Christian financial guru Dave Ramsey is not letting the pandemic interfere with his mission or his Christmas celebrations.
Ramsey Solutions, the company founded by the bestselling author and radio host, plans to host “Boots & BBQ,” a large in-person Christmas party, for hundreds of staff members at the company’s Franklin, Tenn., headquarters, despite an outbreak of more than 50 cases at the company’s headquarters in mid-November. Ramsey is a columnist for Metrovoicenews.com.
In staff meetings and on his radio show, Ramsey described masks and other COVID-19 pandemic prevention strategies as a sign of fear. He has been a vocal opponent of mask-wearing and other COVID restrictions. In a clip from his daily radio show posted on YouTube in November, Ramsey railed against what he called “totalitarian” government restrictions and mask mandates, saying he wanted to “start a crusade” against them.
The company has advised workers to social distance if possible and to stay home if they feel sick. In staff newsletters, the company has encouraged testing for COVID-19 but has also shared articles claiming the threat of COVID-19 has been exaggerated by the media.
“We are all adults here,” Luke Lefevre, a creative director at Ramsey, told employees in the November 20 newsletter. “If you want to wear a mask, wear a mask. Give yourself healthy space from others. Use the stairs if you can. Don’t be careless.”
At a staff meeting after Thanksgiving, Ramsey continued his criticism of those who are ruled by fear of COVID-19 and are “freaking out” due to the pandemic. “They have got fear, they have trepidation on the COVID, they are scared to death about whether or not they are meeting all the social cues on fear and masks and temperature controls,” he said.
The company, Ramsey said, will not be ruled by fear.
“Fear is not a fruit of the spirit,” he said. “It is not on the list. And so, while sometimes I am afraid, I do not make decisions — and I do not let my behaviors be — dictated by fear unless it involves getting out of the way of a car that is coming toward me.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice