Tomorrow, United Airlines will introduce an optional Black Lives Matter (BLM) pin for employees and also to customers, with proceeds going to a very worthy Chicago charity.
BLM Pin Coming To United Airlines
United will offer an optional BLM uniform pin for employees that will directly benefit the local Chicago non-profit, My Block, My Hood, My City (M3), an organization that helps underprivileged youth in the Chicago area broaden their horizons by providing them with new experiences and exposing them to possibilities beyond their own communities.
If you want one yourself, they will be available for pre-order in the United Shop for $6 each and ship in early November.
I took a look at the M3 website and it seems like a very worthy organization, with core values which include:
- Interconnectivity
- Empathy
- Hope
- Civic Responsibility
CEO Jahmal Cole’s visions including building “a more interconnected Chicago on the pillars of service and education” by introducing young people to:
- STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)
- Arts & culture
- Citizenry & volunteerism
- Health
- Community development
- Culinary arts
- Entrepreneurism
In a memo to employees reviewed by Live and Let’s Fly concerning the new pins, United said:
During a time when it can be tough to have open conversations about race and equality in our country, and possibly even more challenging to show a commitment toward ending systemic racism — United has stepped up, created companywide forums to encourage an open dialogue and put in place a series of steps that demonstrate our dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Now we’re proud to take that responsibility further by offering our employees and customers the opportunity to purchase a custom-designed, branded Black Lives Matter pin, with proceeds dedicated to an important, nonprofit cause.
As a global company with diverse employees around the world, we are proud to stand alongside a growing number of large public-facing corporations and big brands that have prominently supported our common humanity.
Jessica Kimbrough, United’s Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, added:
“This new pin is voluntary for our employees and just one way of saying that we stand in support of the dignity, respect and safety of our Black colleagues and customers. And we recognize that anything less does not fit with our core4 values.
United’s overall uniform and appearance standards will not change. Employees will still only be allowed to wear company-approved pins while on the job, so do not expect to see “Blue Lives Matter” pins or any other pins of a more political nature.
United hopes this pin “will promote meaningful conversations among employees and customers alike.”
CONCLUSION
While I generally take a skeptical look at pins of any variety on uniforms, including religious ones, I appreciate the charity United is supporting in this case. United now joins Alaska, American, and Delta in offering Black Lives Matter pins for employees.
> Read More: Black Lives Matter Pins Prompt Backlash At American Airlines
> Read More: Hart Shares His Heart: United Airlines’ Black President Reflects On Race
Matthew, I think you should read a bit more about Jahmal Cole’s statements on racism and allegedly racist killings of black men. Also, does United really need to advocate for a Marxist organization to donate to organizations that help disadvantaged youths? Black Lives Matter is a racist organization antithetical to American ideals of equality and should be given no quarter.
Thanks for giving me a chance to elaborate. To be clear, I don’t support any *Marxist* organizations or many of the aims of the wider “Black Lives Matter” movement that go beyond equal justice under law. I don’t support revolution as a solution to America’s racial problems and some of the aims of the national BLM movement as expressed on blacklivesmatters.com are deeply contrary to my worldview.
But I fully support the aims of M3, which I reflect above. Introducing children to the values listed above is empowering and builds great citizens. An exposure-based education program is also a good thing. Please refer me to words or statements from Cole that you deem unacceptable.
I agree with cargocult. If United wants to donate to an organization that helps disadvantage youth that’s great. Assuming M3 is a worthy organization, just sell “M3” pins. No need to put the name of a radical, racist, anti-american, anti-law enforcement organization on the pin.
When I fly United next week I will be sure to wear my All Live Matter mask.
Please, by all means put in your all lives matter mask, and t shirt to go. It helps in identifying the racists amongst us.
Mfon – All Lives Matter suggests equality. People who support equality are not racist. People who suggest one race should be given benefits denied another race are racist.
Woke United strikes again.
I find it hilarious that so many people interpret “Black Lives Matter” as “Only Black Lives Matter.”
When you hear “Save the rain forest!,” do you believe that implies “Screw all those other trees?”
Why don’t you just say you don’t support BLM and stop appearing to be sitting on the fence.
@Mfon: Because the issue is, if you’ll pardon the expression, not black and white.
Read this:
https://liveandletsfly.com/hart-race/
Matthew and others might find this essay interesting. The parallels between the Russian intelligentsia and the wokerati are chilling.
https://www.firstthings.com/article/2020/10/suicide-of-the-liberals
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/world-fear-heres-what-we-can-do
You can see that Cole parrots the lies about racism that helped foment the BLM movement. While one might find the purported activities of M3 laudable, the worldview espoused by its founder places white supremacy at its center. Too many people believe the BLM organization simply seeks to uphold the literal meaning of the three words. United should not have anything to do with BLM. It is akin to supporting the Ku Klux Klan because it gives money to the neighborhood Neo-Nazi Youth after school program. Anti-racism/critical race theory is poisonous.
This overt pandering on the part of UA is very disappointing. BLM is a Marxist organization that encourages and enables violence and rioting by providing the support structure for it to take place. Any endorsement of such an organization is reprehensible. As as UA frequent flier, who lives near a city that was ravaged by their violence (overwhelmingly conducted by people brought in from outside our area), I resent it.
The only positive, as noted in a comment above, is that the pin will enable you to identify the misguided and dangerous among us. The true racists.
Black Lives Matter is a movement, not an organization. They do not have a headquarters, a board of directors, or a letterhead; as such there is no corporate entity allied with any given economic philosophy. Those who support the movement are trying to do something about 400 years of suppression of people based on skin color.
I hope United is equal opportunity and has a white lives matter or Christian lives matter or straight pride pin available for employees. I personally prefer public corporations to focus on its business and to keep politics out of it, but I am offended now if United does not provide a voice to straight people/ Whites/Christian since United makes clear they want that discussion in the workplace.
Since you are eternally Mike Pence-level clueless about this, I’ll do the “fire truck going through a neighborhood of houses” analogy for you:
– White house – not on fire, no need to spray w/water
– Christian house – not on fire, no need to spray w/water
– Black house – on fire’ maybe, just maybe, this is where the fire truck should spray
I understand the firetruck metaphor and agree with it’s basic idea (although as a complete aside, if your movement requires metaphors to explain itself perhaps consider a re-brand?)
However, I think it’s a dangerous metaphor because it assumes that fires are caused randomly and unpredictably. Meaning the root problem (fire) is beyond anyone’s control. While this is a nuanced subject (and the anonymous internet is obviously not the best forum), I would pair this with perhaps the 3 Little Pigs–if you build your house out of straw don’t be surprised that it burns more often than the brick houses. I get that not everyone CAN build out of bricks, but there’s also some element of self-agency and accountability we can’t ignore.
I wouldn’t call 100 years of disproportionate interracial black on white violence as House not on fire.
I wouldn’t call the persecution of Christians in Europe and America through the erosion of religious liberty as House not on fire.
It is the literal operating principle of many firms to discriminate against white straight Christians males in employment and academic admissions.
We should have our pins too.
Man you REALLY aren’t going to like the future USA:
– majority-minority
– religion an ever-decreasing relevant part of society
– broad acceptance and championing of LGBTQ
– Republicans never winning the popular vote again
– BLM!
Can’t wait!!!
Is there a straight pride organization? A Christian Lives Matter Organization?
A White lives matter Organization?
Come on now, United did not make up this pin out of thin air. If you can show us a reputable organization to all three you’ve mentioned, then I’m sure they will be happy to explore that option. Just because you say they should have one is not going to fly!! Where are all these lives matter Organizations you mentioned. I will gladly support any of them if they are a credited organization!
It seems you are implying that BLM is a “reputable organization.” One can agree with the literal statement that black lives matter and be opposed to the Marxist, racist organization. Marx and Engels were racists. Why are they not being denounced by the along with the Founding Fathers? They believed in the superiority of certain races, which, of course, implies the inferiority of others, specifically blacks, whom Engels referred to as being closer to the animal kingdom than the rest of humanity. BLM proposes to reify racist ideas any white supremacist would gladly support. Neither black nor white supremacy should be tolerated, much less celebrated.
While I will agree with you there should be no supremacy celebrated of any kind. Possibly, I miss spoke as a reputable organization. My point was there is not a organization that has formed for those three that was mentioned. The issue is most are quick to say whites lives matter, what about straight pride. But refuse to address the issue of why people are angry. The first thing most say is “ you don’t see us screaming white lives matter or straight pride” too quick respond instead of asking questions!
That’s a metaphor? More like incoherent babbling, like everything else you say.
I hope United’s H.R. department is fully staffed and ready to deal with all the altercations that are sure to come. What an absolutely horrible idea.
All the aggrieved white men here. Mostly aging dinosaurs who are just starting to realize their free ride is likely ending and really aren’t dealing with it well.
You want Donald Trump to be your swan song? Talk about going out in style.
My thoughts exactly… they might want to consider driving
Perhaps Dan and Mfon think the Red Guards won’t turn on them because they support anti-racism as all right-minded “folks” should. Isn’t it racist of you to assume that all those who oppose the likes of you are aggrieved, old, white men who voted for Trump?
Yeah because that’s pretty much people like you & the rest of the Trump base (and sadly an infestation of the same ilk across the travel blogs)…soon to be welcome to head back underground in 26 days.
How many of the words “aggrieved, old, white men who voted for Trump” do you think apply to me? How much money would you put on it? In UA-NYC’s TDS-addled mind, opposing BLM necessarily means one is a racist who voted for Trump. UA-NYC is just another presumptuous SJW cloaked in self-righteousness who is a totalitarian racist at heart.
Have seen enough of your posts to know pretty damn well you agree with the Stand Back And Stand By mindset.
Now opposing BLM makes one a Proud Boy? That is woke reasoning for you. Democrats are the ones who threaten to “burn it all down” if the Republicans push through Barrett’s nomination. I have seen enough of UA-NYC’s posts to know that his mindset it all TDS, all the time.
NBA finals game viewers down almost 70%. Should LaBron and Co. be surprised? They shoved Cop hating , Marxist BLM down everybody’s throat, and viewers said – shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. Now the big boys in the NBA decided their taking BLM off the courts and jerseys next year. Sorry BLM, our multi million dollar salaries are much more important than you! We can’t rely on our best buddy, America hating socialist China to fund ALL of that.
I predict November 4th is going to be quite the depressing day for you. RIP the MAGA dream, so sad! Go find another norm crushing racist totalitarian dictator to support.
@Al – nothing like another ignorant response! Try educating yourself:
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-10-07/tv-ratings-story-for-the-week-of-sept-28-oct-4-wed-oct-7-2020
By “free ride” are you by any chance referring to Affirmative Action, +10 points for being a minority on civil service exams, minority-owned preferential treatment when awarding city contracts etc…?
Gee Dan, are plenty of Marxist countries around the world where you can breathe in revolution 24/7. Why not move to one of them, if it’s such a great system?
Leave liberty and capitalism for us “old white guys” and our millions and millions of kids. Oh, and labeling everyone you don’t like as a “racist” is meaningless, because all it means is that we’re not down for the revolution. Those who are seem to be the most racist of all.
Free ride? The dinosaurs as you call them are the basis of civilization. Every invention from the wheel to electricity to cell phones to computers to pants to McDonalds is due to those white dinosaurs. Admit it, you can’t compete so you want to co-opt white societies. You are jealous of the average white facial structure, hair texture, and IQ.
Every put down you do of white people is due to jealously and envy. You use white people as a scapegoat for your bad behavior and failure.
@Matthew – you cool with the open racism and eugenics talk here? this is straight “white power” talk man, sounds just like Nazi Germany. Some of these posters have gone well beyond the mere dog whistle.
This is a disgrace.
So United’s PR department thinks all black people live in the hood… not in the suburbs or rural areas. That’s not racist at all.
Go find an airline that feels the same way as you.
Go on. Leave.
How about “unemployed lives matter”
@Someone furloughed
Not to United, they don’t.
As far as organizations in the space go M3 is one of the good ones that has worked with many Chicago area businesses and organizations that does not support extreme divisive views. It is often criticized by the anti-police elements as the organizer, Jahmal Cole, has worked with the Mayor’s office etc, so he is called a sell-out and other derogatory remarks.
There are so many reasons to NOT fly United and they keep adding more. What a disgrace of airline.
Trust me, if I was a passenger on the United Flight, I hope would not sit next to the likes of you. Intolerable racist disgrace. How dare you. I fly all airlines and I’ve seen people just like you!!
The cancer of virtue signaling is metastasizing through corporations; including UAL. It’s akin to Stockholm Syndrome. Or, wait for the race hustlers to shake down UAL with a hate hoax.
Burn Loot Murder
You won’t have the pleasure to sit next to me because I don’t fly UA. All colors matter to me not just one so no need to express a specific one.
And you are doing us all a favor!!
Awwwww……another sensitive victim.
I love your blog but BLM is a Marxist anti-American political organization. But what’s worse is they are disguising themselves as a civil right group to suck in the disadvantaged, the poor, the foolish and virtue signaling corporations to fund themselves and become pawns in an attempt to grab power and control people. If you want to support them that is your right in our current America grounded in freedom. If you want to believe the script and agenda they put forward then at least go to their “toolkit” for white “folks” so you can contribute on your chosen platform. https://blacklivesmatter.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Toolkit-WhitePpl-Trayvon.pdf
Same as many of the others. The BLM movement is racist to the core, anti-american, and marxist. It’s a shame United is joining other airlines in promoting racial division with such low brow tactics.
Shame on United.
BLM exists *precisely* because of the attitudes of several of the posters in this thread are a microcosm of larger society historically – sounds like they get their talking points straight from Faux News or OANN.
25 days…enjoy it while it lasts!
Mathew please remember the significance of the written word, “BLM” (please note I have not said pro or con). Not sure why but you seem to have forgotten or “compartmentalized” this for your own benefit (you wrote the article).
Clearly “BLM” is a highly charged label. You yourself felt compelled to write this about BLM and I quote Mathew, “To be clear, I don’t support any *Marxist* organizations or many of the aims of the wider “Black Lives Matter” movement that go beyond equal justice under law. I don’t support revolution as a solution to America’s racial problems and some of the aims of the national BLM movement as expressed on blacklivesmatters.com are deeply contrary to my worldview.” Yet you write / broadcast that you support United using a highly charged label because a charity M3 will benefit. So Mathew, you yourself raise some serious concerns about BLM, yet you support United using BLM in a very prominent way, some might say even to the extent of peer pressuring their employees to also prominently display BLM. I am sure some could find positive things about almost any organization, is your next article about promoting “Socialism”? I am sure there are some positives with the label “Socialism”. Better yet which major company do you want promoting the next label? You are the writer after all.
So ironic to see all the conservative “macho” types who incessantly whine about “leftists snowflakes being triggered” getting themselves trigged in the comments over something as simple as an optional pin expressing support for Black Americans!
50 years of terrorists attacking airlines. Now, its flipped with airlines issuing badges (pins) of honor for a terrorist group.
Quite the hot take – when even the Republican-led DHS knows the main domestic terror threat in the US these days is all things (right-wing) White Nationalism
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/06/politics/white-supremacists-anarchists-dhs-homeland-threat-assessment/index.html
Shame on corporate entities that try to mitigate the perception of profit loss for not taking a knee for any cause that is the latest lunacy. Airline uniforms have always banned pins and political agendas. They need to stick with that policy. Someone is always offended even by a benign issue. So allowing a 100% communist anti American cause to gain a place upon the employee uniforms is a huge mistake.
If UAL said no blacks allowed. Would more whites fly UAL and make up the loss? This is the same corporate logic. Anyone who likes what socialism and communism has to offer, there are plenty of places you can move to NOW and not even have to fight for it.
If you produce more than you consume, you are a capitalist. If you consume more than you produce you are a communist. It is not difficult to see the proven track record and dead end for communism.
I’m a Million Miler 1K flyer with United. I’ve now flown my last flight flight with them. This is NOT some idle threat. I am now finished with United Airlines. I am an ALL LIVES MATTER believer. I have already found a major airline who will recognize my 1K status. I’m truly heartbroken you’ve chosen to become a political organization. When you make pins for ALL LIVES MATTER… I’ll think about coming back. Goodbye United. It’s been nice while it lasted.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8388689/Keegan-Michael-Key-explains-saying-Lives-Matter-Black-Lives-Matter-doesnt-make-sense.html
(enjoy less usable upgrades and worse global networks w/AA or DL!)
Black Lynch Mob-pins do not belong in any travel environment.
Either do pejorative comments which mischaracterize a social movement. Notice how you said “BLACK lynch mob” rather than “lynch mob?”
Point proven.
United (and all the rest) needs to RUN YOUR AIRLINE BUSINESS, not take up social services.
I’m not endeared to any company just because they say XXX lives or lifestyles are supposed to be equal or special and we all have to embrace things (even when they’re wrong), take a knee, wear buttons, pins, ribbons and rainbows. Equality and diversity are up to the individuals themselves, live your lives accordingly, just be honest, fair, caring in your everyday dealings with everyone and everything. If you do it maybe others will observe that it is good and right. If they don’t, that’s on them and you have to move on.
Hitting people over the head with ideas of a perfect world and perfect equality because some written company by-laws keep over-using the buzzwords of tolerance, zero-tolerance, “that’s not what we are” etc. isn’t going to make it happen. The mind and the heart have to want all of that. No amount of written laws can change what a person is feeling and thinking. That has to come from within and realistically not every human on the earth is going to think this way or even want it this way. Stop trying to save the world, United, you’ve got enough problems just RUNNING YOUR AIRLINE instead of taking on every cause and issue that is coming down the pike or has ever existed.
When I watch a football game, I want to watch an entertaining matchup, and nothing else.
When I travel, I want to arrive at my destination expediently and comfortably, and nothing else.
When I want to support racist political organizations, I’ll make a contribution to them myself. But I don’t, because privileging one race above others is antithetical to the way I was raised – a second generation immigrant in a hard-working, mixed-race household that never even identified with race.
So because of United’s apparent failure to distinguish the difference between selling travel products and political messaging, I will be shifting my business to Delta after using my outstanding vouchers. Had completed a 1K challenge, but on second thought I’ll stick with Diamond Medallion instead.
Not sure when these corporations will understand that “loud, performative wokeness” (to quote from the FDX earnings call) has an effect on their bottom line. Just because some of us aren’t rioting in the name of racism, doesn’t mean we don’t exist.
This is pretty ironic, considering that the Republican Party stands behind Citizens United which deemed “corporations are people, too.” So, now that some corporations are taking a stand and expressing how social movements align with their core beliefs, they shouldn’t exercise their freedom of speech just like an individual? Have fun over at DL. You won’t be missed.
Hi JMM,
Thanks for your post; well said.
Except the part about Delta. They joined the virtue signaling racist bandwagon with their pin. Worse, yet, one of their executives shamelessly raised the flag of the Marxist terrorist group to show their support.
https://news.delta.com/deltas-vp-shawn-cole-raises-black-lives-matter-flag-delta-hq
These aggrieved reactions to Black Lives Matter continue to mystify me. It is to raise consciousness about demonstrably unfair treatment across marginalized populations. Allegations about “Marxism” are laughable and pathetic.
When you see “Save the Rain Forests!,” do you interpret that as being something against all the other trees? When you see “Protect the whales!,” do you understand that to mean “but screw all the other marine animals?”
The fact that so many people are unnerved by this pretty much proves that it is surfacing needed voices.
It’s because the racists/white nationalists have infiltrated this and Gary’s blog sadly. OMAAT at least has done a good job of banning them.
Any Corporation that will push BLM Marxist, Anti Christian Anti Family nonsense on me loses me as a client! Period! This narrative that we have systemic racism , & white privilege is pure garbage, & speak as a naturalized citizen that came here at age 17 & did something w/ my life!
Everyone wants to come to this great country from all over the world (including 2.5 mil Africans). The difference is, You have to apply yourself rather than live on handouts & petty crime rampant in inner cities!
Where were these corporations before? helping in inner cities to promote education & work ethic.. But somehow now the rest of us customers need to put w/‘ woke’ & ‘cancel culture’!
Wake Up Want Socialism embrace BLM & we’ll become another Marxist !
Btw Happy Columbus Day unless you live in Commiefornia it’s Happy Indigenous Day!