The aftermath of the high school shooting last week in Parkland, Florida has introduced a new dynamic into the debate about the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment. This time around, survivors of that massacre and others across the country inspired by their courage have stepped forward to publicly challenge the state and federal officials who have allowed it to be possible for 18-year-olds to buy guns, including military-style assault weapons.
The passion and respect with which these teens, despite the raw pain of losing 17 of their friends and the maiming of 12 others, have challenged the values and integrity of those elected officials who have taken donations from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and blocked the passage of common-sense guns laws, is starting to have an interesting effect among the business community. The NRA is famous for bullying and coercing lawmakers with its (1) grading of politicians’ stance on protecting Second Amendment rights, (2) donating to election campaigns of NRA supportive candidates, and (3) funding political action groups that oppose candidates not aligned with the NRA’s goals and mission.
After the Parkland high school shooting, however, the involvement of impassioned survivors in directly challenging lawmakers during televised town hall style meetings, has forced businesses associated with the NRA to decide whether or not it is in their best interests to continue their associations with the NRA. Over the last few days some of America’s largest businesses, including all major rental car companies, the largest airlines and several other large businesses, have announced that they are cancelling special programs they had been offering to NRA members with the official explanation that these programs are no longer in the best interests of their company/s.
Until now, the NRA has used its fear tactics to control the political debate, confident in its ability to pull the strings of politicians like a puppet-master. However, over the last week or so, the nation has been led by a small band of young people whose message has come from love for life, theirs and those of children across this nation. This has inspired a large portion of the US population who are repulsed by the contorted logic spread by the NRA and those it influences, whose messages all play too deeply programmed survival instincts.
It is a fundamental energetic principle that higher frequency energy (e.g. love) always transforms or entrains lower frequency energy (e.g. fear) of equal intensity. The NRA has succeeded in the past by its strident messaging, and ability to distract attention long enough for the news cycle to submerge past anger relating to senseless shootings. However, the commitment of the Parklands shooting survivors is the NRA’s worst enemy, as they are at least as strong in their conviction as their NRA foes, and they have the support of the mainstream media, and all who can empathize with parents, siblings and friends of those who have lost loved ones to preventable gun violence.
Those who run corporations can see this and know a thing or two about how public opinion is swayed, and the effects on their bottom line of being on the wrong side of public opinion. Expect more corporations to distance themselves from the NRA, and also from politicians who support their intransigent positions relating to assault weapons, bump stocks and other positions that represent self-serving propaganda that repulses large portions of the general public.
If there’s one group that lawmakers fear more than the NRA, its corporations with the financial clout to either help get them elected or unelected, depending on their positions. With the Internet and social media, passionate, principled individuals and groups have never had more power to influence change on a large scale than we have today.
Understanding corporate behavior is not difficult. Those who control them are paid best when their business performs well. Loss of customer support and profitability leads to loss of their bonuses and even their job, so highlighting anti-social business practices will get a swift response from those businesses, as fear of CEO unemployment is triggered.
It’s easy to run old mental programming of feeling powerless to effect change in a world apparently dominated by “big money interests”. However, with social media and ubiquitous smartphones, the rules have changed. Now, those who hold a passionate, principled position can assemble “flash mobs” of virtual protesters at short notice with a catchy enough hashtag. And remember, love trumps fear every time when used with wisdom and integrity.
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