GEICO’s known for their irritating commercials, but they very nearly became known for promoting antisemitic anti-Zionist bigots in honor of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Heritage Month.
Recently, the insurance company announced that Linda Sarsour — yes, that Linda Sarsour — would be a featured guest at their “Middle Eastern and North African Heritage Month Celebration”:
We are horrified a respectable company like @GEICO would choose to feature antisemitic bigot @lsarsour to represent the MENA region.
Sarsour had to step down from the Women's March due to her open Jew hatred!
What was Carl Tims thinking here?! pic.twitter.com/rNP7LremqH
— StopAntisemitism.org (@StopAntisemites) April 6, 2022
Not a great look for GEICO. After all, Jews also need car insurance.
15 minutes could save you 15% or more on your car bomb insurance. https://t.co/EAYPPiJA6K
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) April 7, 2022
It’s important to find the humor in this stuff.
But anyway, yeah. GEICO’s judgment of character was called into serious question over this.
Did @GEICO vet the “unapologetic” antisemite Linda Sarsour before featuring her?
Y’know the one who spoke against “humanizing” Israelis & praised her terrorist mentor who was convicted for killing Jews!
Time to take 15min & find an insurance co that doesn’t celebrate Jew-hate! https://t.co/ja76nUsUS3 pic.twitter.com/oJmHS368Yk
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) April 7, 2022
.@LSarsour's extensive record of trafficking in incendiary, antisemitic comments about the Jewish people and Israel makes her utterly unfit to be the face of @GEICO's "diversity & inclusion" campaign.
We call on the company to reconsider her participation. pic.twitter.com/rGYh37KgwL
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) April 7, 2022
what the hell @GEICO ? @TheGEICOGecko ?
— Lewis P. (@_Sweet_Lew) April 7, 2022
Earlier today, GEICO tweeted an announcement from their official Twitter account:
— GEICO (@GEICO) April 7, 2022
For more information about GEICO's outreach, diversity and inclusion efforts, please visit https://t.co/SoxKyaZ1IZ
— GEICO (@GEICO) April 7, 2022
To be clear, we’re not for browbeating companies into submission. But in all honesty here, GEICO’s decision to rescind their invitation to Linda Sarsour is objectively a wise decision. Sarsour is an all-around bigot, and a proud one at that. No company seeking to appeal to a wide range of customers would be intelligent to associate themselves with someone like her.
.@GEICO did the right thing and wasted no time in getting rid of Sarsour’s toxicity.
Let this be a lasting lesson: Linda Sarsour is a shameless racist, antisemite who cannot be cleansed of her hatred without fully repenting.
Until then, good riddance! https://t.co/fUVOnQppwU pic.twitter.com/5AVtI4lO8B
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) April 7, 2022
Kudos for doing the right thing here
— Cameron Gray (@Cameron_Gray) April 7, 2022
GEICO may not be out of the woods yet, though. For some, there are still questions that need to be answered:
1. Who vetted the initial partnership with Linda Sarsour?
2. Does this mean you have fully cut ties with her?
3. After looking at your ERG's why isn't there anything for your Jewish employees?
4. Is Geico willing to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism? https://t.co/3IzFuBid8C— StopAntisemitism.org (@StopAntisemites) April 7, 2022
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