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Get Four
|  | MAY 25, 2005
Up in Arms Over Nooyi's "Finger"BW Online readers sound off about the controversial speech by PepsiCo's CFO -- and on the blogstorm that followedWhen PepsiCo President and CFO Indra Nooyi compared the U.S. to the middle finger on a hand during a recent speech to Columbia MBA graduates, the analogy set off a firestorm in cyberspace. Conservative bloggers quickly condemned what they perceived as the apparent anti-American implications of her remarks, forcing PepsiCo (PEP ) to run a prominent apology from the senior executive on the home page of its Web site. BusinessWeek Senior Writer Diane Brady wrote a commentary on the situation (see BW Online, 5/20/05, "Bloggers Finger a New Victim"), which also drew a strong response from readers. Dozens wrote to express their views. Many were passionate and thoughtful. Others were angry -- at Nooyi, PepsiCo, and what they perceived to be an inherent liberal bias in the media. One common thread: bloggers have become a force to contend with, for every corporation. Here are excerpts of what some readers had to say, used with their permission: ****** Thank you for your commentary on Ms. Nooyi's comments. I'm glad that you brought more attention to the issue. It's hard for me, however, to understand your conclusion that it is a "shame" for so many concerned Americans to speak out in disagreement with the message delivered in a public address by the president of one of the world's largest consumer-goods companies. Surely you don't believe that it is appropriate for you to use your voice as a commentator to speak out for your beliefs, but that it is a "shame" when others do it. The blogs just happen to give people like me a chance for to be heard...Citizens of America are blessed with many wonderful freedoms, including those of speech and press, and those freedoms allow both you and I to have our voices heard. In this great land, anything less would indeed be a shame. Sincerely, Eric Egland Camp Victory Baghdad, Iraq ****** I just read your article on the Indra Nooyi hooha (kindly linked by Scott Johnson at the Power Line blog). I want to thank you for having the courage to speak the truth in love. Two days ago I sent Hugh Hewitt, the Power Line folks and others the following e-mail: Shame on everyone bashing Indra Nooyi. As a conservative Republican blogger (Bird of Paradise) I am embarassed by the undeserved bile being dumped on this woman. Enough is enough or, in this case, too much already! Even Hugh Hewitt seems to have "lost it" on this one. I have laid down my thoughts on this matter on a post entitled "Memo to Conservative Bloggers and Pundits: Give Indra Nooyi a Break." Please read it and prove me wrong. Sincerely, Jim Tweedie (a.k.a. Bird of Paradise) ****** [Nooyi's] speech is a classic example of an oft-used technique. You say something just beneath the surface that's highly insulting, but cover it with a bit of sugary words. (Ditto her description of Africa -- "Oh, but I said they're hurting." No, you said they're worthless)…. Interestingly, The Times of India got what she was doing when they remarked, "Who could blame Nooyi for thinking East Coast campuses at least were still bastions of liberal thinking and giving them a 'I'm-one-of-you vibes'?" They understood she was giving a very nasty blue-state sneer at red-state people. What she said was that Bush and red-state people are giving the world, and especially those wonderful Europeans who "point the way" the finger. It was an insult, a very big insult.... She panders to Asia (the Asia of repressive China as well as nutty North Korea) and Europe while insulting the U.S. and Africa. (Her remarks about South America are absurd to anyone who knows Latin culture.) No, it was just another bash-the-U.S. diatribe from someone who's particularly benefited from our prosperity. For that she deserves all the flack she's getting and more. It's almost summer. Pop sales are going up. Pepsi's in big trouble. Mike Perry, Seattle ****** Your valiant effort to excuse the rudeness of Ms. Nooyi and blame the bloggers is a failure. My son is a member of that graduating class at Columbia Business School but we missed the ceremony because he was married the day before in Chicago. I was sorry for the conflict, but once I heard about her remarks and read her speech I was thankful that we were not there. If we were I would have been strongly tempted to cause a scene by walking out. No doubt, from comments posted, others felt the same. To have the achievements of a wonderful group of young men and women marred by such a stupid, insensitive, insulting speech is unforgivable. I have heard some lame commencement speeches in my time -- 3 kids, 8 speeches -- but never before an insulting one. The bloggers were sharing thoughts on Ms. Nooyi's crassness -- not causing the problem. She did it to herself. Sincerely, Claudia Lane ****** This is an example of the power of individuals to express their opinions. You seem to think that only "media" should be able to express an intelligent comment. You and others in the media are finally subject to analysis and criticism that cannot be edited by your own organizations. For years, the elite media editors have had the power to bend a story and the reaction of the general populace to their own version of the "truth." More importantly, they had the power to bury a story so that it would remain a relatively hidden tool to accomplish their agenda. Now, due to the great power of the Internet and interested, politically aware consumers the power of the individual can be directed to expose the politically-biased efforts of others and the media's stealth willingness to support them. Power to the individual! Bud Adams Long Beach, Calif. 
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