After church today I had to grab a few things at Target which is nearby and in certain sections they had signs letting me know which products were made by black owned businesses. I almost shouted "it is the year 2022, I think a business today can sink or swim on their own merit". I know it is typical large corporation wokeness, and I can expect next month to hear endless crap about supporting female owned business, and in June we are all inundated with lgbt crap.
I have always seen this as so condescending because the best thing you can do for someone is hold them to the same standard as everyone else and not make excuses for failure. The vast majority of the world population had ancestors who faced extreme hardships so nobody is special in that regard. Government should allow businesses to operate without interfering or picking winners and losers like it always does. A tried and true lesson is that if you have a product/service people want, they will come regardless of who you are. I live in Texas so bbq is very popular (if any of you are ever in my area of North Texas I'll treat you to my favorite spot) and there used to be a gas station nearby where this older black man and his two son would serve bbq and they gave the gas station a cut of the profits. It was hugely popular and they eventually got their own restaurant. They produced a product in demand.
But honestly if people want to help those who don't have the same advantages, then volunteer your time. I've done some tutoring work and if I ever have the money I would love to open up places in low income areas that offers free tutoring, SAT prep, and a massive resource of books, especially western classics.
Sorry for the rant, but I am just so tired of this endless coddling of people. Especially the excuses made for violent crime or ignorant behavior. I am all for giving everyone equal opportunity (i.e. holding everyone to the same standard), but the fact of the matter is that some people will always have more opportunities than others or will have more advantages than others. Simple fact of life. Some people will also have to work harder than others.
I leave you with one of my favorite Thomas Sowell quotes (I often say I am not an economics major, but I have read enough Sowell and Friedman to sound like I know what I am talking about):
“You cannot take any people, of any color, and exempt them from the requirements of civilization -- including work, behavioral standards, personal responsibility and all the other basic things that the clever intelligentsia disdain -- without ruinous consequences to them and to society at large.”
― Thomas Sowell
This gets those ESG points, which some investors require (BlackRock), and some financing organizations give better rates on loans.
I heard some states are putting a ban on ESG ratings or something like that. How do you fight against it?
It's hard. This is a parallel societies type thing.
First, most people don't know about it, so Informing people about it, and that it was done behind their backs using the virus (and their handling of it/everyone) as an "opportunity" to force this through. Second is building a lack of trust in the people in the planning and enforcement of this: Canada's banks all use it, and they just froze people's bank accounts. The WEF has talked about how great it was having no people on the street in 2020, and that there should be a climate lockdown every two years.
One of the problems is that some of what the Klaus and the WEF talk about is insane. They're fully intent on realizing it, and have already started, but it'll take time to get people ready to accept it, while also countering the "Great Narrative" that they've started.
Actual consequences are the most important thing. Many politicians only changed their stances when they started really worrying about reelection. Banks might think more when people pull out, but CEO remuneration is already tied to ESG. When that money goes elsewhere, like to support those against ESG is where it's really important.