t belong in the workplace,” said Starbuck.