Despite its hubristic clamour about being "the greatest country on earth," in my mind the U.S. is but an abjectly failed nation.
Even the latest tragedy, which saw 17 children and teachers murdered in Parkland, Florida, has left the NRA unbowed.
The head of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, leveled a searing indictment on Thursday against liberal Democrats, the news media and political opportunists he said were joined together in a socialist plot to “eradicate all individual freedoms.”
Wayne LaPierre can rail all he wants about elites who don't care about American schools. What is important, however, is that finally, real pushback is being exercised. There is, of course, the valiant and passionate efforts of American students who are all too often the victims of NRA-induced gun madness. But add to that the fact that many national business are starting to take something of a stand, which I would call a good but modest start, against the NRA.
It began with a Twitter announcement by First National Bank of Omaha:
Customer feedback has caused us to review our relationship with the NRA. As a result, First National Bank of Omaha will not renew its contract with the National Rifle Association to issue the NRA Visa Card.That was followed by
car rental company Enterprise (which also owns Alamo and National) announc[ing] they would no longer be offering discounts to NRA members.The pressure and the momentum are building:
These companies have partnerships with the NRA. Demand they #RejectTheNRA. #BoycottNRA pic.twitter.com/EyrltUEHgq
— CAP Action (@CAPAction) February 23, 2018
Subsequently, more companies have severed their ties with the merchants of death:
Both Allied Van Lines and North American Van Lines, moving companies operated by the same parent company, offered unspecified discounts for NRA members. On Friday, the parent company announced those benefits would be ending.That has been followed by Insurer Chubb Ltd, Avis and Hertz car rentals and Symantec. As well, both Delta and United Airlines are ending their discounts to the annual gun-toters' convention. The Best Western hotel chain has done the same. I'm sure more will follow.
However, given the deeply-ingrained nature of American gun madness, it would be simplistic to think that success in bringing about even a modicum of sanity to gun laws is assured. Consider the NRA's reaction to this corporate hand-washing:
In a statement released Saturday afternoon, the group accused companies of “a shameful display of political and civic cowardice.”Fanaticism has always been a force difficult to tame, let alone defeat. It will take more than passionate students and corporations that have recently grown a conscience. It will take the collective goodwill and rationality that I'm sure still resides in parts of the Unted States.
“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.”
The question remains to be answered, however, is whether even all of these forces combined will be enough to defeat the powers of darkness epitomized by the National Rifle Association.
It's worthwhile to list companies that are sticking with the NRA - Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops (gun shops, of course), but also Hyatt hotels, FedEx, Roku, North American Van Lines, Hotel Planner.com, Amazon and Google among them. There are many other US-only companies. Many of these seem to be reviewing their affiliation, perhaps waiting to see what sort of hit they risk taking. I'm sure the numerous lists available online will be updated regularly.
ReplyDeleteGood to know, Mound. While I am under no illusion that the companies jettisoning their affiliation with the NRA are motivated by morality or common decency, one hopes the momentum continues and forces those corporations you cite and others to feel the pressure and act accordingly.
DeleteThe long rifle law fiasco in this country proves that simple easy solutions never work. The only way to gain back the argument is for the U.S. and the rest of the world hopefully to decide what is a weapon for domestic use like hunting or target shooting and what are weapons suitable for military use only. By targeting and keeping in the headlines why any private citizen needs a military class weapon this forces the other side to try and defend itself rather than debating the right to bear arms. Elon Musk just sold thousands of flamethrowers to private citizens. What the hell could anyone use a flamethrower for unless they don't like shovelling snow... The big boys in power win every time they control the conversation and force a black and white, right or wrong choice on us. Until we take back control nothing will change.
ReplyDeleteAn excellent point, Bill. While some of the discussion has been about weapons of mass murder like assault rifles, it quickly reverts to the reactionary's reflexive talk about 'the right to bear arms.'
DeleteDon't give people ideas. The macho men that like blowing leaves all over rather than raking them up will want a flamethrower to do their driveway.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, and perhaps due to the vast border we share with the Wild Individualistic Don't Tread on Me West that is America, Canada is not doing all that well either re. either homicide rates or gun deaths, at least as compared to other developed nations. I wonder when our government will raise this issue with the US like they once threatened to do about the legalization of pot? Our proximity to their rootin' tootin' hellscape is literally killing us!
ReplyDeleteI have often thought, Brian, that one of our greatest misfortunes is our proximity to the U.S., which perhaps partly blinds us to how alien a nation it really is. If we were situated in Europe, I think we would more clearly see how mad a country it really is, and would measure ourselves by much higher standards.
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