When it comes to the debate over guns in America, we are once again witnessing the awesome power of activism.
Since the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Fla. on February 14, the groundswell of push-back against the National Rifle Association (NRA) from students has been nothing short of impressive.
That push-back has penetrated into the corporate milieu as over a dozen businesses have joined a boycott of the NRA, which started Thursday with the largest privately held bank, First National Bank of Omaha, that announced, due to “customer feedback,” it will stop issuing the NRA Visa Card.
Then Friday, rental car companies Hertz, Enterprise, National, Alamo, and Avis followed in terminating their NRA-member discount programs.
California-based automotive pricing website TrueCar announced it is ending the car buying service relationship with the NRA, effective February 28.
Security software company Symantec announced on Twitter it will no longer offer discounts to NRA members, nor will the identity theft protection company LifeLock Symantec purchased last year.
Ditto home security system company SimpliSafe.
Insurance giants Chubb and MetLife are out as well, as are hotel chains Best Western and Wyndham Hotels.
Moving company SIRVA that owns Allied Van Lines and North American Van Lines tweeted:
“We have asked them [the NRA] to remove our listing from their benefits site.”
Delta airlines tweeted on Saturday:
“Delta is reaching out to the NRA to let them know we will be ending their contract for discounted rates through our group travel program. We will be requesting that the NRA remove our information from their website.”
United airlines followed suit with the almost verbatim message:
“United is notifying the NRA that we will no longer offer a discounted rate to their annual meeting and we are asking that the NRA remove our information from their website.”
Even hearing aid manufacturer Starkey stated it has decided “not to renew our discount program with the NRA,” and asked the NRA to “remove our information from their website.”
This all started on Tuesday after ThinkProgress published a list of two dozen “corporate partners” offering incentives to NRA members. ThinkProgess reportedly asked all of those corporations:
“Whether they plan to continue their relationships with the gun lobby. A growing number of those companies have ended their relationship with the NRA since this list was initially published.”
The NRA, of course, fired back. On Saturday, it stated companies were punishing NRA members “in a shameful display of political and civic cowardice.”
It added:
“In time, these brands will be replaced by others who recognize that patriotism and determined commitment to Constitutional freedoms are characteristics of a marketplace they very much want to serve. Let it be absolutely clear. The loss of a discount will neither scare nor distract one single NRA member from our mission to stand and defend the individual freedoms that have always made America the greatest nation in the world.”
Dick’s Sporting Goods became the most recent merchant to alter its relationship with the NRA when it announced on February 28 it will no longer sell assault-style rifles.
The following companies have so far decided to maintain their relationship with the NRA:
- Apple
- Amazon, for which a Change.org petition is circulating to get NRA TV pulled from Amazon’s streaming service and website.
- Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s
- Clearent
- FedEx
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HotelPlanner
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Hyatt Regency (Dallas)
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Insurance company Lockton Affinity
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Online identify theft prevention company ManageUrID
- Camping goods store MidwayUSA
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NetSpend
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Omni Hotels
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Roku
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SiriusXM
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Vinesse Wines
- YouTube
Image credit: michaelbaisden.com
