Roy Exum: Why I Picked Home Depot

  • Wednesday, July 17, 2019
  • Roy Exum
Roy Exum
Roy Exum

I know precious little about hot water heaters except for Rule No. 1 – when one that’s older than your youngest child starts leaving a pool of water on the kitchen floor, “take low and go.” Replace the thing and forget about it. I don’t want to discuss it, don’t want be a prudent buyer by taking half the day to study it, and I am not about to drive all over town to find the best deal. No, you simply go to a store you like, ask to see the mid-priced units, and buy one out of stock. If the whole thing takes more than 30 minutes, seek psychiatric help.

I happen to love the Lowe’s in Hixson … great company, great people, great pricing … and they not only install, they haul the old carcass off. It’s a no brainer. But a few days ago, my friends at Lowe’s lost a sale, through absolutely no fault of their own. I went to Home Depot instead, my decision based solely on my disgust that the liberal “snowflakes” are feverishly calling for a nationwide boycott.

The reason? Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus said in a recent interview in the Atlanta Constitution he would definitely support Donald Trump’s re-election. The truth is Marcus, a 90-year-old billionaire who left Home Depot in 2002 — has been backing Mr. Trump and other Republicans for years. He donated $7 million to Mr. Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and not one Democrat uttered a word, save for a party-driven cuss word or two.

But now times have changed. Trump’s success has stymied the spineless do-nothings that today, not entirely unlike a mangy pack of mad dogs, attack anything and everybody they can. Their behavior would get them expelled from any school, their reasoning so tangled it would take a team of the old South Central Bell installers six months just to untangle the wires, and their wretched example of evil illustrated to perfection when soccer star Megan Rapinoe repeatedly barked in front of a worldwide audience that included millions upon millions of girls under the age of 18: “F*** Trump!”

Bennie Marcus, who has just celebrated his 90th birthday and has given away $2 billion (with a ‘b’) to more philanthropic causes than any recognizable “snowflake” you can name, hasn’t had any true business connections with Home Depot since 2002. When he heard about the liberals’ limp assault on his dream come true (that, incidentally, now has half-a-million employees), he laughed and is still laughing.

Please, think about a pride of lions watching four toy poodles rushing to attack, wearing only collars with those tiny bells that give away their whereabouts. Oh please! The only thing better is his response of what the Democratic Party has become and why it is in such shambles:

* * *

HOME DEPOT CO-FOUNDER BERNIE MARCUS ADDRESSES THE DEMOCRATS’ BOYCOTT

I woke up this morning thinking it was going to be another great day. I've been celebrating with friends, family and the community since I turned 90. I've told you about the gracious gift of $117 million that was collected and given in my honor to four charities that mean a lot to me. All that happiness blew up because I said in a newspaper interview that I have supported and will continue to support Donald Trump.

Boom!

Negative stories... vicious threats, without cause, to boycott the company that has enabled my foundation to give billions to support autism, medical research, education, heart and neurological issues like stroke, and to help our veterans. The company that I retired from in 2002 and have not had a business relationship with in almost 20 years. A company that has employed more than a half-million people. The people who work there are affiliated with both political parties or no party at all. They are of all religions and all colors and backgrounds. Why would people want to hurt them?

All because I give my voice and some of my money to our President. Am I in China? Argentina? Russia? That's what it feels like to me.

It saddens me that our country has come to this, where I, as a private citizen, cannot express my feelings. It angers me and it saddens me, but it sure as hell is not going to stop me. If you thought it would, you've got the wrong guy.

In the next ten years, God willing, I will accomplish more to save this world than my critics will do even if they had forty lifetimes.

* * *

“He’s got a businessman’s common sense approach to most things,” Marcus told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which triggered the boycott. “Now, do I agree with every move that he makes? No, I don’t. But the truth is he has produced more than anybody else. He has. If we look at this country, I would say that we are better off today than we were eight years ago or six years ago.”

* * *

“A truly great, patriotic & charitable man, Bernie Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot who, at the age of 90, is coming under attack by the Radical Left Democrats with one of their often used weapons. They don’t want people to shop at those GREAT stores because he contributed to your favorite President, me!” Trump wrote in a two-part tweet Tuesday night. “These people are vicious and totally crazed, but remember, there are far more great people (‘Deplorables’) in this country, than bad. Do to them what they do to you. Fight for Bernie Marcus and Home Depot!” – President Donald Trump

* * *

“Liberal boycotts are a joke, just like liberals. The best thing for your business is a liberal boycott. Your sales will explode after lunatic libs announce their “boycott.” Just ask Chick-fil-A.” – from the Internet.

* * *

An (Atlanta newspaper) search of 15 years of the Marcus Foundation’s public tax filings shows about $660 million in charitable disbursements. That doesn’t include the foundation’s grants in different years or giving Marcus and his wife Billi made outside their foundations. “What Bernie has done, and what he plans to do in his lifetime, will not only bring incredibly significant impact on those nonprofit institutions today, but will also continue to benefit those organizations for generations to come,” said Alicia Philipp, the president of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. “He is an inspiration to philanthropy in Atlanta.”

* * *

On a personal note, because of my beliefs, my writings, my Christianity, and admittedly my personality, my former newspaper and today my column on Chattanoogan.com, I have had a number of boycotts requested of our advertisers, my readers, and those who chose to find fault with me. It has never worked – not ever – for the Legion of the Miserable. Instead, it points to the accuser, turns public sentiment my way because America still loathes bad behavior and prejudice of any kind. The antidote? Don’t change anything and don’t respond in any way. I can’t tell you how many new friends I have made.

* * *

royexum@aol.com

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