I don’t know if you noticed this growing up, but bullies come in all shapes and forms. In this case they come in the form of Nuns… Specifically the Adrian Dominican Sisters lead by one Sister Judy Byron, an anti-gun owner activist. She and her order are part of “The Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investments” an anti-Second Amendment anti-gun activist group. It is apparently alternately known as Sisters of the Holy Names and Jesus and Mary and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility… Bully nuns with an identity issue?
Here’s their assertive and misdirected demand to AOBC and Smith and Wesson:
https://www.iccr.org/investor-statement-gun-violence
The fawning anti-liberty media fell all over itself four months ago as the Nuns “took on” Smith and Wesson via it’s parent company American Outdoor Brands Corporation when they forced the company to waste time and money on a report on “product safety measures”.
This article gives an overview of what happened in September, 2018 when these nuns used what money they had to snatch a little power, and exert their dogmatic influence:
http://fortune.com/2018/09/26/nuns-gun-violence-report-proposal-smith-wesson/
They touted the nuns and their social manipulation bullying movement as “powerful”…. Bullies generally appear that way until they are dealt with.
https://dailycaller.com/2019/02/10/smith-wesson-rejects-push-by-anti-second-amendment-shareholders/
When they made it clear that they wanted to hobble Smith and Wesson and other gun companies (like Ruger – I saw a similar group at their stockholder’s meeting a couple of years ago) they also made it clear that they were not investors, but rather manipulative liberal socialists bent on lies and furthering their destructive agenda. They always start by justifying their bullying with their fight against “gun violence”, a concept steeped in fantasy. Their concern with the “safety of children” always neglects to address the fact that most “children” involved with misusing real firearms are violent gang-bangers and thugs that have not happened to reach the age of majority yet…
AOBC on behalf of Smith and Wesson were forced to waste time and money on the bully nuns’ report. Here’s a copy:
https://freebeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/AOBC_020819_Shareholder_Doc_2.pdf
Download and save it. It discusses the highly politicized issue of gun ownership, the company’s efforts to keep real children (not the thugs) safe, along with the importance of firearms in keeping lawful citizens safe from the nun’s gang-banger “children” and other criminals, psychopaths and terrorists.
It clearly rejects the Nuns’ pet “Smart Gun Technology” as unworkable and dangerous.
It also takes on the Nun bullies directly for their lack of clarity and obvious political grandstanding in the face of AOBC and Smith and Wesson’s rational business behavior and obviously safe products.
BTW, there is a complete list of the organizations that joined together to harass Smith and Wesson and Ruger at the end of the AOBC report in appendix “C”.
Oh… and Smith and Wesson has absolutely no interest or intent to change anything about their products or business model. The AOBC report discloses the details, agenda and dogmatically abusive nature of the bully nuns and their real agenda. It’s an agenda made in legacy media Bloomberg heaven or hell depending on your point of view on liberty and citizens having the means to protect themselves from violent bullies.
It would seem that American Liberty and the Second Amendment are not for sale…
Here, from appendix “A” of the AOBC report, are Smith and Wesson’s ten principles of engagement.
I think it’s a very polite way to say what we’d all like to say to bullies using just a couple of words:
STAKEHOLDERS OF AOBC, INCLUDING EQUITY SHAREHOLDERS, WHO WISH TO HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH THE COMPANY, SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PRINCIPLES ARE CORE TO AOBC.
- The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right of private citizens to keep and bear arms. AOBC recognizes that its customers view the Company as a steward of this right and will act accordingly.
- The Supreme Court’s 2008 ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller confirming the broad rights of citizens to possess firearms is settled law.
- As a manufacturer of firearms for the lawful use by citizens, AOBC recognizes its responsibility to its shareholders, its employees, and its customers to defend the Second Amendment.
- AOBC accepts its responsibility to its shareholders to determine threats or benefits of regulatory proposals relating to firearm rights, and will support only those regulatory proposals that are consistent with the Second Amendment and that deliver demonstrable societal benefits.
- AOBC will engage in advocacy through education, communication, and public affairs efforts on behalf of its shareholders, employees, and customers opposing the imposition of onerous and unnecessary regulations adversely impacting citizens’ Second Amendment rights.
- AOBC will work for a better and more consistent application of existing local, state, and federal laws regarding the sale, acquisition, use, manufacture, and distribution of our firearms as a primary means of reducing criminal gun use and its related harm.
- AOBC has a fiduciary responsibility to grow shareholder value and to engage in activities that will allow the Company to flourish amidst a complicated political climate.
- AOBC will remain focused on the manufacture and distribution of firearms that meet market needs and will not sacrifice shareholder value in pursuit of technologies or products that destroy shareholder value or that serve only the purpose of advancing the agendas of third-parties who do not otherwise agree with these Principles.
- AOBC is committed to promoting the legal, responsible, and safe use of firearms.
- AOBC supports a comprehensive discussion regarding reducing criminal and violent acts in our communities, including those committed with guns, and will consider any good-faith proposal, provided that such proposal is consistent with these Principles.