Boycotts, Social Media & Gun Control

[RETG]

I don't do social media, other than some forums, would prefer to get a social decease them screw around on Facebook, twitter or whatever happy feeling new site comes along. As for these companies I will be no longer doing business with them in the future.
And I will be selling all my symantic stock tomorrow (well over 100 shares), and when my subscription with them on my computers expires I will not be renewing. And checking any of the mutual plans I have to see what stock they own and if needed, cashing out and obtaining different plans.

I have Metlife dental via my federal retirement; however, next year I will pick one of the five or six other companies.

So when people say they are not going to do business, don't! and Don't forget any stock you might own.

 

[shurshot]

I wrote a polite, but pointed email to each of the company's that is boycotting the NRA and reminded them that they insulted 5,000,000 law abiding citizens, investors and customers, as they are choosing to pursue a socialist political agenda. Not smart buisness! If half of the NRA did the same, it would send a strong message.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

First, as a forum, we are social media as well. Funny how people don't understand that a place on the web designed for people to interact with one another is social media. So we are apparently just another group of mischaracterized "lemmings" (which don't jump off cliffs). So every way in which we denigrate social media is a reflexive statement and is self destructive to our on credibility, but as our own tribe of pro gun lemmings, we will ignore or refuse to see our own mob mentality and emotional reactions, just like other tribes of lemmings.

Boycotts? How many times on TFL have people called for boycotts on companies that didn't do what we liked? We really rocked their worlds didn't we?

As long as there is ONE auto rental company left, and ONE hotel, that accepts NRA discount memberships, they both get the attention of 5 million NRA members. Who wins and who loses?

Well, it won't be the NRA members who win. Not all rental car places are at all locations, nor are all hotels. However, just because a company offers a discount does not mean it is the best value or best price. People are often poor consumers and fail to realize this, and their utilization of a discount can often end up costing them more money than had they just gone full price with another company.

I'm a bit confused by all these corporate boycotts. I wasn't under the impression that companies like Hertz or Oil of Olay or any of the others were significant donors in any way.

They aren't significant donors to the NRA. Heck, most of the gun companies aren't impressive donors, either. http://money.cnn.com/news/cnnmoney-investigates/nra-funding-donors/index.html Individuals, not companies, are the impressive donors.

These boycotting companies generally just offer perqs of discounts on the goods/services they offer. The only thing impacted, really, is whether or not the NRA member was cashing in on the discount.

 

[44 AMP]

First, as a forum, we are social media as well.

Ok, point taken.

So how do you characterize the lemmings who blindly follow their cause of the day on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and probably several others I've never heard of??

Is "sheeple" a better word? While there is a lot of groupthink/herd mentality in a flock of sheep, there is individual thought, too. Ask any sheepherder...the individual thought is usually something stupid, like "lets not stick with the herd, lets wander off somewhere else and see if we can't find some way to get killed"... but it is individual thought.

 

[rickyrick]

Two types of people use social media.
One type completely bases reality on social media; should I say, social media basically runs their lives and believes the narrative that has been spoon fed to them.
The other type uses it as a tool, means of entertainment, easy access to information or just enjoys trolling people.

 

[RETG]

The day of the anti-gun march on Washington all gun owners need to go onto the NRA site and send as much money as they can. I know i will and sending at least 20 bucks.

The problem of a counter march is the liberals tend to have all the time in the world to march; whereas, the conservative tends to work for a living.

As for the discounts? Has anyone here joined the NRA for the discounts? I have never used on.

And I am selling all my symantec stock tomorrow. Only 100+ shares but still I want nothing to do with them and I have already sent out an email stating my position.

 

[Lohman446]

The thing about strikes and walkouts is that which you are withholding must be of value to the other party. Staging a walk-out if your expensive education funded by someone else when the educators are not in a position to meet your demands? Ummm.

Edit. Sorry. The school walkouts were on my mind

 

[kmw1954]

I find a large difference between Web based forums and Facebook, twitter, snapchat or whatever. Here on this forum and most other forums I belong to we are limited in the scope of what can be posted and on some it is even tighter on what is allowed. One site allows exactly zero political discussion even if it's germane to the forum subject. Another does not allow any type of product bashing at all. If one writes a review that is unfavorable it better be backed up by facts or examples and not just supposition.

 

[Carl the Floor Walker]

Read the Philosophy of Leo Strauss. Understand how Joseph Goebbels the Minister of Propaganda lead the Germans into destruction.
Look at CNN, they constantly use Propaganda, lies, half truths, conspiracy theories etc. to distort the truth and most of all use FEAR to motivate the sheep that listen to this crap.

Focusing of the "AR" is a successful "Wedge Issue" for them. Like propaganda, they will repeat this fear over and over and over. And for them and the sheep it sticks after time.
CNN is a dedicated propaganda mainline source for the Liberal party, masquerading as a News Channel. By using the wedge issue, they are actually given a symbol of evil that represents the second amendment and those that support it.
Of course they will not want to go after the real source. The predator that exist in today's world, the mental illness, the school system that does not provide the technology that is out there, the student that never should have even entered the building. That would not serve their cause.
FEAR FEAR FEAR, preach it over and over. Make someone the evil doer. Forget the person that actually did the killing. Make the second amendment that evil.
Amazing how we live in a society with such stupid people.

 

[BarryLee]

Here is another twist and I suspect social media has some impact on this. Bank of America will be meeting with their customers who manufacture guns to ask them, "how they can end mass shootings". Since the Constitution allows the ownership of firearms it appears they are trying to removing the financing for manufactures. Forgive the "tin foil hat moment" but I seriously believe there are powerful forces working behind the scenes to manipulate this entire situation.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-guns-bankofamerica/bank-of-america-takes-aim-at-gun-making-clients-idUSKCN1G900U

 

[Skans]

It is ridiculous for us to expect non-gun companies to support the NRA. The NRA is for Gun Owners and Gun Companies. In my opinion, the NRA made a mistake by seeking partnerships with these other companies. In the short term, it gave them some money, I suppose. In the long run, I don't think they were prepared for such a fall out. I guess I need to step up my donations to the NRA.

 

[BarryLee]

An interesting development in the “politically correct” move by some businesses to drop relationships with the NRA. The State of Georgia is in the process of updating their tax system to accommodate the Federal Tax cuts. One of the early initiatives was a $50 million-dollar sales tax exemption on jet fuel for Delta. After Delta jumped on the anti-gun bandwagon the legislature has threatened to remove this measure unless delta restores the relationship.

https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/delta-tax-break-may-not-take-flight-after-georgia-senate-blocks/C65RcCN2hiMHs7KAuudmyH/new.html

 

[Tom Servo]

After Delta jumped on the anti-gun bandwagon the legislature has threatened to remove this measure unless delta restores the relationship.

On one hand, I'm interested to see how Delta reacts and whether they consider political correctness to be worth it when it affects their bottom line.

On the other, I have a real problem with the government trying to dictate who someone does business with.

 

[BarryLee]

On the other, I have a real problem with the government trying to dictate who someone does business with.

Yes, I thought the same thing. I guess I just don't understand why these companies felt obligated to do something in the first place. Warren Buffet said while he thinks individuals should get involved in these debates companies should not. He said about gun control, “I don't believe in imposing my views on 370,000 employees and a million shareholders. I'm not their nanny on that”.

 

[Lohman446]

Most of these businesses are publicly traded entities that have justified all sorts of questionable behavior under the guise of some fiduciary duty to the share holders to increase market value. When convenient they throw out moral concerns and point to that fiduciary duty as some moral imperative. They cannot have it both ways.

 

[rickyrick]

Well, today’s issue is the just get Trump out of office crowd will do anything to counter him, no matter the harm it does to the citizens in the process. I’m not republican, just my observation.

 

[TDL]

I'm a bit confused by all these corporate boycotts. I wasn't under the impression that companies like Hertz or Oil of Olay or any of the others were significant donors in any way. They're withdrawing what, $75/year donations? Well, pack it up boys, we're boned.

It's virtue signaling, just like the vast majority of what we're hearing on social media.

Having worked a bit in association management, I can explain some of what is going on with affinity deals.

So affinity deals help both, they are in no way "donations" and usually are not really much money. only a fraction of members tend to make use of them, and when they are cancelled one does not hear complaints from membership.

The question is did you join NRA, ACLU, Human rights campaign, Planned parenthood for its affinity programs? Virtually no one does. AARP maybe but it markets itself for that purpose, AARP membership itself is about joining a giant discount program, NRA membership is not

Keep in mind:
a) these are affinity deals being discontinued, NOT sponsorships or grants.

b) My dad belongs to AARP for things like affinity deals. He and I and my wife don't belong to NRA because of affinity deals. Just as people don't belong to ACLU, Planned parenthood, etc for affinity deals and discounts

c) you should look at this as part of the media and social media campaign by the gun control lobby, which like staging a rally for weeks away is part of an overall strategy to keep the issue in the news be it traditional mas media or retweets. They have learned that support for things like bans go up maybe 15 points and then six months later drop 17 or 18 points as cooler, less emotional thoughtful analysis occurs.

They are learning from their past mistakes. They also know gun ownership is inherently discreet and most gun owners are not going to march or make public displays or fall into the trap of hectoring children doing so.

if you are a NRA member giving gift memberships is $25. I just called my sister and two adult nieces and they agreed they would appreciate a gift membership.

The best way to combat the narrative of NRA being injured and hobbled (and people don't like losers) is to show a "backlash" -- to give, solicit new members, and make the NRA stronger than eve. Just as the NRA got larger, stronger and over the long term much much more popular with a majority of all Americas after it changed to a more muscular position.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Ok, point taken.

So how do you characterize the lemmings who blindly follow their cause of the day on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and probably several others I've never heard of??

First you start by giving up the pompous attitude that those that don't share your views are non-thinkers and realize that your characterizations apply to many folks who do share your views but that are just as involved in this "groupthink/herd mentality." Until you can figure out how to police those who share your views, you can't do the same for those who don't share your views. However, we are often slow to be critical of those who share our views (even if it is as spouted mindless rhetoric free of original thought) because that would weaken our own position. We seem to welcome those "sheeple" who share our views, bolstering our numbers. We don't seem to care if they have an original thought in their heads or not so long as they vote our way and we are not critical of them. People who don't share our views are those that we categorizing in nasty, derogatory manners. After all, obviously they could not have individual thoughts if they don't share our views, right?

You listed several forms of social media, but conveniently left out forums. You really do seem to be failing to understand the reflexiveness of your negative characterizations of the opposition really do apply to our group as well.

Look, just because people don't share our values does not mean that they are mentally sub-par. Both side of the gun issue really do seem to have a real inability to recognize this.

 

[rickyrick]

Nothing to worry about, just corporations trying to force us to have morals and pressure us into having a certain political view... all harmless

 

[croberts]

Something that I don't think gets talked about enough are "Gun Facts". The real fact is that facts and data can be interpreted differently. I see people share stuff on social media all the time about gun facts that prove that gun control will curb school shootings or whatever. But people can interpret data differently to fit their own world view. This happens on both sides of the debate, people massage and manipulate data to tell the story they want to tell, even if it's not on purpose, even if you don't give a rats ass one way or another in the debate. There are too many factors from who is gathering the data, and how it's being done, to who is reporting the data, and all the people who touch that data in between.

I love data, and I work for a data company, but data can lie too. And I don't believe anyone on social media understand this.