AAA--BLACKS AND INSURANCE-- Black Americans are blacklisted by Nationwide Insurance Company. Lineman John Askin sues for justice.
Nationwide Blacklists Blacks in Louisville, Kentucky
Agent sues for justice
From USA Today, January 27, 1997: This item briefed from an article by Christine Dugas--
Is it true? Are Black Americans too big a risk to sell them insurance. Or, do they have too little money? Maybe they just don't care for their families. What is it that made Nationwide blacklist downtown Louisville, Kentucky?
John Askin, one of Nationwide Insurance Company's foot soldiers, has been given a map of downtown Louisville with big Xs all over it and the words, "Waste of time." His lady boss told him bluntly not to try to sell to the Blacks in that area. Askins is an ex-football lineman of the New England Patriots, and he has no fear of the Black community. He also can sell insurance well enough to earn honors and promotions. He has done well enough to open his own office. But never mind, the big man couldn't make money in the Black community, or so Nationwide's Ms says.
We at Balaam's Ass Speaks note two interesting and very different facts:
ONE: Blacks are, right now, out buying us white folks in the purchase of new cars. It is so marked that Detroit is heavily targeting Blacks in advertising. No doubt Blacks would buy cars, but how can we assume they would also buy insurance? Thus...
TWO: My friend, Dave Chochrane of Lansing, Michigan, sold insurance in Muskegon, Michigan a number of years ago. He sold for Washington National. They are among only two or three insurance companies in the nation who still collect payments at the door. Well, Dave is a mountain of an Irishman. Dave, like John Askin, has no fear or problem with Black folks. So, he took the Black community turf as his own, and he walked the streets-- selling and collecting. His reward was a customer record book even he found a bit too big to carry! Those Black folks loved Dave. They knew when "Mr. Insurance Man" was coming by, and they would cook up chitterlings, ribs, and pies. These were served with large doses of strong coffee. Dave had an ethic not to oversell those who were really poor, and the net result was that Dave made a steady and healthy living.
Dave Cochrane was already a big fellow before the Black mammas got to cooking for him, and when he moved on to other trades in Lansing, Dave had to go on a major weight loss program. So, Blacks ARE dangerous. They will feed you too much of their good cooking, and you will acquire a spare tire pretty quick. But, as to Blacks being a poor market, well Dave proved otherwise.
We wish John Askin well as he sues Nationwide for attacking him for trying to do business without prejudice. John, old pal, just hold that line and the touchdown will eventually be a booming trade in downtown Louisville. Oh yes, John, do be careful of the Black mamas' cooking-- Your photo in USA Today gives me to believe you are in some peril in that department :-)
You folks in downtown Louisville-- May I suggest you call up John Askin next time you think about insurance. He deserves the trade for getting out in front on this issue, right?
In closing, we note that red necks sometimes come in skirts, right? Those women's lib gals can get real mean when the skin glows too dark. Of course they are also the ones who lay on the beach and get the "darky" sun tan. Like they say in Louisville, "Folks is peculiar ain't they?"
spchk
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