Companies withdrawing from partnerships with the NRA

[RavenSky]

I thought we had a separate thread on this, but maybe it was just some posts in a related thread...

Facing pressure from consumers, the First National Bank of Omaha said Thursday it would stop issuing NRA-branded Visa credit cards after its contract with the group expires. Enterprise Holdings, which operates the rental car brands Enterprise, National and Alamo, says it will end its discount program for NRA members next month, along with Avis and Budget. Hertz is out, too.

Other companies ditching the NRA include Chubb, which underwrites the NRA’s Carry Guard firearms insurance; Symantec’s LifeLock, an identity-theft prevention service, and Norton, which offers computer security software; home security system provider SimpliSafe; Allied and North American Van Lines, two moving services; and MetLife, which had offered savings on home and auto insurance to NRA members.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/companies-sticking-by-the-nra_us_5a903e4be4b01e9e56bb57af

As of today.

Wayne La Pierre has to be shitting bricks

Two-pronged approach:

1. Vote the NRA dependents out of public office
2. Starve the NRA

 

[RavenSky]

William LeGate set up an easy link to tweet Amazon asking them to drop their association with the NRA (NRATV):

https://twitter.com/williamlegate/status/967143569826791424

In 3 hours, Amazon has received 25,000 messages from this link alone.

Phone calls, too:

 

[Tom Sawyer]

So, what is it about this school shooting which is different from all the other school shootings that it’s gotten Americans up off their asses and acting like normal human beings?

 

[J842P]

So, what is it about this school shooting which is different from all the other school shootings that it’s gotten Americans up off their asses and acting like normal human beings?

It's promising, but until the Baby Boomers are no longer a relevant voting block, this isn't going to change. But it certainly signals that the next generation will be much more open to gun control.

Probably as a result of having actually grown up with school shootings as a part of every-day reality. I personally knew a person killed at Virginia Tech for example.

 

[RavenSky]

So, what is it about this school shooting which is different from all the other school shootings that it’s gotten Americans up off their asses and acting like normal human beings?

I truly believe it is the ages of the student survivors of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the fact that these young people have grown up with (1) the horror of regular school shootings including "active shooter drills" and metal detectors at their schools, and (2) the viral power of social media.

They are all old enough to speak for themselves, and they did. They are young enough to have a "fuck you" attitude (and I mean that in the best possible way in this instance) to "power", but they are old enough to be a real voter threat to those they are speaking against.

They know how to use social media and have very little stage fright. They've been 'on stage' via social media most of their lives.

 

[RavenSky]

I don't remember which tv person pointed it out, but it also seems to be the late teen / young adult group that tends to get true change rolling in this country. The older generations may back them, support them and join them, but it is usually this age group that fires up real social change.

Two examples were the anti-vietnam protests and the civil rights protests

 

[braces_for_impact]

I had to admit that when I heard ths, I didn't realize that the mere act of owning a gun entitled one to rental car discounts and so on. That was stupid to begin with.

 

[Rhea]

So, what is it about this school shooting which is different from all the other school shootings that it’s gotten Americans up off their asses and acting like normal human beings?

In my opinion this was the first school shooting after which the kids had no trust at all in the adults to act.

In previous ones, everyone expected the adult voters (and legislators under their pressure) to do something. These kids were already sure, before the shooting, that we (adults) did NOT have their back in this. They are keenly aware that _because_ we did nothing abou the last one, that’s _why_ they suffered this one.

I think that’s very different from previous shootings, and I think it is not going away.
Oh, I hope it is not. I hope there is a tsunami of freshly registered 18yo kids voting this year and in 2020.

 

[JohnG]

...They are all old enough to speak for themselves....

I've been thinking about this point for a few days. I'm not sure if the students realize this but they are also speaking on behalf of the Newtown kids who were/are too little to protest.....and that makes me sad.

The loudest voices for those little kids seemed to be the ones mocking them, calling them fake.

 

[RavenSky]

Another company drops the NRA

 

[RavenSky]

George Takei 5h5 hours ago

In just 48 hours, these companies cut ties with the NRA:

Delta
United
Hertz
Avis
Budget
Allied Van Lines
MetLife
Symantec
Alamo
National
Enterprise
First National Bank of Omaha
Teladoc
SimpliSafe

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

The NRA has been sliding to the extreme right for some years. Now it has become officially toxic. Years ago, I thought eventually this had to happen.

 

[barbos]

Frankly I am surprised that so many big companies had "partnerships" with NRA.

 

[ronburgundy]

So, what is it about this school shooting which is different from all the other school shootings that it’s gotten Americans up off their asses and acting like normal human beings?

I truly believe it is the ages of the student survivors of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the fact that these young people have grown up with (1) the horror of regular school shootings including "active shooter drills" and metal detectors at their schools, and (2) the viral power of social media.

They are all old enough to speak for themselves, and they did. They are young enough to have a "fuck you" attitude (and I mean that in the best possible way in this instance) to "power", but they are old enough to be a real voter threat to those they are speaking against.

They know how to use social media and have very little stage fright. They've been 'on stage' via social media most of their lives.

I think this is correct but also combined with the fact that 6 of the 8 deadliest shootings in US history occurred in the last 11 years, and 19 US mass shootings with a total of 800 people injured in the last 2 years alone.

The negative aspect is that it is turning all attention toward the AR type guns typically used in mass shootings. While those should be banned, that does nothing about the normal handguns that kill 99% of murder victims, or to the lack of laws that allow handguns to be legally resold by virtually anyone to anyone anywhere with no records, registration or background checks.

Also, these chickens are likely to die before they're hatched, meaning that unless there are shootings closer to next November, the public and media will have moved onto something else. Although these financial hits to the NRA itself should be longer lasting and anything that hurts the NRA saves lives.

 

[braces_for_impact]

[FONT=&quot]Fmr White House Ethics Attorney: Ajit Pai’s NRA-Gifted Gun Violates Ethics Rules [/FONT]http://bit.ly/2ETeFGs [FONT=&quot] Apparently the NRA has a "courage under fire" award. It takes a lot of courage to take money, and then to be given a gift for receiving that money. "Home of the Brave", indeed.[/FONT]

 

[Artemus]

So, what is it about this school shooting which is different from all the other school shootings that it’s gotten Americans up off their asses and acting like normal human beings?

I'd guess that there are three reasons, 1) it came so close after the carnage in Las Vegas, 2) the survivors spoke out this time, and (most importantly IMO) 3) the right-wing attacks on the survivors for speaking out has been terrible PR for the NRA.

 

[RavenSky]

I think this is correct but also combined with the fact that 6 of the 8 deadliest shootings in US history occurred in the last 11 years, and 19 US mass shootings with a total of 800 people injured in the last 2 years alone.

I agree, and I don't think this fact is lost on the students.

The negative aspect is that it is turning all attention toward the AR type guns typically used in mass shootings. While those should be banned, that does nothing about the normal handguns that kill 99% of murder victims, or to the lack of laws that allow handguns to be legally resold by virtually anyone to anyone anywhere with no records, registration or background checks.

I agree again. It's a start, though. And I am not so sure these students (nationwide) will stop once the AR-15 type guns are banned. I predict that a good number of them have just decided on their life's careers.

Also, these chickens are likely to die before they're hatched, meaning that unless there are shootings closer to next November, the public and media will have moved onto something else.

I worry about the same thing. Can the young people keep up the momentum after the media has turned their attention away?

I do think they are strategizing pretty well so far - planning multiple protests over several months.

Although these financial hits to the NRA itself should be longer lasting and anything that hurts the NRA saves lives.

My very favorite part so far.

If, and it is a very big "if", we can keep bleeding the NRA and companies keep dropping them and more politicians pledge to not take NRA money, I think (I hope) we will be seeing a cultural shift that it won't pay for politicians to ignore.

I'd guess that there are three reasons, 1) it came so close after the carnage in Las Vegas, 2) the survivors spoke out this time, and (most importantly IMO) 3) the right-wing attacks on the survivors for speaking out has been terrible PR for the NRA.

I wonder, also, how much anti-Trump sentiment plays into it. There is a general anger because of him and his "base" that may be fueling some of this.

 

[Malintent]

So, what is it about this school shooting which is different from all the other school shootings that it’s gotten Americans up off their asses and acting like normal human beings?

I'd guess that there are three reasons, 1) it came so close after the carnage in Las Vegas, 2) the survivors spoke out this time, and (most importantly IMO) 3) the right-wing attacks on the survivors for speaking out has been terrible PR for the NRA.

I'd also like to add that one other thing is that this was an absolutely HUGE school... thousands of students. Paired with their immediate organization to march on Washington and show their numbers, their message, "Regulate now or we will vote you out of a job next year" was strong.

 

[RavenSky]

So the dipshit Lt. Governor of Georgia uses Twitter to threaten Delta Airlines without punitive action from the state government in retaliation for Delta dropping the NRA, and 22,000 brain dead trumpettes "like" it.



Hey assholes, you all are the ones that insisted on making corporations "people"... now you get to live with it. Delta Airlines is exercising their protected right to free expression and free association.

 

[Artemus]

So the dipshit Lt. Governor of Georgia uses Twitter to threaten Delta Airlines without punitive action from the state government in retaliation for Delta dropping the NRA, and 22,000 brain dead trumpettes "like" it.

Of course they do. Conservatives strongly oppose big government dictating how corporations conduct busi....uh, WHAT ABOUT HILLARY???!!!