Did a CEO Cross the Line by Linking a Nation’s Divisiveness to Terrorism?

Welcome to the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Wednesday, tragedy struck the New Orleans community.

Our prayers are with the victims and their families.

We also need to be stronger together by overcoming an addiction to divisiveness and negativity.

Join Allstate working in local communities all across America to amplify the positive, increase trust, and accept people’s imperfections and differences.

Together, we win.

This wasn’t just corporate virtue signaling—it was victim shaming. Wilson’s brief statement implied that Americans’ “addiction to divisiveness” somehow played a role in the actions of a man who openly declared his allegiance to ISIS. To suggest should be blamed for an act of terror is absurd. Should we also blame the victim for being punched in the face by a bully? Or question the woman who’s sexually assaulted by her best friend’s boyfriend?

Why is this important?

Wilson’s words were misguided at best. Or they reveal a moral relativism that is partially responsible for the lack of virtue in our culture. Corporations often stay neutral on political or moral issues, but when they step into the spotlight, especially in the wake of tragedy, they should tread carefully. If he had simply expressed sympathy and promised aid, most people would have accepted that as corporate responsibility. But instead, Wilson turned a moment of national grief into a broad, unsubstantiated moral lecture.

This moral relativism has also led to the bastardization of corporate altruism. Over the past few decades, we’ve seen a growing trend of corporate virtue signaling, where companies are more focused on publicizing their “good deeds” than actually doing good. If giving back were truly about helping, it wouldn’t need to come with a red-carpet ceremony.

Which brings to mind what Jesus said in Matthew 6: "When you give to the needy, don’t do it for show." True charity should be done in secret with humility, not a black-tie red-carpet awards ceremony. Corporate altruism should be a normal part of business, not a marketing campaign to polish the brand.

In the same way, compassion in the wake of a terrorist attack doesn’t need to come with a lecture.

Let’s be clear: the New Orleans terrorist wasn’t motivated by political divisiveness. He told us in his own words that his goal was to advance ISIS’s violent ideology. So why did Wilson feel the need to politicize this tragedy?

What’s next?

Now, we wait to see if he’ll clarify or backpedal in response to the backlash. Meanwhile, the FBI continues to warn of growing terrorist threats, and local authorities are stepping up security measures. Maybe it’s time the focus shifted from virtue-signaling CEOs to the real dangers our country faces.

UPDATE: Allstate Deletes CEO comments and releases this statement:

"To be clear, Allstate CEO Tom Wilson unequivocally condemns this heinous act of terrorism and violence in all forms. We stand with the families of the victims, their loved ones and the community of New Orleans. The reference to overcoming divisiveness and negativity reflects a broader commitment to fostering trust and positivity in communities across the nation," the statement read.

Allstate CEO Tom Wilson sparked controversy with his comments during the Sugar Bowl broadcast, which aired following the tragic New Year’s Eve attack in New Orleans. Instead of simply offering condolences, Wilson took the opportunity to lecture viewers on the need to “move past divisiveness and negativity” and to “embrace people’s imperfections and differences.”