An internal email sent to Adidas employees on Saturday announced the departure of global creative director Paul Gaudio effective Monday, August 31. Gaudio is a twenty-plus year employee with the company. This is 2020 so naturally, he is leaving due to a social media comment made about a Kenosha, Wisconsin shooter, Kyle Rittenhouse.

From what I’ve read, it is a pretty lame reason to lose a longtime employee but then that would require hypersensitivity about the BLM protests/riots. Appeasement to violent Marxist mobs must be made. Companies desperate to appear woke are too scared to stand up and defend their employees so they are sacrificed, no matter what. Knees must bend to our new angry overlords. Adidas even admits that Gaudio “played an important role in building our brand.”

“We are very grateful for his contributions over his long tenure, including the last six years as our global creative director,” reads the statement, which is nearly identical to the internal email. “Paul’s creative vision, deep understanding of consumer trends, and passion for breaking down the barriers between sports and the arts has played an important role in building our brand.”

What was so offensive to the leadership of Adidas that Gaudio could no longer remain in the company’s employ? He made a comment on an Instagram post that shows Kyle Rittenhouse’s picture and the caption reads: “Authorities have filed six criminal charges (including first-degree intentional homicide) against Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old boy who is accused of murdering two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin.” True. That is what has happened.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEatAwZlml-/

Gaudio left a comment, though, and it set off others who interpreted the comment as sympathizing with Rittenhouse. The seventeen-year-old Rittenhouse, you’ll remember, is accused of killing two protestors with an AR-15-style rifle. Gaudio’s comment is taken badly by some because he suggests Rittenhouse a victim. Instead of holding him responsible for his actions, Gaudio points a finger at Rittenhouse’s parent for “radicalizing” him. They, he said, should be punished.

“He is also a victim here,” Gaudio wrote. “He’s a kid, who raised him? Who taught him? Who gave him a gun? Not excusing him by any means…but the adults who radicalized him and enabled him should be punished.”

The comment drew over 30 replies, many from current and former Adidas employees calling Gaudio out for labeling the accused killer a victim.

“Paul, I find your comment incredibly disappointing and tone-deaf,” wrote one employee. “This sort of response from anybody is shocking, but coming from a man in your position working within our business is mind-blowing.”

Rittenhouse awaits extradition from Illinois to Wisconsin. He is in the custody of the Lake County Judicial System.

Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Ill., has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, the Village of Antioch Police Department confirmed Wednesday. Court records in Kenosha County filed Thursday indicate Rittenhouse is also facing charges of first-degree reckless homicide; two counts of first degree recklessly endangering safety; attempted first-degree intentional homicide; and possession of a dangerous weapon, under 18 years of age.

Rittenhouse’s attorney says he didn’t take a weapon across state lines, that someone gave him the gun in Wisconsin. Nonetheless, there is a question of whether Rittenhouse shot out of self-defense.

Gaudio’s comment came the same week the company was busily supporting athletes who were boycotting doing their jobs – playing basketball. As I said, the company is too scared to go against the angry mob.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEX9E-xgfTL/?utm_source=ig_embed

Adidas has experienced a bumpy Summer of Love with the Black Lives Matter movement. In June the company was hit with complaints from black employees on how the organization supports its black team members and community-at-large.

“We’re listening. We recognize that we have not done enough, and we are dedicated to doing more,” the company said. “We are close to finalizing our commitments to ensure our people, most importantly our Black employees, are heard, supported and involved in solutions. We are working very closely with our employee resource group Progressive Soles and a coalition of Black leaders, and we are united in making progress. Together we’re establishing quantifiable goals focused on immediate action and long-term impact, internally and externally. We will hold ourselves accountable for change. We firmly believe that together is the only way to move forward.”

Employees have formed a coalition “aimed at yielding swift and permanent change in how the organization supports its black team members and community-at-large — with an added emphasis on pushing the brand’s top management in Germany to drive the organizational reset.” Now employees call the shots by using racial grievances to pressure management.

Democrats have seen some success in co-opting the Black Lives Matter movement. NBA arenas will be converted into polling places for the presidential election. Former President Obama was used as a mediator between players like LeBron James and the NBA to break a strike during play-offs. Obama suggested the players form a social justice committee, among other things. It’s been reported that LeBron got him on the phone for advice last week.

“As an avid basketball fan, President Obama speaks regularly with players and league officials. When asked, he was happy to provide advice on Wednesday night to a small group of NBA players seeking to leverage their immense platforms for good after their brave and inspiring strike in the wake of Jacob Blake’s shooting,” the spokeswoman, Katie Hill, said.

“They discussed establishing a social justice committee to ensure that the players’ and league’s actions this week led to sustained, meaningful engagement on criminal justice and police reform,” she added.

She did not name which players were in the conversation with Obama, though The Athletic reported the group included LeBron James and Chris Paul.

The Black Lives Matter movement is a political one. It has joined with Democrats to promote their agenda. Unfortunately, the founders of BLM are self-avowed Marxists determined to destroy capitalism. That’s the irony – the NBA stars are fabulously wealthy thanks to American capitalism (and the Communist Chinese government).

The NBA paints Black Lives Matter logos on basketball courts, players are allowed to wear social justice messaging on their jerseys, and now a former Democrat president is openly promoting a liberal political agenda disguised as a basketball game. Obama tweeted out his approval of useful idiot, Coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks for going on strike during the play-offs.

“I commend the players on the @Bucks for standing up for what they believe in, coaches like @DocRivers, and the @NBA and @WNBA for setting an example. It’s going to take all our institutions to stand up for our values,” he tweeted.

It isn’t an exaggeration to say that the far-left is trying to destroy America from within. Alinsky would be proud.