Politics

NC county pulls Coke machines to protest 'woke' activity

By Andrew Dunn, Carolina Journal News Service, Published: June 1, 2021

RALEIGH — Surry County commissioners are pushing back against major corporations for what they describe as a “bigoted, left-wing divisive political agenda.”

The first step: Removing all Coca-Cola machines from government buildings. The Board of County Commissioners voted to remove roughly 12 of them from county property earlier this month.

“I don’t think that the taxpayers and citizens of this county want us to spend their money on anything that is associated with the social justice, woke, Critical Race Theory, intolerant, bigoted, Democrat mob that is so prevalent in our country today,” said commissioner Eddie Harris shortly before the vote. “It’s 12 drink machines. But you know what, it will send a little bitty message that we’re not going to take it here in Surry County, and you can take your Coke machines and take them back to the house.”

The board also plans to consider a measure that would prevent Surry County tax dollars from going to companies that participate in “cultural re-education” training policies or other left-wing partisan political activity. Companies would need to disclose any such affiliations before receiving money.

The vote to remove the Coke vending machines from county buildings passed 3-2. The second step will probably arise at a future meeting when the county budget is discussed.

“I am ready to take a stand,” said commissioner Van Tucker in supporting the latter measure. “I am tired of it. I am sick of this wokeness. It just about makes me want to throw up.”

Coca-Cola is one of a growing number of major American corporations who have pushed Democratic Party talking points.

Most notably, the Atlanta-based soda maker publicly opposed a new Georgia voting law that made it harder to commit voter fraud. President Biden derided the law as “Jim Crow 2.0,” despite the fact that it increases early voting options.

In response, Major League Baseball decided to move its All-Star Game planned for Atlanta this summer to Colorado. The decision was reminiscent of the NBA’s cancellation of its All-Star Game in Charlotte in 2016 after North Carolina passed House Bill 2.

The Georgia law also included voter ID requirements. North Carolina has added voter ID requirements to its state constitution, though Democrats have sued to block its implementation.

Coca-Cola also promoted an employee training seminar in which participants were told to “try to be less white.”

In a letter sent to Coke executives, the Surry County commissioners criticized the company for its political activity while remaining silent on human rights abuses in countries like China.