Peach Tree Times

In the wake of George Floyd's death in 2020, American Family Insurance (AmFam), which operates in 19 states including Georgia, joined corporate America in speaking out on social justice issues, instituting mandatory employee racial sensitivity training, and donating tens of millions of dollars to the cause. But in the days following Hamas' terrorist attacks in Israel, which left more than 1,400 dead in Israel and increased threats to the Jewish communities in America, the insurance giant has remained conspicuously silent.

According to CNN, along with many large corporations, AmFam's silence is notable and troubling to groups like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which slammed corporate America's lack of response as “disappointing at best, disastrous at worst.”

“Do Israeli lives matter?” asked Restoration of America Founder and President Doug Truax. “Not apparently to many corporations who loudly virtue-signaled about BLM a few years ago but were deathly silent when the same BLM supported the slaughter of innocent citizens in Israel.”

Following the George Floyd incident, Jack Salzwedel, then CEO of AmFam, signed the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion Pledge, committing so-called diversity, equity and inclusion workplace programming. "I’m privileged. I have a voice. I want to use it for good," Salzwedel wrote in a May 27, 2020 social media post on X, formerly Twitter. "What’s happened (again!) in places like MPS, NYC, GA is simply wrong. I hear the concern, anger, disillusionment from leaders of all colors. Q: Shouldn’t we all be angry?"

According to the company's website, AmFam committed $105 million towards closing "equity gaps" and addressing societal issues in the areas of education and health equity, climate resilience, and criminal justice reform, among others. The company is also a strong supporter of Black Lives Matter and has made numerous statements supporting the organization and the cause.

Fox News reported that a Black Lives Matter chapter sparked outrage after posting an image of a paraglider with the statement, "I stand with Palestine." Hamas terrorists used paragliders to attack a music festival in Israel, where they proceeded to murder hundreds of attendees and take others captive. Fox reports that videos of "horrifying rapes, murders, attacks and kidnappings" have circulated on social media following the brutal attack.

Earlier this year, on March 23, an annual report by the ADL showed a 36 percent increase nationally in anti-Semitic incidents, whereas Georgia saw a significantly higher 63 percent increase, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Just days after the terrorist attacks in Israel, hundreds gathered outside the CNN Center for a pro-Palestine rally, Fox 5 reported.

According to the Georgia Recorder, State Senator Russ Goodman (R-Cogdell) was visiting Israel during Hamas' brutal attack. After his experience Goodman released a statement stating that he stood with Israel and the Jewish community in "solidarity against the disgraceful attacks" from both the Hamas terrorists in Israel "and terrorist sympathizers here at home."

CNN reports that, standing in contrast with AmFam, some companies like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and JPMorgan have come out with strong statements condemning Hamas. A review of American Family Insurance has found no public statements by the insurance giant to date.

Data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System show Salzwedel is a large donor to progressive causes and Democratic candidates, and both Salzwedel, currently serving as AmFam's board chairman, and Bill Westrate, AmFam's current CEO, have made contributions to the company's PAC.

American Family Insurance's PAC is a large donor to Democratic candidates across the nation, including Reps. Nikema Williams (GA-05) and David Scott (GA-13), according to the FEC.