In parts 1 and 2 of this series, we walked you through the scorecards created by Business Must Act and Is Your Bank Loaded? Those campaigns from Guns Down America are aimed at encouraging consumers to nudge some of America’s eminent brands to work for gun-violence prevention (GVP) instead of supporting the gun lobby.
We’ve highlighted the scorecards in our regular e-newsletter, stimulating thought and discussion in our SD4GVP community. One volunteer found a sort of GVP scorecard right here in the San Diego area.
Alert volunteer writes…
“I loved seeing the item in our SD4GVP newsletter about ‘which businesses are doing their part to end gun violence,’” the volunteer told us. “It is so helpful to see and know which nationwide businesses to support. In addition, it might be good to let our members know which businesses are failing on the local level.
“I saw a service provider’s truck the other day in my neighborhood and near the name of the business was a gun logo, which made me think perhaps they were connected to SDCGO [San Diego County Gun Owners]. That prompted me to check the SDCGO website, which, to my surprise, lists lots of businesses that support the Second Amendment and gun rights. Many give a discount to their members. Maybe worth a mention at one of our meetings so our membership knows to avoid them.”
Indeed, the business directory of San Diego County Gun Owners, a local political action committee (PAC) dedicated to gun-rights activism, is a page on their website. “Help support businesses that support your Second Amendment rights,” reads the header of the directory. Listed are several dozen businesses associated with members of the PAC.
Kind of the same thing. Or not.
Fair enough. The directory demonstrates that it’s as important to them to spend money with like-minded businesses as it is to us.
But.
Color us jaded, but whenever we read or hear, “Second Amendment rights” and “law-abiding citizens,” it usually means “have as many firearms and as much ammo as you want.” And that strikes us as part of the problem.
It’s a big difference.
John White is SD4GVP Treasurer and a board member.
photo credit: R. D. Barry