Many companies have cut ties with the National Rifle Association after the mass shooting in Parkland, FL that left 17 dead and 14 injured. The cry for a boycott comes days after NRA leaders went on the offensive, and attacked the media and Democrats over their stance on gun control. The latest companies to withdraw their financial support from the NRA are Delta Air Lines Inc, and United Continental Holdings Inc.
On Saturday, Delta announced on Twitter that it would no longer offer marked down services to the members of the association. “Delta is reaching out to the NRA to let them know we will be ending their contract for discounted rates through our group travel program. We will be requesting that the NRA remove our information from their website.”
United tweeted a similar message.
The airlines’ statements follow comparable actions on Friday by a handful of companies, including Symantec Corp., which owns Lifelock and Simplisafe Inc., Hertz and Avis Budget Group, Enterprise, owner of Alamo and National car rentals, North American Van Lines, Allied Van Lines, MetLife Inc. and the First National Bank of Omaha.
A spokesperson told Time Magazine in an email statement that, “Symantec has stopped its discount program with the National Rifle Association.” A MetLife spokesman also said, “We value all our customers but have decided to end our discount program with the NRA.”
Some companies have yet to cut ties with the lobbying group, such as HotelPlanner.com, which still plans to back the NRA.
“Our company provides discounted rooms to several large associations, including the NRA,” co-founder of Hotel Planner Tim Hentschel said. “These associations greatly benefit our customers by buying discounted rooms for groups that might otherwise be charged a penalty by hotels for not using all of the rooms in their block.”
Florida Governor Rick Scott, who has long been a proponent of gun regulations, is now advocating for allowing courts to prevent the mentally ill from buying firearms, raising the purchase age to 21 and forbidding sales of bump stocks. According to Time, stock prices have fallen from fear over gun control and everyone’s outcries against the firearms industry.
