NRA Launches National Boycott Against ConocoPhillips

[Dan from MI]

http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/Releases.aspx?ID=6223

NRA Launches National Boycott Against ConocoPhillips

Monday, August 01, 2005
LaPierre says NRA will “spare no effort or expense” to defend firearm freedom of employees of anti-gun corporations --

NRA billboard campaign unveiled:

“ConocoPhillips is No Friend of the Second Amendment”



(IDABEL, OK) – Vowing to “spare no effort or expense,” NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre launched an aggressive billboard advertising and national boycott campaign against energy giant ConocoPhillips, in response to the corporation’s anti-gun policy and actions.



“Across the country, we’re going to make ConocoPhillips the example of what happens when a corporation takes away your Second Amendment rights,” LaPierre said at a rally of hundreds of supporters. “If you are a corporation that’s anti-gun, anti-gun owner, or anti-Second Amendment, we will spare no effort or expense to work against you, to protect the rights of your law-abiding employees. Their rights are worth more than your money!”



LaPierre spoke at a rally to support Idabel employees fired by Weyerhaeuser because they kept legally owned firearms safely stored in their locked vehicles in a public access company parking lot. Since the firings, the Oklahoma Legislature passed a bill to prevent such terminations, but ConocoPhillips filed a federal lawsuit to block the protective measure.



“ConocoPhillips went to federal court to attack your freedom,” LaPierre said. “Now freedom is going to fire back!” At the rally, LaPierre unveiled a new billboard advertising campaign to target Conoco and Phillips 66 gas stations. The billboard reads, “ConocoPhillips is No Friend of the Second Amendment.”



LaPierre called on all gun owners and consumers to boycott all Conoco and Phillips 66 products, and asked Conoco and Phillips 66 retailers to urge their corporate brass to get on the right side of freedom and withdraw from the federal lawsuit.



Most of all, LaPierre called on every state legislator in America to stand with NRA and protect the freedoms of law-abiding employees. “You can’t say you support Second Amendment freedoms, then turn around and support anti-Second Amendment companies,” LaPierre said in a message to state lawmakers. “Until ConocoPhillips supports the freedom of law-abiding Americans, we urge Congress and the state legislatures to turn a cold shoulder toward this corporation.”



On behalf of the fired Idabel workers, LaPierre reported that the NRA Civil Defense Fund is fighting in court to get those jobs back. “Idabel, Oklahoma is a new Concord Bridge,” LaPierre said. “Our forefathers didn’t run from the redcoats in 1775 and we’re not going to run from the corporations in 2005.”

-------------------------------------

BRANDS TO BOYCOTT
Conoco

Jet Brand in Europe

Phillips 66 gas stations

76 gas stations

Kendall motor oil

No problem for me to boycott anyway. I usually use Quaker State - and 66 gas stations are usually more expensive anyway.

 

[Mulliga]

Ditto. Not many of those stations here in Florida, anyway.

 

[SIOP]

Well, if I was going to boycott an organization that had sold the 2nd amendment down the river for political gain, I'd probably start with the NRA.

 

[bg]

The NRA does have some problems and has done some goofy things,
but without it's clout in D.C, there's every chance it'd be Pres Gore,
or Pres Kerry. I also believe S.397 and other related pro gun bills
would be sitting in File 13.

The NRA is not perfect, but I believe we'd be in even more of a mess
otherwise as firearm enthusiasts. Just my 0.02

I like Kendall motor oil, but not that much

 

[Standing Wolf]

The NRA is not perfect, but I believe we'd be in even more of a mess otherwise as firearm enthusiasts.

I concur—and support the G.O.A., as well: http://www.gunowners.org

 

[beerslurpy]

The NRA only works with the possible. Part of being politically effective is not letting ideology get in the way of making winning bets. If the political climate is very anti-gun, the best strategy is to sabotage what you cant prevent. If the poitical climate is mildly pro-gun you start pushing stuff through, but slowly at first. When things are wildly pro-gun you start repealing stuff left and right. You shouldnt mistake political adeptness for ideological weakness. They just wont push for more than they feel is possible at the moment.

While the NRA may have supported the "armor piercing bullet ban" they got it worded in such a way that it affects nearly no cartidges outside of chinese surplus 7.62x39 (and that after years and years of importation). The alternative might have been something much worse in that political climate.

You also have to remember that the NRA is fighting an unending culture war to keep gun use and ownership prominent in America. This stretches beyond merely 10 or 20 year trends in political attitudes towards gun control. They have been responsible for sponsoring gun safety courses, hunter courses, ccw courses, etc etc etc. All of this helps us.

It helps us a lot that most Americans see the NRA as being a mainstream organization that represents their views of firearms ownership and also provides valuable services to the entire firearms community. Boiling the frog works both ways.

 

[tulsamal]

I'm glad to see the national NRA leadership getting involved in this. The VP went down to a small town in extreme SE OK to promote the opening of this boycott. There are several companies in OK that have decided to "throw down the gauntlet" over CCW laws. Their employees wanted to have a legal gun in their cars with them when they were driving back and forth from work. Many are far away like me. It is an hour to Tulsa from here. That drive is the time I'm MOST likely to need a gun. I can't take a gun inside of my job and that's bad enough. But these companies said you couldn't have them in your locked cars on the lot either. So people just ignored the rules and figured nobody would ever know. Then the companies started finding excuses to search cars. And firing long-time employees who turned up with guns in their cars. (Probably worth noting that most of them were sporting shotguns and the owners had them in their cars so they could go bird hunting.)

So OK listened to the complaints and passed a law that businesses couldn't restrict employees from having legal guns in their locked cars. CCW holders in OK celebrated. Then several big corporations challenged the law in court and it has been on hold ever since. Their strategy seems to be to keep it tangled in court cases for literally years. So the NRA is trying to foce their hands. Good for them.

I like Phillips in general. I even worked for them as a contractor for a year. But I'm going to support the NRA on this one. Maybe we can get the corporate leadership to change their minds.

Gregg

 

[cracked butt]

The NRA only works with the possible. Part of being politically effective is not letting ideology get in the way of making winning bets. If the political climate is very anti-gun, the best strategy is to sabotage what you cant prevent. If the poitical climate is mildly pro-gun you start pushing stuff through, but slowly at first. When things are wildly pro-gun you start repealing stuff left and right. You shouldnt mistake political adeptness for ideological weakness. They just wont push for more than they feel is possible at the moment.

That's the best way I've ever heard anyone put it. +1

 

[rick_reno]

The NRA only works with the possible. Part of being politically effective is not letting ideology get in the way of making winning bets. If the political climate is very anti-gun, the best strategy is to sabotage what you cant prevent. If the poitical climate is mildly pro-gun you start pushing stuff through, but slowly at first. When things are wildly pro-gun you start repealing stuff left and right. You shouldnt mistake political adeptness for ideological weakness. They just wont push for more than they feel is possible at the moment.

You're right - that's what makes it so distasteful sometimes.

 

[bogie]

I think this may be a little more effective if they know they're being boycotted.

[email protected]

 

[hillbilly]

I came to this thread with the express, specific intention of posting a message that would, with hot and spicy dripping sarcasm, argue that this NRA boycott of a major corporation is just yet another example of the NRA not doing anything for gun rights, of how the NRA is a bunch of wimpy sellouts, etc. etc.

All the time, I see various types on this board lambast the NRA for being an "Anti gun" organization.

However, I see that SIOP has graciously offered to take that task off my hands, when he posted, with all sincerity, the following:

"Well, if I was going to boycott an organization that had sold the 2nd amendment down the river for political gain, I'd probably start with the NRA."


I swear. Sometimes truth is a lot more funny than fiction or satire or sarcasm.

Thank you, SIOP. You've been more helpful than you probably will ever realize.

hillbilly

 

[ckyllo]

that stinks for me there are only 2 gas stations in my home town, one has a no gun sign posted and the other is a conoco. :banghead:

 

[Mulliga]

Whenever someone finds out that I own and shoot guns, one of the first things they ask is whether I'm a member of the NRA. To date, no one has asked if I'm a member of the GOA. Let's be frank - the average non-gunowner has no idea the GOA even exists. They certainly know the NRA, for better or for worse.

The AWB is dead, lawsuit preemption is just over the horizon, concealed carry reform is proceeding smoothly - yes, sir, let's boycott the NRA.

 

[Crosshair]

If the political climate is very anti-gun, the best strategy is to sabotage what you cant prevent.

The "Cop killer" bullet ban.

The "Plastic handgun" ban.

The AWB.

Anything that Ted "Alcoholic" Kennedy proposes.

 

[Marshall]

I'm glad to see this. Being from OK, Conoco/Phillips has always been a great corporation for the state. I'll be pulling for the NRA on this one though.

 

[Big_R]

What surprises me is that these folks actually got fired. I had some in-laws that used to live in Broken Bow (not far from Idabel). During a visit, I was impressed at the sheer ratio of CCW's and generally pro-gun folks I met (several of which worked at Weyerhaeuser).

Corporate policy is one thing, but usually the powers that be at the site level make the final decision on termination. I get the feeling there's more to the story of the employees termination.

Ryan

 

[tulsamal]

Corporate policy is one thing, but usually the powers that be at the site level make the final decision on termination. I get the feeling there's more to the story of the employees termination.

It doesn't seem like these corporations (there is more than one) were targeting one specific individual. Perhaps they did want to "lighten the payroll" a bit and this was one way to "get the dirt" on some people. Then you could fire them for cause since they "violated company policy." But the individuals who were fired don't seem like they were bad employees or anything like that. I've seen TV interviews with a few of them who had been there for over 10 years without any complaints against them. They didn't come across as raving lunatics. Just some guys who wanted to go dove hunting before or after work. Or the one guy who threw a rifle/shotgun behind the truck seat after he drove out to shoot at a varmint and then just forgot it was back there. I don't think the companies even found any evil black rifles to wave around. Just Wal-Mart level hunting guns.

Gregg

 

[TheEgg]

Well, if I was going to boycott an organization that had sold the 2nd amendment down the river for political gain, I'd probably start with the NRA.

[chanting]
The High Road, The High Road, The High Road. --
[chanting/]

Whew, almost left the road there for a minute.

 

[rick_reno]

I'm pretty sure the majority of corporations have the same policy regarding firearms in cars in a company parking lot. If you don't like it - then don't park your car in their parking lot.

 

[MechAg94]

Well, I hope they come down here to Houston sometime. Just about every chemical plant on the Gulf Coast tells employees they can't bring firearms to work for any reason. I will grant that many of the parking lots are inside the security gate of the plant, but they all do it. These policies also carry over to offices many of which are no where near the plants.

My company has a no firearms policy. They don't want them on your person or in your car and they reserve the right to search your vehicle on company property. The policy is automatic termination. No if's, and's, or but's.

Most of the few people who have been terminated over this were truck drivers driving company owned trucks. There have been some vehicle searches, but only because some fool was shooting his mouth off and someone who didn't like him reported it. One time, a guy said "If you search my vehicle you have to search everyone's." I think three people got fired that day when they searched everyone's vehicle. The parking was inside the plant fence line if that makes a difference.

Texas is an "at will" employment state so, technically, they can fire you for any reason though legal questions certainly confuse that.

 

[tulsamal]

I'm pretty sure the majority of corporations have the same policy regarding firearms in cars in a company parking lot. If you don't like it - then don't park your car in their parking lot.

That's why we passed an OKLAHOMA STATE LAW saying a company COULD NOT ban legal guns in locked cars in their parking lots. Phillips is one of several companies who have fought and stalled the law in the courts.

Look, I'm as "pro-private property rights" as anybody. But what is really happened here is that corporate leadership that is politically oriented toward gun control has used their legal powers to try to stop laws they don't like. (Like legal CCW in most states.) The new law they are blocking even includes a section that limits their liability since the corporations tried to hide behind their lawyers. They can't be sued because they allowed employees to have guns in their cars now. It is "the state's fault."

On our side, it is actually more of a practical problem than a political one. OK is still a rural state in many ways. It is very common for people to live a long way from their employment. Just like kids used to take guns to school so they could go hunting afterwards, some of these "Joe Average" types kept a shotgun in their trucks during bird season. Even as they were being fired for this no one really tried to claim they had the guns for any nefarious purposes.

It personally affects me since I live an hour out from Tulsa. I have a CCW that the state of OK issued. I carry everywhere but it is FAR more likely that I will need the gun in Tulsa rather than little Vinita. But I only go to Tulsa to work. But I can't leave my legal gun in my car. So I can't carry my legal gun when I drive back and forth to work. Which is the time I will need it. Etc. Repeat until dizzy.

I would personally even be willing to "meet them halfway" on this one. I could live with some kind of compromise where I could leave my legal gun in my locked car but it had to be in some type of "secure storage." I could put one of those little metal safes in the car. It would be a FAR better solution than searching cars and firing people over their shotguns!

Gregg

 

[Studduck]

Vote

So far, we are behind!!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8796456/


We finally got up to 50% - 50%. IMHO very good for just "supporting" a boycott.

 

[denfoote]

Whenever someone finds out that I own and shoot guns, one of the first things they ask is whether I'm a member of the NRA. To date, no one has asked if I'm a member of the GOA. Let's be frank - the average non-gunowner has no idea the GOA even exists. They certainly know the NRA, for better or for worse.

That is because the NRA serves in the same capacity as the CIA. A visible target for the liberals!!

Meanwhile, GOA and "the real intelligence" services quietly go about their business!!

 

[another okie]

Weyerhauser's corporate staff, located outside the state, got hold of a guide put out by the VPC/Brady group and followed the script exactly. If you think they were just trying to make their workplace safer, consider that the day they chose to search cars was the opening day of hunting season, the single day they were most likely to find guns.

In my experience working in many different jobs, Weyerhauser's behavior is actually the kind of thing that leads to workplace violence. You fire someone who has been a loyal employee for many years in an area where jobs are hard to find. I went to a seminar once on workplace violence. All the bosses there got pretty quiet when the guy told them that the main cause of workplace violence was arrogant bosses treating long-term employees like garbage.

I might mention that it causes me no pain to boycott Conoco/Philiips. These are both businesses, now merged, that were founded and built by Oklahomans and in Oklahoma. Now they have merged and the new management moved all the jobs to Houston, leaving two communities (Ponca City and Bartlesville) with some serious problems.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Here's a second thumbs-up to Beerslurpy's post.