GM Involved In Confederate Flag Controversy Via Kid Rock

Chevrolet sponsors the tour of Kid Rock, who provides music for Chevy advertisements. Kid Rock recently defended his stance on the Confederate flag, essentially those who protest the flag can kiss his behind. Regardless of your stance on either Kid Rock or the symbolism, Chevy has come under fire for their decision to stick with this particular musician.

GM reportedly met with protestors who feel that they should have cut financial ties with Kid Rock for his continual support of the Confederate Flag. Representatives from the National Action Network, a religiously affiliated group founded by Reverend Al Sharpton, asked Chevy to cut out Kid Rock after he showed support for the Confederate flag. In a statement to the Detroit News, GM spoke about their interaction with NAN. In a statement, GM said, “We have been in touch with Reverend Williams, and representatives from Chevrolet will be meeting with him later this week to better understand his concerns. We need to let some open and constructive dialogue occur as a first step, and we’ll go from there.”

While Kid Rock has supported the Confederate flag, he reportedly hasn’t flown it in years. A spokesman for GM, Patrick Morrissey told the AP, “The only flag onstage during the Chevy-sponsored summer concert tour is the American flag, and to our knowledge, Kid Rock has not used the Confederate flag onstage for several years.” In the ads that Chevrolet is using involving Kid Rock, the organization feels that they are getting exactly what they were hoping for from this deal. An AN report included another statement from Morrissey who spoke on this issue. In a statement, Morrissey said, “We are committed to our sponsorship of Kid Rock’s summer tour and are confident that he will provide his fans, many of whom are proud Chevrolet owners, with a spectacular concert experience that celebrates American freedom.”

Do you think GM is making the right call? General Motors has certainly been active on this issue with their spokesman issuing a number of statements. How would you rate their actions in dealing with such a delicate issue and in their place would you have handled it any differently?