The events of the past several weeks in America have challenged my beliefs and perceptions of our great country. The violence that plagues our nation has become so commonplace that the carnage of the 4th of July shootings was quickly overshadowed by massive fireworks displays celebrating American idealism. We have grown so accustomed to these heinous acts that we have developed a callus. There have been 311 mass shootings thus far in 2022 in the United States. 311. Shootings in violence plagued neighborhoods have become an accepted way of life. We hear lots of talk from community and political leaders, yet the shootings continue seemingly unabated. Lives have been shattered and terror reins for many Americans just going about their daily routines.
One can easily develop a cynical viewpoint and throw their arms to the air proclaiming that in today’s political gridlock and tension filled country nothing can be done. These acts of lawlessness are the price of freedom that we must accept. To that I implore all of us to simply say NO. This is NOT the America we grew up loving and NOT the one we want to leave to our children. I do not accept the type of freedom that restricts families from attending community gatherings for fear of getting gunned down. America is no longer the Wild West where guns begot guns and laws need only apply when convenient. We inherited an America that provided freedom and safety for all its people in their inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness. We must return to this fundamental right. Change can be long and difficult but nevertheless attainable if so desired.
We too will be instituting change. Improving the communities that we call home has been fundamental to the culture and success of our businesses. Sometimes that requires an investment in beautification or volunteering to coach a little league team. Now we are called to take a stand on an issue of life and freedom in America. Our companies will not be servicing any retailer, distributor or manufacturer of any semi-automatic or fully-automatic weaponry or any of their components or related products to the American public. To be clear this is not a call to eliminate the legal usage of shotguns and rifles used in recreational and sporting activities. Rather, this is a plea to eliminate high-capacity magazines and the weapons that fire them.
I further urge all of you to call on your elected leaders to institute much more restrictive gun laws that ban this type of weaponry from all corners of the country. This includes the implementation of a mental health evaluation in addition to more restrictive red flag laws that would ensure guns are in the hands of mentally stable, law-abiding citizens. As many of you know my politics have always run conservative but this is an issue that I simply can no longer overlook. We will not support any politician with views that support the unbridled sale and usage of automatic and semi-automatic guns that are destroying the composition and fundamental rights of our country. American exceptionalism can be restored but we must act together and we must act now. Our pledge as leaders and parents is to leave something behind in better condition than we inherited. We have not lived up to that creed but we can and we will.
Geoff Hoffmann
CEO