It was definitely not progressive.
Allstate and Progressive are breaking up with a Maine insurance company after it posted “racist” signs to Juneteenth and triggered backlash on social media.
The heinous saga was set in motion after the Harry E. Reed Insurance Agency posted an offensive placard on his door, in which he called off June 19, or Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in America. .
“Junteenth. Whatever it is… we’re off. Enjoy your fried chicken and collard greens,” the dirty sign read.
Needless to say, the off-color gag sparked anger on Twitter with a poster saying, @C1976George, call out Allstate and Progressive to collaborate with insurance firm.
“Is that the @Allstate logo in the bottom right?” The unreliable user raged. “Bet they do @progressive too. Do you want to post this type of hate right next to your company logo?”
Needless to say, the message was not accompanied by the companies’ “code of conduct,” as both agencies reportedly wrote to Harry E. has terminated its partnership with Reid.
“We are terminating our contract with this independent agent,” Allstate wrote on its official Twitter account, “Our commitment to inclusive diversity and equity is non-negotiable and we take action when people violate our code of conduct.”
Meanwhile, Progressive spokesman Jeff Siebel emailed a statement to NPR: “Progressive, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) are fundamental to our core values. We are committed to creating an environment where our people are welcome, valued and respected. Feel honored and hope that anyone representing Progressive will participate in this commitment.
“The sign is in direct violation of that commitment and does not align with our company’s core values ​​and code of conduct,” the representative said.
According to WGME, the person who allegedly posted the sign has reportedly apologized on Facebook. “I’m so sorry for any pain I’ve caused and negative attention to our beautiful community,” he wrote.
In a similar Juneteenth fiasco last year, Ikea came under fire for attempting to honor the “persistence” of African Americans with a “special” menu that included fried chicken, watermelon, mac ‘n’ cheese, potato salad, Contains collard greens and candied yams.
