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Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel Stock Drops as New Logo Sparks Culture War

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Cracker Barrel, the country-themed roadside restaurant chain long associated with biscuits, rocking chairs, and nostalgic Americana, is retreating from a brand update that was supposed to modernize its look but instead unleashed a wave of right-wing fury and rattled investors.

The controversy began when the 56-year-old company revealed a pared-down logo last week. The redesign dropped its namesake barrel and the seated figure many customers affectionately linked to “Uncle Herschel,” a nod to one of the restaurant’s most iconic menu items. The minimalist version was meant to signal a fresh start as part of a sweeping $700 million transformation plan. Instead, it sparked a cultural firestorm.

On social media, conservative commentators pounced. Donald Trump Jr. blasted the company with a blunt “WTF is wrong with @CrackerBarrel??!” At the same time, conservative activist Christopher Rufo warned that the redesign was another step in what he called corporate “wokification.”

“We must break the Barrel. It’s not about this particular restaurant chain—who cares—but about creating massive pressure against companies that are considering any move that might appear to be ‘wokification.’”

Influencer Charlie Kirk paired the simplified logo alongside viral images of Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign, suggesting both were evidence of cultural decline. Actor James Woods declared he’d never step foot in the chain again, calling the move a betrayal of Cracker Barrel’s roots.

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“Cracker Barrel was the only place I’d ever stop. No mob fights, a fun, corny atmosphere, and delicious food when you’re hungry and tired.”

The backlash quickly translated into financial fallout as shares of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (CBRL) tumbled more than 12% in a single day.

On Monday, the company issued a conciliatory statement on its website:

“If the last few days have shown us anything, it’s how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel. We’re truly grateful for your heartfelt voices. You’ve also shown us that we could’ve done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be. What has not changed, and what will never change, are the values this company was built on when Cracker Barrel first opened in 1969: hard work, family, and scratch-cooked food made with care. A place where everyone feels at home, no matter where you’re from or where you’re headed. That’s the Cracker Barrel you’ll always find.”

The statement reassured diners that the “old-timer,” the figure sketched in 1977 by Nashville designer Bill Holley, often imagined by guests as “Uncle Herschel,” isn’t gone for good. He’ll remain visible inside restaurants, on road signs, and of course on the menu itself, where “Uncle Herschel’s Favorite Breakfast Platter” has long been a staple.

Cracker Barrel emphasized that its rebrand is still underway. CEO Julie Felss Masino, who unveiled the chain’s multiyear turnaround plan in 2024, said the company is working on revamping its operations through new commercials, a refreshed menu, and seasonal offerings.

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“The way we communicate, the things on the menu, the way the stores look and feel … all of these things came up time and time again in our research as opportunities for us to really regain relevancy.”

But for now, the restaurant finds itself caught in the middle of a larger culture war, another example of how corporate branding decisions can become lightning rods once amplified by political influencers. The New York Times recently noted that the same ecosystem of right-wing accounts that fueled outrage over Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad also helped ignite the uproar over Cracker Barrel’s logo.

The company insists it is listening. “We know we won’t always get everything right the first time, but we’ll keep testing, learning and listening to our guests and employees,” the statement read.

“While our logo and remodels may be making headlines, our bigger focus is still right where it belongs… in the kitchen and on your plate: serving generous portions of the food you crave at fair prices and doing it with the kind of country hospitality that brightens your days and creates lasting memories. Meatloaf, chicken n’ dumplins, country fried steak, sides that taste like Sunday supper, and yes, the world’s best pancakes, they’re all still here, with a few new dishes joining the menu. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a first-time guest, we want you to feel at home around our table.”

For a chain built on road trip nostalgia and comfort food, the incident highlights the delicate balance between modernizing to attract new customers and preserving the imagery that loyal diners consider part of the brand’s identity.

Trump Suggests Elon Musk’s White House Tenure Nearing End Amid GOP Concerns

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President Donald Trump has informed close advisers, including Cabinet members, that Elon Musk is set to step back from his high-profile role in the administration in the coming weeks. Musk has been a key figure in the administration—spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), championing Trump’s agenda, and making waves as an unapologetically aggressive political operative in Washington.

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Giorgia Meloni To Become Italy’s Most Far-Right Prime Minister Since World War II

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Giorgia Meloni is set to become the first female prime minister in Italy after a general election. The Brothers of Italy leader is now a part of the most far-right government Italy’s seen since the fascist era of Benito Mussolini.

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Japan

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Party Gains Election Victory Days After His Tragic Assassination

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Days after the tragic assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, citizens went out and voted to keep Japan’s ruling coalition, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), in power.

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Supreme Court Washington DC

Amy Coney Barrett Confirmed As Supreme Court Justice, One Week Before Election Day 

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Justice Amy Coney Barrett could easily spend three decades sitting on the Supreme Court, however, the way in which she got to her position of power will not soon be forgotten by the American people who have had quite the year watching their current administration mishandle a global pandemic and further dividing the country politically. 

Barrett will begin her tenure one week before Election Day in what’s being referred to as one of the most rushed Supreme Court appointments in history. Barrett has received a wave of critiques from Americans and politicians who believe Trump pushed for Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as a means of maintaining a Republican-controlled Senate, and now, her presence in the 6-3 conservative-liberal bench could transform the law in America for generations. 

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Barrett won the Senate vote 52-48; one of the closest Justice votes in history. Trump made it clear, however, that this was a divisive move as he knew putting Barrett in quickly would allow the high court to make crucial case decisions that would affect the outcome of the election between him and Joe Biden. Several challenges to voting rules in the key states of Pennsylvania and North Carolina are pending, just one week before Election Day. 

“The oath that I have solemnly taken tonight means at its core that I will do my job without any fear or favor and that I will do so independently of both the political branches and of my own preferences.”

Americans aren’t convinced of Barrett’s oath, however, as they know she has extremely conservative values when it comes to things like abortion and religious rights, LGBTQ+ protections, and federal funding for things like the environment or workplace protections. The other discrepancy citizens are having with this nomination is the fact that Justice Barrett has little to no experience being a court justice especially when compared to the seven other individuals sitting on the bench with her.

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Beyond that, the fact that Trump has now been able to appoint three Supreme Court Justices, making the bench predominantly conservative, has Americans fearing that his right-winged policies will survive for years and years, regardless of who’s in the White House. 

In traditional circumstances new Justices’ are sworn in at the Supreme Court, and in recent decades most of the new Justices’ struggle with how to respond to presidential invitations. Supreme Court Justices are meant to hold power in their own right, and should loath being seen as a prop for the president, as their judicial power is meant to rise above any one political ideal and instead abide by the law itself. 

Barrett and Trump’s “collaborative” type relationship, and Trump’s presence at her swearing in, could be fraught on by voters and the electoral college come Election Day. Chief Justice John Roberts is scheduled to administer the judicial oath to Barrett in a private event held at the Supreme Court this Tuesday, after which she will be able to assume her duties on the Court. 

For the newest justice, however, Covid-19 will likely postpone any other rituals or personal gestures that are typically offered to new Justices. These rituals normally involve a welcome dinner for the newest member which is a black-tie affair, and while the postponement of a party may not seem like a huge deal, the breaking of traditions surrounding this entire judicial process is staggering in terms of American history. 

Ballot Box

Brexit Virtually Certain as Conservatives Sweep U.K. Election

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A historic election in the U.K. has given the country’s Conservative Party a powerful majority in the British Parliament, allowing controversial Prime Minister Boris Johnson to essentially reshape British politics for years to come. Though the Labour Party had hoped that the recent election would remove Johnson from the position of Prime Minister, paving the way for a second referendum to potentially prevent the country’s departure from the European Union, voters decided overwhelmingly that Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party was more fit to lead Britain.

Johnson, whose primary political message has been a promise to “get Brexit done” as quickly as possible, now faces little to no opposition as his power has just been augmented considerably. That being said, much of Britain’s future is now uncertain, as the negotiations involving the country’s departure from the European Union continue to be complicated and controversial. Experts are uncertain about the long-term ramifications of leaving the EU, though most economists project that the economic downturn already caused by the 2016 referendum, in which a slim majority of the country voted to leave the EU, will only worsen.

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Now, the country will almost certainly leave the European Union early next year, a polarizing move which is sure to delight half the country and frustrate the other half. For many living in the U.K., Brexit represents a rejection of liberal ideas in favor of conservative ones, as the decision to leave the E.U. is connected with anti-immigrant sentiment as well as nationalistic pride. Indeed, yesterday’s victory indicates how thoroughly this conservative sentiment has enraptured the British electorate, as the Conservative Party’s victory is the largest the country has seen since the victory that led to the election of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1987. The election represents a tremendous victory for Boris Johnson particularly because his tenure as Prime Minister has gotten off to a rocky start, characterized by several defeats in Parliament, as he was legally blocked from pursuing a no-deal Brexit and a deal he negotiated with the European Union was voted down in Parliament.

Now, however, Boris Johnson will be in power for five years, a period of time during which he has the power to make tremendous political changes to the country, with the historically consequential Brexit being the first order of business. The value of the pound skyrocketed after news of the election spread, reflecting a belief that the chaos that has for years defined British politics will soon subside and the country’s departure from the EU will be orderly and largely uncontested in Parliament, as Johnson’s power to negotiate terms of a Brexit deal in accordance with his wishes has expanded tremendously.

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That being said, Johnson still faces some opposition in Parliament. Specifically, the Scottish National Party, which gained more than a dozen seats in the election, stridently opposes Mr. Johnson’s desire to get Brexit done as quickly as possible, and the party may push for calls for a referendum on Scottish independence, which would allow Scotland to remain in the EU by breaking ties with England. Additionally, Mr. Johnson’s negotiations to leave the EU are likely to be influenced by the country’s working class, who are likely to focus on invigorating Britain’s manufacturing economy and protecting the economy from imports, a vision that contradicts the Prime Minister’s desires.

International observers have had a wide range of perspectives on the issue, with many analysts judging the country’s historic election, which will have ramifications around the world, as a sign of exhaustion and frustration with democracy in an information age that is saturated with political news of all ideologies and biases. With the vote to impeach President Trump being held today in the United States House of Representatives, one thing is for certain: the moment we are currently living in is a consequential and pivotal one in the history of global democracy, which faces unprecedented threats from multiple fronts.

Speaker

Far-Right Canadian Candidate Maxime Bernier Gains Traction

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Like the President, he is infamous for using Twitter as a political weapon, and has been accused of posing a danger to his country’s system of government.

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Chess

Britain and the E.U. Reach Tentative Brexit Deal

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On Thursday, the European Union and Britain announced that they had reached an agreement for Brexit, just two weeks in advance of the October 31st deadline for departing the organization. Britain’s decision to withdraw from the multi-country alliance, the result of a 2016 referendum in which a narrow majority of British citizens voted to leave, has plunged the country into several years of chaos and intragovernmental conflict, as various parties within the country’s Parliament argued vehemently about how to conduct the extraordinarily complicated process of withdrawal. Tensions have only continued to escalate within the country’s government since they promised to implement the results of the referendum, eventually leading to the election of the highly controversial Boris Johnson to Prime Minister, who campaigned on a promise to “get Brexit done,” no matter what. 

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While all possible scenarios for Brexit are forecasted to have a strongly negative effect on the European economy, with the country’s decision to leave having already led to an economic downturn, the no-deal Brexit scenario is widely considered the worst possible outcome. As such, Johnson’s pledge to leave the EU by October 31st, with or without a deal, has raised alarms within the government and the passing of legislation requiring the Prime Minister to reach an agreement with the EU before leaving. With today’s news, a major hurdle for Boris Johnson has been overcome, though the deal is not official until it passes a vote in Parliament. As previous proposed deals have failed in spectacular fashion to receive a necessary majority vote from members of Parliament, leading to the resignation of then-Prime Minister Theresa May, the future of Brexit is by no means certain.

That being said, the new deal seeks to account for many of the complaints that members of Parliament had about Theresa May’s deal which led to its failure to get through Parliament. Under the revised deal, Northern Ireland will be a part of the U.K. customs territory, instead of being in a separate customs area from the rest of the country, which lawmakers cited as a reason for rejecting the previous deal. The new deal gives a degree of “democratic consent” to Northern Ireland, a part of the U.K. that voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU, as the Northern Ireland assembly will be called to vote on whether to continue this arrangement in the future. 

As the potentially disastrous economic consequences of Brexit become more immediate, however, some U.K. lawmakers are instead calling for a second referendum to hopefully undo the decision to leave the E.U. The Labour party, which opposes the Conservative party led by Johnson, is expected to attempt to force another referendum, under the reasoning that having witnessed several years of governmental chaos has caused a majority of the country to favor staying in the European Union. Public opinion polling has shown that a plurality of U.K. citizens believe, in hindsight, that the decision to leave the E.U. was a mistake, and a second referendum could offer these citizens an opportunity to undo the chaotic results of the previous vote. 

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However, another referendum is unlikely to be conducted before a Parliament vote on whether to accept Johnson’s deal, which is due to be held on Saturday. Though it is difficult to predict the results of Saturday’s vote, members of the opposition party have already publicly criticized the new deal, calling it “a far worse deal than Theresa May’s deal” and raising concerns about its impact on workers’ rights, environmental standards and consumer protection. The U.K.’s membership in the E.U. has long been deeply integrated into the country’s system of government, and as such, concerns about withdrawal apply not only to the European economy but to the impact it could have on the rights and wellbeing of British citizens.

Ellen Sign

Ellen DeGeneres Draws Criticism for Friendship with George W. Bush

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On Sunday, Ellen DeGeneres drew attention for what seemed to be an unlikely occurrence: she was spotted in a suite at AT&T Stadium watching a football game while seated next to none other than former President George W. Bush. Initial reactions to the pairing were ones of humorous bewilderment; it seemed inconceivable that DeGeneres, a Hollywood liberal who is happily married to her wife Portia de Rossi, would be so close with a President who infamously supported a constitutional amendment to define marriage as being a union between one man and one woman. 

This surprise turned into outrage as Twitter users argued that Bush, responsible for starting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, was in fact a war criminal whom DeGeneres ought not associate herself with. The controversy, which continues to unfold even after DeGeneres addressed the criticism by urging kindness among people with political disagreements, speaks to the increased polarization of modern American culture and raises questions about the role of celebrity in shaping the image of politicians even after they leave office.

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Adopting her trademark cheeriness and sunny disposition, DeGeneres sought to downplay criticisms of her friendship with the former president by stressing the importance of remaining civil even with people who don’t “think the same way you do,” and asserted that it’s okay not to share beliefs with people whom you consider to be your friends. Reaction to DeGeneres’ monologue were split; while many viewers applauded the talk show host for her willingness to extend an olive branch across the ideological divide that characterizes much of American political life, other, more vocal critics accused DeGeneres of leveraging her privilege as a celebrity to whitewash Bush’s image when she had an obligation to instead call him out for his crimes. 

This is but one criticism of the event; other denizens of the Internet pointed out, in detail, the former president’s long history of advocating policies that discriminate against LGBTQ people, and some argued that DeGeneres’ philosophy of kindness was ill-suited to the modern political era. The general consensus among internet thinkpiece authors was that DeGeneres enjoyed the privilege and freedom of being able to maintain friendships with people who represent harmful political ideologies because her celebrity status protects her from the consequences of these ideologies.

The fact that several other celebrities, including Kristen Bell, Blake Shelton, and Reese Witherspoon quickly took to social media to rush to DeGeneres’ defense did little to satisfy critics who saw DeGeneres’ friendship as an example of how celebrity privilege can whitewash criminal behavior. Rather, these same critics interpreted this wave of celebrity defenses as an example of class unity, as rather than engaging with the arguments of people with genuine political grievances, the celebrities simply protected a member of their tribe.

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That being said, a handful of celebrities were among those voicing their dissent. On Twitter, Mark Ruffalo suggested that “we can’t even begin to talk about kindness” until Bush was “brought to justice for the crimes of the Iraq War,” among which he claimed were “American-lead torture, Iraqi deaths & displacement, and the deep scars—emotional & otherwise—inflicted on our military that served his folly.” And Susan Sarandon, quoting a piece from out.com, suggested that Degeneres’ lighthearted framing of her friendship with Bush was disingenuous, as she treated the former president as someone of differing opinions rather than acknowledging his numerous accusations of being a war criminal.

Whether or not one considers DeGeneres’ handling of the controversy to be responsible, the episode has opened up a broader conversation about celebrity privilege and how fame enables even members of marginalized groups to tacitly support oppression under the guise of friendship. While DeGeneres and her allies would argue in favor of reconciliation between political groups as an opportunity for healing during an era of extreme partisanship, those who are on the receiving end of political oppression would beg to differ.

Homeless

Trump’s Targeting of Homeless Californians Just Another Battle in the Culture War

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Donald Trump, apparently, has declared war on California. After the state, in cooperation with automotive companies, developed its own set of regulations on carbon emissions in response to the E.P.A.’s planned rollback of goals for automotive manufacturers to improve gas mileage, Trump took action to try to limit California’s authority to set environmental regulations, stymieing the state’s plan. Fueled by apparent anger towards the liberal state, Trump also recently took the bizarre step of pressuring the E.P.A. to declare California’s homeless population an environmental risk. Of course, it is shockingly obvious that the population in question pose no such threat whatsoever, and this political pressure has no basis in reality. The truth, in fact, is the opposite: homeless people both contribute the least of any population to climate change, which is the primary environmental concern, and suffer the most from its effects, as their capacity to find shelter during extreme weather events and migrate to more habitable areas is extremely limited. Rather, Trump’s decision to berate the homeless, blaming them for an issue they clearly have nothing to do with, is simply part of a pattern of behavior in which the President cruelly exploits the disenfranchised for his own political and personal ends.

This tactic is useful for authoritarian leaders such as Trump. A political coalition which is united against a common enemy is a powerful one, and the easiest enemies to unite against are those who do not have political, social, and economic power. Whether it’s a deliberate strategy on Trump’s part or a manifestation of his psychological pathology, the demonization of minority groups has been the Trump campaign theory since the beginning. The idea of the wall on the southern border has always drawn its power from being a symbol of the strength granted by minority oppression, and the US’s policy of deliberate cruelty towards immigrants serves as evidence of this political theory. While his targeting of Hispanic immigrants is the most obvious, Trump has also gone after other minority groups, infamously claiming there were “some fine people on both sides” of a deadly incident in Charlottesville involving a group of white nationalist protestors, and taking executive action in an attempt to limit the number of Muslim immigrants shortly after assuming the presidency.

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The White House claims that San Francisco’s homelessness problem breaks environmental rules because used needles, originating in homeless communities, wind up in the ocean. San Francisco’s mayor, London Breed, was quick to refute this claim, citing the city’s advanced sewer system which prevents debris from flowing into the bay. The mayor also described how the city was already committed to helping homeless people, noting that the city was investing in improving homeless shelters, affordable housing, and programs to help people with mental illnesses and drug addiction. Meanwhile, under Trump, the Department of Housing and Urban Development is imposing additional limits on federal public housing opportunities, and in interviews Trump has shown his sympathies lie more with the taxpayers and others who have to deal with the problems created by homeless people rather than the homeless themselves, suggesting the real victims of the problem are people like police officers who catch diseases from the homeless. Any apparent concern Trump has for homeless people is at best insincere, or more likely a political ploy to demonize a vulnerable and underserved population for political ends.

By issuing claims that are, by their very nature, fundamentally and obviously anti-truth, Trump and his administration are asserting political dominance over facts themselves

From this perspective, the motivations behind Trump’s newest target become clear. By associating California with homelessness, Trump attempts to illustrate the failure of liberal politicians and policies, bolstering his oppositional political position. Because they are an easy target, homeless people are exploitable for the purpose of consolidating authoritarian power. Californian politicians are in the uncomfortable position of agreeing with Trump on the nature of the issue of widespread homelessness but disagreeing about potential solutions to the problem. Given Trump’s temperament and the nature of the political theory that drives his behavior, it is unlikely that any proposed solutions from the White House will actually involve benefiting the homeless. Rather, the White House supports a plan to move homeless people into the government’s care, which sounds appropriate until you consider the overcrowded, unsanitary, and inhumane conditions of these facilities. The cruelty, of course, is the point, as Trump sees this posturing towards California as a means by which to punish the liberal state, just as he views the cruelty of detention centers as a punishment for illegal immigration.

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The fact that the belief that homeless people are an environmental threat is not only clearly false, but also the opposite of the truth, is also the point. By issuing claims that are, by their very nature, fundamentally and obviously anti-truth, Trump and his administration are asserting political dominance over facts themselves, a useful position in the establishment of a totalitarian state. Similar political behavior, in which government agencies present the opposite of truth as truth itself, was used to great effect during the rise of fascism in Europe in the 20th century and is chronicled in George Orwell’s famous dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty Four. In an authoritarian state, the various branches of government are gradually repurposed to serve as instruments with which tyrants can destroy their opposition; this is seen in the E.P.A.’s abandonment of concerns about climate change in favor of punishing homeless people, just as it is in N.O.A.A.’s knowingly false assertion that a hurricane was originally forecast to hit Alabama after the President said it was. In the culture war between the two major political parties, which Donald Trump deliberately stokes for political gain, the least privileged and culpable are the most victimized.

Featured image credit: Garry Knight, “Homeless by a Wall.“