So it looks as though a whole bunch of companies are running away like little girls from being affiliated with the National Rifle Association. Well, screw them all, the gutless pussies; it’s nice to have the discounts and such, but I can live without them.
What I can’t live without is my guns, which these pussified corporations seem to want to deprive me of, or at least they don’t want to associate themselves with the gun owners’ representative organization because they’re afraid of GFW pressure or something. Well, assholes, it cuts both ways.
Which is why I rejoined the NRA last Friday, after a long absence (explanation some other time).
And I don’t have too much to do with most of the companies on the list — but starting immediately, I won’t be renting cars from Avis, Dollar, Budget, Enterprise, Alamo, or National anymore (I kissed good-bye to Hertz over a decade ago, after being a #1 Gold cardholder for most of my corporate life, because they fucked me on an insurance claim). Looks like my future business will have to go to Ace, as they aren’t part of the Hertz / Avis / Enterprise oligopoly.
And if you’re moving house, you may want to strike North American Van Lines and Allied Van Lines from your list.
Here’s a comprehensive list of these corporate assholes, for your consideration. (Note the Wyndham Hotel group and all its subsidiaries — sheesh, if ever there’s a cogent antitrust argument against mergers and takeovers, this is it.)
Now, before I do anything stupid: I see that Symantec (Norton Anti-Virus) has joined The Movement [/Casablanca]. Anyone have any thoughts on replacing them with McAfee or some other (non-Russian) security system? All experiences and / or recommendations are welcome.
And as for First National Bank of Omaha: a big fat hearty “FUCK YOU”, you pissant Midwest moneylenders. (I don’t have one of their credit cards or a banking account with them, but now the likelihood of me ever applying for either of them is a stone-cold zero.)
I don’t fly United or Delta anyway because they’re even bigger assholes than American. But they’ll have to have the cheapest fares, and I mean by a LONG way, before I’ll consider using them again. (Yeah, I can be bought — but my sellout is tempered by the fact that they wouldn’t be making any profit off a severely-discounted fare.)
And the AARP is never going to see my business either, because they too are a bunch of insurance-peddling hoplophobes. This, too.
I’m not going to tell you folks how to live your lives. But this is my response to all this emotional GFW nonsense. Gun-owners’ boycotts might not hurt these corporate cocksuckers too much — there are over one hundred million of us, which in the normal course of events would surely give some cause for alarm, but clearly not — but I sure as hell am not going to support these corporate cowards by giving them any of my business.
So join me, if you wish. Oh, and speaking of joining: should you too want to join / rejoin the NRA as a protest too, there’s a handy little link over on the right in my blogroll. This would be as good a time as any.
One last thought: it’s not like I need any more, but in the very near future I’m going to dedicate some of my meager earnings towards buying myself a new semi-auto rifle — maybe even an(other) “assault-rifle” type, just because all these pricks want to ban them. Details to follow.
Lastly, from Tami Keel:
If they only knew…
Well, looks like it’s time to “get off & on” and “jine” the NRA. It’s the mostest I can do. Too easy to boycott Wyndham et al. as I don’t travel much nor rent vehicles. Do have a diamond cutter for the fraudulent AARP. Do hope McGraw singes his pipes swilling Starbucks after howling a love song to coyotes.
And Kim, best wishes on taking on the care & feeding of a new piece – don’t put a eye out with the thing.
I will be busy today removing my account from MetLife. Then it is on to Symantec so I too will be interested in any replies you get about alternatives.
The trouble with us is we act as individuals which is ineffective. Conservatives nominally control a number of state governments, like say, Texas. I think that United and Delta would notice if TX banned state employees from using them while on official travel.
I had not realized how concentrated the car rental business is until this. How about some anti-trust action?
The MetLife news was pretty disappointing, because I was seriously thinking of switching to them (corporate discount).
Brilliant idea in Kurt Schlicter’s Latest column:
“The first step is an executive order at the federal level directing that no federal contract can go to any company that discriminates against an organization based on its advocacy or exercise of an enumerated constitutional right. We wouldn’t allow a company to do business with our federal government if it discriminated on other grounds, so why should we do it discriminate on political grounds? Why should taxpayers be subsidizing people who hate them? When those government employees start walking past the Hertz and National counters, the liberal jerks who run those companies are going to find that their posing and posturing has a price.”
“Bake us a cake, jerks. We warned you – you are going to hate the new rules.”
Better get off my ass and sign up I suppose.
Having been in business for most of my adult life, I cannot fathom how someone in charge of a taco stand, much less a multi-billion dollar corporation, is permitted to kowtow to this fake-mob nonsense. Yeah, lets politicize our business and marginally appease half of our customer base who have no great brand loyalty, while royally pissing off the other half who do, who will very likely never return no matter how much we spend on advertising.
Brilliant! I simply can’t wait to invest in companies with this kind of leadership.
The NRA lost me years ago.
They supported the ’68 Act, Project Exile, did everything that they could to to undermine Alan Gura in the Heller case (until Heller won; then NRA took credit for it), supports Fix-NICS, and is a begrudging Johnny-come-lately (the last 20-25 years or so) to the idea that “sporting purpose” is bullshit. They’re one step removed from Bill Ruger and SAAMI, who both expressly supported the AWB.
They’re Neville Chamberlain as far as I’m concerned.
Regarding scary looking guns: I’d suggest holding off a couple weeks until May, once everyone has spent their tax refunds, then looking real close at the Ruger MPR. In the meantime, Palmetto State Armory has PMAGS for $8.99/each and free shipping on 10 or more with the code PMAG.
Months, months… Stupid phone.
After a few days of trying to reason with my progressive friends on the social forums, I gave up this morning and offered this parting shot comment: “All this caterwauling has made an impression on me. I’m springing into action. First, I’m renewing my NRA membership, something I haven’t done in a decade. Secondly, I’m purchasing a new firearm, haven’t done that in a decade either. Third, I’m looking for gun shows to attend. It will be my first time. I hope that’s what ya’ll wanted because it’s what you’ll be getting from about half the population, the deplorables, if you will.”
Kim, you might want to edit your post, to include the following information:
If you’ll phone the membership desk, and use this exact phrase: “Please Code My Membership as NO PROMOTION”, you will henceforth enjoy the complete absence of any NRA solicition, beg-a-thon or other noxious envelopes in your physical and e-mailboxes.
I think this action alone, would induce many a fence-sitter to pull the trigger as it were, on joining or renewing the NRA.
Welcome aboard, mate!
Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Yes. The continual begging letters are bad. The phone calls are much worse. I’m on the verge of unplugging my hard-wire phones, only plugging them in to make an outgoing call.
>One last thought: it’s not like I need any more, but in the very near future I’m going to dedicate some of my meager earnings towards buying myself a new semi-auto rifle — maybe even an(other) “assault-rifle” type, just because all these pricks want to ban them.
I have a 3D printer on order. It’ll be useful for any number of things, but with the recent noise about banning bump stocks, I took a look in here:
https://github.com/maduce/fosscad-repo
Among other things, there’s a bump stock in there, ready to print. Chuck Schumer and the rest of the bedwetters can suck it.
Given how converged GitHub is, I’m a bit surprised this repo is still up. I’ve mirrored it on my own private Git server in case it ever does go away.
For anti-virus I’ve been using AVG (free) for years, and it seems to be working as intended. On my phone I use Avast, it worked better than the AVG android version when I switched.
For rental cars, I guess Sixt is it (if you can handle the cost). But in a city, Uber/Lyft is easier.
And I’ve been to 90 or more different countries, it takes a lot to get me onto a commercial flight. But when I do, it’s none of the ones in alliance with United…which leaves Virgin Atlantic to go to England, Southwest and JetBlue in the US.
Kim, second on Avast, for everything. I share the category of “cheap bastard” with you, and I’ve been paying for a site license that covers our 4 computers and two smartphones. Haven’t had a virus issue in the 15 years I’ve been using them. The late Dr Pournelle is the man who turned me on to them back in his Byte days.
For anti-virus I have used both Avast free and AVG free, and both work well.
I am a long time Enterprise user, but after this I will be using something else. Uber/Lyft is a no-go for me because their app isn’t available in the Blackberry app space, and I can’t be bothered to sideload the Android version.
Plus, if I go anywhere in CONUS I’m driving, not flying (TSA can kiss my rosy red butt), so that negates the whole reason to rent a car anyway. Now that I am USN (Ret) I don’t have to go overseas any more.
Cross posted @ HotAir……..
I would venture to say that many NRA Members have never, or at best infrequently, exercised their discount privileges with many of those who now spurn them as customers.
I would also venture to say that the Marketing Departments of these myriad companies saw that they risked little in reviewing the numbers of requests for discounts over the years.
What many in the anti-NRA camp fail to realize though, is that they have now made this a very public issue. Yes, the NRA “only” has 5-million members; but there are over 100-million gun owners in America, and many of those NRA non-members will say to themselves:
“Corporation X is attacking all gun-owners, not just NRA members. They’re attacking me for Parkland, yet I didn’t do anything, and have never been in a position where I could have affected the event. So, why should I “trade” with Corp. X, or any of the other businesses that now spurn the NRA, and by extension, all gun owners such as myself?”
Virtue Signalling such as this may not lead to Corporate Disaster, but it surely won’t be positive for the bottom line.
From your mouth to God’s ear.
Something that might be flying under your radar: that Chubb Group on the list. Do you have that free AD&D and possibly some additional coverage through your bank/credit union? You might want to check, because guess who is the underwriter for most of those policies?