Detore: Defending the industry

The next paragraph you are about to read is not meant as a political statement. But in lieu of the events over the last few weeks, I understand if some interpret it that way.

I bought four Goodyear tires last week.

Let me explain. I had no intention of buying tires last week — let alone a set of tires — but as I muddle through settling the estate of my 88-year-old mom, who passed away in early March, I had to address her 2007 Buick Lacrosse.

She probably had driven it once in the last 18 months. It mostly sat in the parking lot of her apartment, exposed to the Northeast Ohio elements.

The dry rot that was beginning to show on each tire needed to be addressed. The vehicle, with less than 40,000 miles on it, was in showroom shape, otherwise.

I found one tire shop open on a Saturday in the small city where my mom resided. The manager gave me two options for the tires he had in stock: a Tier 4 brand or Goodyear.

It wasn't much of a choice. My mom always bought Goodyears, and I wanted to stay true to her nature. They cost a little more, but I know I can rest easily knowing the car will drive nicely for its next owner, my son and his fiancée.

Now here comes the political part.

I'm glad I bought Goodyears, in lieu of the firestorm that happened based on President Trump's tweet of Aug. 18.

As someone heavily vested in the tire industry, as all of our readers are, I took offense to an attack on a tire maker.

Rest assured: I would feel the same if that tweet had been about Michelin or Bridgestone or Continental or Yokohama or Cooper or Nexen or any of the 75 tire makers that appear in our tire maker rankings on pages 18-19.

My belief is this: If you criticize one tire maker, you're criticizing them all.

I know some of you feel very strongly about the incident that precipitated the tweet. There is no doubt that everyone should be free to express support for groups such as the police. It was a mistake on the part of the individual in Kansas whose presentation became the catalyst for the president's ire and for which Goodyear accepted responsibility.

We would be hard-pressed, however, to find a medium to large corporate entity, such as Goodyear, that hadn't experienced a similar incident, when an employee or middle manager goes rogue, so to speak, and makes policy without approval from company headquarters.

One family member, who is employed at a large company, laughed when I asked him if that had happened at his company. The answer, of course, was yes.

The difference is, those incidents go unreported.

Goodyear, like all other companies, shouldn't be judged based on the actions of a few employees.

One dealer told me he was intent on helping the tire maker any way he could, calling Goodyear "proven patriots," as well as a "great American-owned company" with a "strong base of values."

The tires I bought are a testament to that.

Do you have an opinion about President Trump's tweet, calling for a boycott of Goodyear tires? Email us at tirebusiness.com. Your letter might be published in a future edition of Tire Business.