Tag Archive for: woke culture

EXCLUSIVE: Kennedy Center Breaks All-Time Attendance Record Amid Liberal Bellyaching Over ‘Trump Takeover’

The Kennedy Center broke its all-time attendance record for a public event March 29, with over 11,000 attendees for the EARTH to SPACE: Arts Breaking the Sky fireworks show, the Daily Caller has exclusively learned.

The history-making moment was celebrated amid a flurry of criticism from liberals about President Donald Trump’s takeover of the entertainment facility. Critics voiced concerns about Trump’s understanding and appreciation for the arts when he took control of the Kennedy Center. However, attendance numbers have told a different story. With a focus on shifting away from politically-charged programming, the facility experienced tremendous success with a widely-attended fireworks show.

Roma Daravi, VP of PR for the Kennedy Center boasted the successful turnout in a statement issued to the Daily Caller.

“It was wonderful to have so many new visitors at the Kennedy Center for Cai Guo-Qiang’s firework showcase. We look forward to their return for more wonderful programming soon. Everyone is welcome here!” Daravi said.

The fireworks show, Cai Guo-Qiang’s Interspecies Love Letter, didn’t just attract a historic number of patrons to the venue — it also snagged numerous first-time attendees.

A Kennedy Center representative noted that 76% of all attendees at the fireworks show had never stepped foot in the venue before. The event was open to the public, with free first-come, first-served tickets available on the Kennedy Center website.

Visitors took in the show on the 360-degree rooftop terrace and flocked to the riverwalk to take in the magic of art as the fireworks filled the skies above the Potomac River. The first 800 visitors were treated to a VIP experience by having the opportunity to send an individual firework into the sky through the cAITM — Cai Guo-Qiang’s custom AI model — web interface.

The EARTH to SPACE festival continues through April 20th. 

Trump named conservative firebrand Richard Grenell as the president of the Kennedy Center amid a series of moves designed to strengthen Trump’s grip on the performing arts center.

AUTHOR

Leena Nasir

Entertainment reporter.

RELATED ARTICLE: Kennedy Center Apparently Scrubs Pages For Most Egregious Left-Wing Content After Trump Threatens Takeover

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

How Conservative Consumers Are Winning the War on Woke Corporations

If you’ve ever felt like the collective voice of common-sense Americans is being drowned out, you’re not alone.

Why would you feel any different?

Social media companies constantly suppress the voices of those with common sense, the entertainment industry mocks them, late-night comedy shows ridicule them, Hollywood dramas disparage them, universities berate them, and the mainstream news media suffocates them.

But are these voices truly falling on deaf ears, unable to penetrate the waxy build-up infesting the woke, snowflake eardrums that refuse to hear our words—and make sure no one else does either?

Be encouraged because recent developments tell a very different story.

The Suppression of Common-Sense Voices

The voice of common sense is not just being heard; it’s being listened to, acted upon, and even changing the course of major corporations. Companies like Harley-Davidson, Disney, Tractor Supply, and John Deere have all reversed woke policies in response to consumer backlash, proving that your voice has the power to drive real change.

In today’s corporate America, consumer voices often feel silenced by the overwhelming force of media bias and corporate agendas.

It’s no secret that many in the legacy media downplay or outright ignore the growing consumer backlash against companies that abandon traditional values in favor of woke policies.

However, as recent events have shown, these grassroots movements can and do succeed—even when the media refuses to report on them.

The victories achieved by committed consumers serve as a powerful reminder that we must stay the course, even when our efforts seem to be shadow-banned from the public eye.

Harley-Davidson: Reversing Course Under Pressure

Take, for instance, the recent reversal by Harley-Davidson.

After years of grumblings from their most loyal customers, particularly those who felt betrayed by the company’s shift towards diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the iconic motorcycle brand has slammed the brakes on its woke policies.

Harley-Davidson’s decision to eliminate its DEI function and refocus on its core customer base is a direct result of the relentless pressure applied by its riders—pressure that, for the most part, was ignored or ridiculed by mainstream media.

Social media influencers like Robby Starbuck helped amplify the outrage, proving that grassroots efforts, when sustained, can force even the most resistant corporations to change course.

Disney’s Legal Backtrack: A Win for Public Outcry

Similarly, Disney, a company that has long been at the forefront of progressive agendas, was recently forced to backtrack on its legal defense in a wrongful death lawsuit.

After public outcry over its attempt to use a Disney+ subscription agreement to dismiss a lawsuit involving a woman who suffered a fatal allergic reaction at a Disney Springs restaurant, the company reversed its stance and allowed the case to proceed in court.

Disney had tried to argue that the woman’s husband waived his right to sue in court when they signed up for a free trial of Disney+, where the terms of service allegedly absolved Disney from any lawsuits related to incidents at its theme parks.

This decision came not because the media highlighted the absurdity of Disney’s defense but because consumers refused to let the issue go unnoticed. The media may have tried to bury the story, but the public’s outrage couldn’t be ignored.

Tractor Supply and John Deere: Returning to Their Roots

Tractor Supply, a staple of rural America, also succumbed to conservative backlash after weeks of online criticism for its DEI and climate efforts.

The company has now eliminated its DEI roles, ceased participation in LGBTQ+ events, and retired its carbon emission goals, choosing instead to focus on traditional values that resonate with its core customer base.

This shift wasn’t prompted by coverage from The New York Times or CNN; instead, it was the result of relentless pressure from consumers who felt their values were being disregarded.

And then there’s John Deere, another American institution that found itself in the crosshairs of conservative consumers.

The farm equipment giant recently announced it would no longer sponsor “social or cultural awareness” events (read: LGBTQ+ events) and would cease requiring employees to use preferred, often confusing and mind-twisting, pronouns.

Once again, this change wasn’t driven by media scrutiny but by the unwavering determination of consumers who demanded a return to the company’s roots.

These examples should encourage all who feel that their voices are being drowned out by complicit media.

The media’s strategy is clear: they either portray boycotts as the grumblings of a fringe minority or they ignore them altogether, hoping the fire will burn out.

The Bud Light Boycott: When Media Tactics Backfire

The Bud Light controversy offers another poignant example of how media strategies can backfire. Initially, the media tried to frame the backlash as nothing more than the outcry of “white, red-neck, racist” consumers.

It wasn’t just an attempt to paint the boycotters as (in Hillary Clinton’s words) a “basket of deplorables.” It was also a deliberate effort to rally public support for what was, at the time, the number-one-selling beer in America.

But when the boycott gained traction—much to the media’s dismay—they seemed to recall a lesson learned back in 1994, when Republicans ended a 40-year drought and gained control of both the U.S. House and Senate in what became known as the Republican Revolution.

The lesson? Don’t fan the flames of common-sense opinions unless you’re absolutely sure it won’t burn the house down.

The Conservative Voice: A Force to be Reckoned With

This strategy, born from the media’s experiences in the 1980s, particularly with figures like Dr. Jerry Falwell, backfired when it became clear that the voices they tried to discredit were actually resonating with the American people.

I, too, was often called upon by the media at the time, regularly appearing on major network television shows and giving interviews. As the editor of the Moral Majority Report and later the founder of the Christian Action Network, I soon witnessed firsthand how the media’s strategy shifted after 1994.

After the Republican Revolution, the media largely stopped interviewing top conservative figures. Instead, they opted to interview liberal opponents, allowing them to describe conservative positions in exaggerated and far-fetched terms.

This not only distorted the conservative message but also helped the liberal agenda advance rapidly in the United States.

When Donald Trump ran for president in 2016, the media, perhaps forgetting this lesson, gave him unprecedented airtime, believing it would reveal him as out of touch with reality. However, the strategy again backfired, and Trump was elected President of the United States despite the media’s ridicule.

The media learned once more that conservative voices when given a platform, resonate with the American people. This is why, after the 2016 election, we saw conservative voices suppressed or even banned by the most prominent social media outlets.

Keep the Pressure On: Your Voice is More Powerful Than You Think

The media’s strategy now is to silence or minimize the voices of common-sense Americans, especially when they challenge the liberal agenda.

But recent victories, like the Bud Light boycott, remind us that even without media support, these voices can still be powerful and effective.

Our organization, Christian Action Network, is proud to have exposed the deceptions of companies like Disney and Harley-Davidson.

We know that the media often tries to bury these stories, but we also know that when consumers stand together, their voices can’t be ignored. These victories are proof that your resistance matters, even if it doesn’t make the evening news.

So, to every consumer and patriot who is frustrated by corporate America’s relentless push towards woke policies, stay the course.

Now, more than ever, it’s crucial that we continue to resist the encroachment of woke policies. Your efforts may not get the attention they deserve, but they are making a difference.

As these recent victories show, when consumers stand firm in their values, even the biggest corporations are forced to listen. Keep resisting, speak out, and know your voice is more powerful than you think.

Together, we can continue to topple wokeism in corporate America, one boycott at a time.

©2024. Majority Report. All rights reserved.

RELATED VIDEO: OMG: Disney Funding Puberty Blockers for Children


Please visit the Majority Report Substack.

The New Ugly Americans

The old cultural imperialism was supposedly greedy corporatism like Disneyland, McDonald’s, and Starbucks sprouting up worldwide to supplant local competitors.

But these businesses spread because they appealed to free-will consumer demand abroad. They were not imposed top down.

The U.S. presence in Afghanistan collapsed in August 2021 amid the greatest American military humiliation in modern history. A billion-dollar new embassy was abandoned. Hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of new infrastructure at the huge Bagram Airbase was dumped.

We still do not know how many billions of dollars of sophisticated new weapons were left to the Taliban and now are making their way through global terrorists’ marts.

Yet, in our skedaddle, the LGBTQ flag still flew high from our new Kabul embassy. A George Floyd mural was prominent on city streets.

And gender studies programs – to the tune of $787 million in American subsidies – were showcased at Kabul University, in one of the most conservative Islamic countries in the world.

Rainbow flags and Black Lives Matter banners have hung from our embassy in South Korea.

Such partisan cultural activism is a diplomatic first.

The woke Left has now weaponized the country’s diplomatic missions abroad to advance highly partisan and controversial agendas that can offend their hosts, and do not represent the majority of American voters at home.

American foreign policy toward other nations seems now to hinge on their positions on transgender people, LGBTQ promotion, abortion, climate change, and an array of woke issues from using multiple pronouns on passports to showcasing transgender ambassadors.

The Biden Administration in January 2022 stopped the EastMed pipeline. That joint effort of our allies Cyprus, Greece, and Israel sought to bring much needed clean-burning Mediterranean natural gas to southern Europe.

Apparently, our diplomats felt it violated our own New Green Deal orthodoxies. So we imperialists interfered to destroy a vital project of our closest allies.

The White House manifesto called the “National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality” offers a blueprint for how to massage nations abroad to accept our values that are increasingly at odds with much of the world’s.

Do Americans really believe that embracing drag-queen shows at military bases, abortion to the moment of birth, transgender men competing in women’s sports, and the promised effort to ban the internal combustion engine are effective ways to ensure good relations with the United States?

No wonder the Biden Administration’s new cultural imperialism is proving disastrous for a variety of reasons.

One, these imperialistic and chauvinistic agendas are pushed abroad at the very time the respect for the U.S. military is at an all-time low. It was humiliated in Afghanistan. It is now unable to recruit sufficient qualified soldiers. Its stocks of critical weapons are depleted.

The Pentagon leadership of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, along with Joe Biden, do not radiate competence.

But they do exude woke pieties.

While we offend Middle East oil exporters and Central Europeans, China allies with Russia and Iran. India and Turkey triangulate away from the United States. Sanctimonious hectoring while appearing weak is a bad combination.

Two, these warped standards are incoherent. Is an abortion-on-demand, totalitarian China therefore an ally? How could we damn supposedly non-woke Saudi Arabia as we begged it to pump more of its non-green oil before the 2022 midterms?

Some of our most loyal allies are in Eastern Europe – Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Romania. These countries have experienced traumatic histories on the front lines against Islamic Ottoman expansionism, czarist and Soviet aggression, and German Nazi bullying and invasion.

They are democratic and pro-American. Yet they are now targeted by our woke imperialists because they remain steadfast as the most religious and traditional of our European allies.

Yet these nations would be more likely to dispatch credible forces for NATO’s defense than many of our left-wing, woke, and militarily less capable Western European nations.

Three, most of the 7.9 billion people in the world are not woke. They are aspiring to obtain a modicum of the luxury and affluence taken for granted in America.

The rest of the planet worries whether it will have enough food, energy, security, and shelter to live one more day. For most, the incessant, woke virtue-signaling from affluent Americans comes across as the whiny bullying of pampered, self-righteous – and increasingly neurotic – imperialists.

Four, traditionally the party that controls the State Department does not politically weaponize its embassies with wedge issues that have not won majority support among Americans.

Such abject politicalization rattles and alienates foreign nations. They do not want to be drawn into the American Left’s internal propaganda efforts that they know are bitterly controversial inside the United States.

How odd that those on the Left who in the past decried “American imperialism” are now proving the greatest imperialists of all.

AUTHOR

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

Victor Davis Hanson is a distinguished fellow of the Center for American Greatness. He is a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and the author of “The Second World Wars: How the First Global Conflict Was Fought and Won,” from Basic Books. You can reach him by e-mailing authorvdh@gmail.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller.

RELATED ARTICLES:

GOP Rep Presses Pentagon On Sailor’s ‘Explicit’ Performances After Austin Denied Supporting Drag Shows

Anheuser-Busch CEO Walks Back Defense Of Bud Light’s Dylan Mulvaney Partnership

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

DeSantis Announces Plan To Squash ‘Equity’ At New College Of Florida And Restore Merit

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his plan to overhaul the ideological education system at New College of Florida (NCF) and restore its original mission.

DeSantis will appoint six new members of NCF’s board of trustees: activist Chris Rufo, Dr. Mark Bauerlein, Dr. Matthew Spalding, Dr. Charles Kesler, lawyer Debra Jenks and educator Jason “Eddie” Speir. The Florida Board of Governors will also appoint a seventh member.

The 13-member board now has enough members to reshape the public college’s ideological courses and campus environment.

“As Governor DeSantis stated in his second inaugural speech: ‘We must ensure that our institutions of higher learning are focused on academic excellence and the pursuit of truth.’ Starting today, the ship is turning around. New College of Florida, under the governor’s new appointees, will be refocused on its founding mission of providing a world-class quality education with an exceptional focus on the classics,” Bryan Griffin, the press secretary for DeSantis, said in a statement.

NCF currently lists among its values “a just, diverse, equitable and inclusive community,” echoing the progressive ideology of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), better known as critical race theory. The school is “actively working toward eliminating outcome disparities for underrepresented and underserved groups,” it says in its values section.

“It is our hope that New College of Florida will become Florida’s classical college, more along the lines of a Hillsdale of the South,” James Uthmeier, Chief of Staff for DeSantis said.

The school provides certain services, like its Office of Inclusive Excellence, a gender studies program and its Gender and Diversity Center. It celebrates “latinx” history month through films, workshops, concerts and lectures, its website says.

NCF’s Office of Inclusive Excellence, the DEI office on campus, documents “outcomes and learnings from Phase I of the Inclusive Campus Climate initiative” and develops “campus-wide DEI key metrics and milestones, and support departmental implementation,” according to its page.

The NCF gender studies program offers courses in queer studies, queer history and feminist philosophy as part of its curriculum. It lists “community relations and organizing” among its potential career paths.

It also provides students with “gender identity affirmation resources” to assist students with legal name changes and updating their pronouns, according to a resource form.

In 2001, the Florida legislature separated NCF from the University of South Florida (USF) system and outlined a mission “combining educational innovation with educational excellence,” and to “provide a quality education to students of high ability who, because of their ability, deserve a program of study that is both demanding and stimulating.”

DeSantis’ promised to challenge ideological education in his inaugural address Tuesday.

“We must ensure school systems are responsive to parents and to students, not partisan interest groups, and we must ensure that our institutions of higher learning are focused on academic excellence and the pursuit of truth, not the imposition of trendy ideology,” DeSantis said

AUTHOR

JAMES LYNCH AND HENRY RODGERS

Contrubutors.

RELATED ARTICLE: EXCLUSIVE: Trump Insiders Speak Out On His Real Views About DeSantis

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

School Official Removes Student’s American Flag Despite Pride Flag Displays Across Campus

School officials at Trinity College in Connecticut removed two patriotic flags hanging from a student’s dorm room while seemingly allowing other students to hang Pride flags, according to viral video footage posted to TikTok.

Two students hung a “Don’t Tread On Me” flag and an American flag with a blue, red, and green line representing law enforcement, firefighters, and federal agents. Under the supervision of the self-described Director of Housing Operations, an alleged school administrator removed the flags from the dorm. Students protested the removal of the flags, according to a video of the interaction.

“Who are you touching our flags? You have no right to do this,” said one student who claimed ownership of the flags.

“You were directed to take it down,” an alleged school official responded. “The dean’s office has requested — put your phone away.”

“Absolutely not,” the student said. “I have every right to record and you know that. This is America. We have the First Amendment right to freedom of speech, freedom of expression. I don’t know why you’re taking our flags down.”

The alleged administrator directed the two students recording the interaction to visit the dean’s office. The duo alleged in the video that while other students were directed to remove their flags, only the American flag and the “Don’t Tread On Me” flag were physically removed.

“Why are you targeting us specifically,” one student asked.

“[Other students are] being asked, but ours are being ripped off,” another student said.

WATCH:

An online commentator noted that the college previously displayed Pride flags around campus.

Kristen Cole, a senior director of media relations at Trinity College, told the Daily Caller that the dean was enforcing the Student Handbook.

“The Trinity College Student Handbook states that objects are not allowed to be placed outside of residence hall windows for safety reasons,” Cole said.

The handbook states that “no objects of any type (including liquid), may be thrown, dropped, pushed out of, placed outside of, or allowed to fall from any residential building window. Students found responsible for such actions will face residential censure.”

Cole admitted that the event showcased how the rules are applied inconsistently on campus.

“The event has highlighted the need for more consistent enforcement of handbook rules, and the college is working with the student body to create awareness and compliance,” Cole said. “The dean’s office will directly work with students for more consistent enforcement.”

The Daily Caller was unable to contact the two students in the video.

AUTHOR

CHRISSY CLARK

Education reporter.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Ithaca College Allegedly Requests Faculty Members Add Their Race To School’s Database

Ohio Teacher Arrested, Charged For Alleged Involvement In Prostitution Sting

Jewish Community Center to Host Drag Queen Story Hour As Part Of ‘Family Fun’ Day

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.