Go woke and your profits will get shot down. Even the Terminator knew that as he only rode his Harley when armed. Screenshot from Terminator 2, courtesy of StudioCanal.

The idea of “woke” Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policies continues to wither away. That’s good news for the firearm and ammunition industry, which has been the focus of corporations seeking to force public policies by the might of their corporate largess. It turns out that those lofty ideals aren’t so lofty after all. They’re more of a millstone weighing them down and more corporations are ditching their ESG programs.

BlackRock, the world’s biggest asset manager, announced last week a cut for support of shareholder proposals for ESG initiatives to a low of 4.1 percent. That’s down from 6.7 percent in 2023 and 47 percent from 2020-2021.

“In our assessment, the majority of these (proposals) were over-reaching, lacked economic merit, or sought outcomes that were unlikely to promote long-term shareholder value,” said its “2024 Global Voting Spotlight” report, according to Reuters.

In other words, the global investment firm is telling their shareholders that “woke” ideologies don’t pay. In fact, they’re likely to cost corporations in the long run. Turns out, investors don’t want their money going to push public policies that exceed the law. They want business to be business. Public policy is best left to politicians, who voters can hold accountable at the ballot box.

Bikes and Booze

They’re not the only ones. Famed American brands are learning that “woke” policies don’t pay the bills. Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz brought German ESG thinking to the American icon and now fans of the rumbling motorcycles are up in arms. A video of Zeitz from 2020 surfaced where he said, “We are trying to take on traditional capitalism and trying to redefine it.” Harley-Davidson responded quicker than the kill switch on their bikes and announced it was scaling back their ESG programs.

Jack Daniel’s, the iconic Tennessee whiskey distiller, found their own brand embroiled in ESG madness. Brown-Forman, the parent company, “pre-emptively announced” their ESG programs would be rolled back after their own corporate programs were exposed. Now that’s something I can toast.

NSSF has been vocal and active in eliminating ESG policies that put special-interest public policy goals ahead free market enterprise. These “woke” policies have resulted in financial and corporate discrimination against the firearm and ammunition industry. Policies adopted by nameless and faceless corporate boardrooms in Wall Street ivory towers have purposefully discriminated against firearm-related businesses all because those boardroom executives would rather cozy up to far-left gun control groups at corporate cocktail parties instead of providing fair access to businesses that make legal products that are lawfully sold.

Leading the pack on these ESG “woke” policies has been corporate financial institutions, namely, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo. Each of these corporate financial institutions embarked on “woke” corporate policies to deny firearm businesses access to financial services unless they adopted gun control policies that exceeded the law. That includes denying them banking services if they sell Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs) the most popular rifle sold, standard-capacity magazines and even if they don’t refuse to sell firearms to adults under the age of 21, even though the federal law says that anyone over the age of 18 can legally purchase a long gun if they pass and FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) verification.

Fighting Back

That prompted NSSF to work with state legislatures and Congress to introduce the Firearm Industry Nondiscrimination (FIND) Act. That law was passed by nine states, with Louisiana’s Gov. Jeff Landry being the most recent governor to sign the law. That was quickly followed by Louisiana’s state Treasurer John Fleming announcing that he recommended Bank of America “not be approved as an authorized fiscal agent” for state or municipal contracts because of their discriminatory policies against firearm businesses, among other politically incurred industries.

Bank of America actually blinked on their standoff of holding to their gun control ESG policies in June. Bank of America felt the financial consequences of its gun control agenda when they found themselves shut out of state contracts, particularly in Texas and Florida, especially after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an anti-ESG law in 2023 that bars state officials from investing public money to promote “woke” initiatives like banking discrimination against the firearm industry.  Gov. DeSantis promised in an X post that he would ensure the state enforces the law against “woke” banking discrimination. Bank of America announced it led to firearm companies on a case-by-case basis with “enhanced due diligence” according to the bank’s latest Environmental and Social Risk Policy (ESRP). Any tangible change in policy has yet to be seen.

The NSSF-supported FIND Act is awaiting action in Congress. Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) as H.R. 53 with 128 co-sponsors and by U.S. Sen. Steve Daines in the Senate as S. 428 with 17 co-sponsors, the bill would bar any corporate entity that holds discriminatory policies against the firearm industry from competing for federal contracts.

Those bills are in addition to the NSSF-supported Fair Access to Banking Act, introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) as H.R. 2743 with 109 co-sponsors and the Senate by Sen. Kevin Cramer as S. 293 with 36 co-sponsors. The Fair Access to Banking Act would stop corporate banks from picking winners and losers based on executives’ personal politics. It also protects banks from outside pressure by special interest groups seeking to use the banks as a political weapon to advance their agenda.

Corporations are learning, albeit very slowly, that going “woke” means “going broke.” If corporations won’t listen to investors that discriminatory ESG policies don’t make sense – and don’t add up the cents – it’s time from Congress to follow the lead of several states that have stepped in to put an end to these discriminatory policies against the firearm and ammunition industry.

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34 COMMENTS

  1. I don’t understand how the highest level’s of management of so many companies are so ardently Far Left Pr0gre$$ive. Apparently they don’t realize that the end game of Far Left Pr0gre$$ives is a massive reduction in our nation’s economy and hence a massive reduction in their companies’ profits.

    Recent research finally explained the underlying mechanism that caused the bizarre behavior leading to the infamous Salem witch trials. (Some barley harvests had a high mold content and that mold produced a toxin which restricts blood flow to the human brain. Some people consumed enough toxin to starve their brain of adequate blood supply and their resulting bizarre behavior led townspeople to conclude that the affected people must be witches.) I wonder if all of these companies’ high level management are unwittingly consuming something at their cocktail parties that alters their brain chemistry? Maybe it is something in caviar, champagne, or expensive wines?

    • The exact same way the education system got infiltrated by liberal progressive’s. in the business world no one was paying attention and were only concerned with making $$$. Until they weren’t. In education parents weren’t paying attention because they were to busy trying to survive another day. That how this kind of cancer creeps into a society. Everybody looks the way for whatever reason until they realize what is tearing it apart.

    • you’ve obviously never paid attention to “far left” policies. I bet you believe Trump’s tax cuts benefited middle class Americans, so cute 😂

      • Pffft, of course he has. We all have. That’s why we reject, out of hand, leftists like Harris and those of her ilk. Leftist policies result in poverty, destruction, and death.

        As for Trump’s tax policies, if you’ve been gainfully employed during the time they’ve been in effect, then you have benefited from them, even if your paycheck came from Soros.

        • Draft dodger Trump?

          Who tried to turn a solemn memorial ceremony into a campaign photo op?

          Using the sacrifice of our soldiers in order to get video of trump being ‘patriotic’?

          Lets make this clear. It is against the law for a political campaign to photograph in Arlington.
          The employees were not blocking Trump, they were blocking his campaign photographers.
          The families can not give permission to violate the law. There is no dispute.

          Trump is losing, and these acts of disloyal desperation are an indicator of how low he will stoop to score political points.

          All this from a man who says the presidential medal of freedom is “much better” than the CMH.

          • If he’s losing, then why is Harris “borrowing” from his platform? There’s a post in moderation, let’s see whether it makes it through…

          • “Lets make this clear. It is against the law for a political campaign to photograph in Arlington.”

            Lets make this clear. You are once again spreading a 100% lie.

            Federal law prohibits political campaigning and “election-related” activities on the grounds, not photography on the grounds. And in fact photography is done all the time, for example … for movies, and even for the president laying the wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier, and by visitors, and for example on their web site under their “Media’ link at the top of the page (not including the link because the post will go to moderation) it states this:

            “Photography

            Photography is permitted within the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. Photographers who are members of news organizations need to make arrangements for a media escort by contacting the ANC Public Affairs Office at 703-614-0024.

            We ask media and cemetery visitors to respect the solemnity of Arlington National Cemetery by refraining from taking pictures of or filming someone who is visibly mourning. Please ask for permission to film or photograph those visiting a gravesite.”

            So other than, needing to ask permission for taking pictures of or filming someone who is visibly mourning or visiting a gravesite, or the news media needing an escort, one is free to photograph or film/video all they wish in other than restricted areas. For cripes sake, the tomb of the unknown soldier draws thousands of visitors a year to watch the guard ceremony or see the tomb and lots of video and pictures are done by the visitors.

            “The families can not give permission to violate the law. ”

            Yes, they can and there was no law to violate as far as photography its self was concerned. How dare you use these families and the memory of the fallen for your false and left wing mental illness agenda, but that’s what you radical extremist left-wingers do – you lie and slant and use people.

            I guess now you will say “but but but Arlington is violating the law.”

            • But, in the mean time when you take a break between your lies Miner49er lets throw a little truth in there with this bit of reality that you so gladly ignore out there on your personal mental illness planet called ‘TDS’…

              BREAKING: Zuckerberg Admits Biden, Harris & FBI Conspired To Censor Americans.

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDKh-IfE20Q

            • So no, its not illegal for a campaign to photograph on the grounds … its illegal to campaign purposes or for ‘election related activities’ on the grounds. If Trump were there for campaign or ‘election related activities’ purposes and the photography was for that purpose then the photography would have been prohibited. But this was not for campaign purposes or for ‘election related activities’, it was a special purpose visit at request of the family for a wreath-laying ceremony.

              You lied Miner49er. Learn what context means

          • He was there at the request of the families. He had the needed permission to have photographers. You are being a leftist shill. Tell the truth.

          • “Draft dodger Trump?”

            Another 100% lie.

            Trump did not dodge the draft, he is not a draft dodger. In fact he answered the call of the draft, and like 15.4 million of other men Trump got a medical deferment and deferments for college, a total of 5 deferments. In other words he had official permission from the United States government to not serve compulsory military service.

            This draft dodger lie was given steam by Ronald Kuby, a criminal and civil rights lawyer. On July 15, 2015 in a interview he said Trump “was a Vietnam draft dodger”.

            The part you radical extremist left-wingers always leave out is the part that does not fit your confirmation bias and slips right by you because none of you know what context means. That part you morons always leave out is this:

            We asked Kuby what he meant and he explained, “I use the term broadly to mean anyone who took advantage of deferments to avoid being drafted.”

            A deferment is not dodging the draft. A draft dodger is a person who illicitly seeks to avoid compulsory military service (the draft) or someone who is drafted and illegally refuses to serve. Trump did neither of these.

            You lied again Miner49er. Learn what context means.

            • correction for “We asked Kuby what he meant and he explained”

              should have been …

              We asked, Kuby explained what he meant and he explained …

              • correction again… it should have been … When asked, Kuby explained what he meant and he explained …

                When … not … We

      • BAD NEWS FOR YOU, Lefty, the tax cuts did BENEFIT everyone. Did you give your cut back to the government?

    • “Apparently they don’t realize that the end game of Far Left Pr0gre$$ives is a massive reduction in our nation’s economy and hence a massive reduction in their companies’ profits.”

      Elites always believe they are elites, and will be the last man standing, as a result of catering to the Leftists/Communists. Eventually they all end up standing against the wall, with the last sound being gunfire from the death squad.

    • Go woke and Go broke is a lesson Hollywood is learning. Look at the dumpster fire know as “The Acolyte” (often jokingly referred to as The Wokelyte or The Ejacolyte).

      But perhaps if they are seen to be going through the motions (much like swimming at Bondi beach) they think they will be spared from being put up against the wall when the r_tion comes. In reality they might miss the first few rounds of purges but eventually their usefulness will end.

      As for what the prog-tards are taking, primo Columbian White washed down with a dose of CCP propaganda.

    • Richy Rich executives who have more money than they could ever spend are done caring about profits and just want to show off how elite they are among their fellow richy woke peers.

      Once you have the millions, the yachts, the mansions, the women the next place to get your thrills is on the depopulation and tyranny circuits. It’s not enough for them to have everything they need to make sure you can’t have any of it and whatever you do have they want to take away. Not to make themselves richer but to make you more miserable. If the stock crashes and the company folds it’s no skin off their backs.

      They’re sadistic, evil fucks cloaking their misery causing initiatives in woke ideology. Around here we have lake front McMansion owners who form little groups to keep people from building around them. Typical elitist NIMBY stuff but because they claim it’s to protect the environment of the lake they get a pass and even accolades for their selfish endeavor. These executives and CEOs are just exponential extrapolations of this mentality.

    • I think the “woke” leftist attitude is caused by the administration. If you want to be invited to Biden’s parties you go woke. Many of these CEOs have everything they could want, but invites to the WH make them feel important.

    • “I don’t understand how the highest level’s of management of so many companies are so ardently Far Left Pr0gre$$ive.”

      No, they are most certainly no dropping it, they are scrubbing their websites of references but keeping the same ‘programs’ under new names.

      Jeremy at the YouTube channel ‘The Quartering’ has the details. It’s like when they changed the name of ‘Gun Control’ to ‘Gun Safety’ trying to fool everyone its really something different.

      Fortunately, there are Americans in those companies blowing the whistle on this bullshit…

      “Harley Davidson BUSTED LYING About Ending Woke DEI & Jack Daniels Too!”

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADd8687wjJ0

  2. The hd live wire was the beginning of the end. I read a biker mag live wire anouncement and back then it sounded like hd management was going metro sexual. I always wanted a Sportster 1200 Low however in the current climate I’m happy I wound up with a 110hp Kawasaki.

    I have no problem with electric especially if I owned a windmill or an acre of solar panels. At this point in time electric is better suited for those fast bicycles that is until you carry the battery on an elevator…
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=eA8BNqEhuzE&feature=shared

    • What happened to my post? I didn’t think a link to an automotive journalist’s YT page would cause such a fuss.

      Look up “John Cadogan Auto Expert” on YT. He had this video commented on several weeks ago.

      • The subject matter and comments for this article triggered a veritable blizzard of moderation. Only miner’s blather remains unscathed. That should tell us something…

  3. Personally IDK what these companies do to themselves. But, as a conservative old farmer I do care about how business is done. If the business model isn’t going to promote growth and profit these companies will not be long in business. Which means jobs will be lost and the ripple effect will in turn effect many other small businesses all the way down to the farmers and ranchers producing the food people need to survive. If the farms go bankrupt because costs outpace sales then the very idiots supporting the ESG/WOKE crap will either have to go work in the fields themselves or starve.
    On second thought, let them bankrupt everything and destroy themselves.

  4. ‘Diversity-Equity-Inclusion’ (AKA DEI) are just another name for a ‘Marxists socialism’ concept, or in other words a ‘communism’.

    First, lets begin with ‘Equity’: Equity is the goal of all DEI programs, which is to say that DEI programs exist to force/coerce captive audiences of people to achieve “equitable” redistribution of resources, status, and wealth according to neo-Marxist Identity Theories like Critical Race Theory.

    Next, ‘Diversity’: Diversity initiatives are rooted in the goal of installing (placing, enacting) ideologically consistent ‘political officers’ (or people) within organizations to effect and enforce policies directed toward achieving equity. These political officers, often called “Diversity Officers,” (but may be known included under other titles such as ‘human resources’) are in fact a rebranding of the older concept of commissars, who enforced socialism in the same way.

    Finally, ‘Inclusion’: Inclusion is an overarching value structure for the “Diverse and Equitable” commissar system that’s being installed. In fact, it’s a justification not for inclusion as most people understand it, but for censorship and purges, just like in any Communist state. Inclusion, and its extension in “Belonging,” are a manipulative strategy akin to Mao Zedong’s “unity, criticism, unity” formula for taking over not just institutions but the value structure of populations and bending them toward socialism (e.g. communism or, in this case, called by the deceptive term ‘equity’).

  5. environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies are just another version of DEI but instead of being just ‘corporation employee’ centric they are intended to exert corporation product and supply and financial power to make others outside the corporation comply with what is really DEI in a ‘financial’ form.

    ESG is no different in the intent and structure – the end goal is ‘comply and if you don’t we will marginalize or eliminate you’. For ESG its the denial of products or services for businesses thus weakening them to marginalize or eliminate them. For people its the denial of opportunity or promotion or employment or rights or purchasing power and in that way they are marginalized or eliminated.

    ESG was a creation of the United Nations in 2004 through a joint initiative of financial institutions as a “corporate social responsibility initiative”. By 2023 its a global thing with more than $30 trillion (in U.S. dollars) in assets under management. Its part of the UN 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs), which incorporates other plans to reach a state where there is an overarching central world authority (the U.N.) and individual rights are replaced by ‘social responsibilities’ decided by the majority – to meet the U.N. 17 SDGs. Or in other words, its plans for a docile compliant population that serves the needs of the state where the majority and ruling elite benefit and those not the majority or ruling elite serve – better known as the concept of ‘mar —xist soci===alism’ but on a grander global scale.

    • Yeah, Buttwiper that traded in the Clydesdale team for tranz vest ites? A neighbor of mine is co-owner of a small liquor store. They ran a promo where after a rebate you actually made 5 cents per case on the swill….took almost a month to clear out their stock of it. He says the company should have run a tv ad of the clydesdales pulling a wagon ” Thelma and Louese ” style over the canyon wall

  7. There is a book that every American should read, Title: “You will own nothing”, by author Carol Roth. This accurately explains and describes what is occurring in business and schools and how it affects the future of America. Good reading.

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