The Power of CEOs is Waning on Gun Control: Are They Tired?
In the wake of the latest mass school shooting in Nashville, it's jarring to see corporate America remain silent. It seems that even as the nation turns to large corporations as advocates for gun control, the ones who can make a difference are reluctant to speak out. CEOs like those at Lululemon, Lyft, and Unilever have called gun violence a "public health crisis" in the past, but now they're keeping mum.
According to Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a Yale professor who has close ties with major CEOs, this silence is a result of frustration among corporate leaders. These executives joined causes with valor and nobility, but they can't just take cause after cause without others joining them. The social change that occurred in the 1960s wasn't led primarily by CEOs; it was sparked by interfaith activity, student activism, and civic engagement.
Sonnenfeld believes that CEOs have taken a strong stance on gun control, which may not be matched by public opinion. This frustration stems from their desire to join the chorus of voices demanding change but feeling they can't do it alone. Social capital is just as valuable as financial capital for these executives, and they want there to be public trust.
In reality, CEOs have not been as influential in campaign contributions since 2020. Since the January 6th attack on the US Capitol, many businesses either imposed an official moratorium or gave mere pennies to politicians. The notion that CEOs control campaign purse strings is entirely wrong.
Meanwhile, Tesla reported a modest 4% rise in sales despite several price cuts and talk of strong demand for its lower-priced vehicles. This raises questions about whether executives like Elon Musk's claims about demand are backed up by the numbers. Production far exceeds sales, with over 78,000 more cars produced than sold in the last 12 months.
The silence from corporate America on gun control is a stark contrast to their earlier efforts and may be due to an expectation that others will join them. The lack of action from other civil society groups, including students, clergy, and civic leaders, has left CEOs feeling like they're carrying the burden alone.
In the wake of the latest mass school shooting in Nashville, it's jarring to see corporate America remain silent. It seems that even as the nation turns to large corporations as advocates for gun control, the ones who can make a difference are reluctant to speak out. CEOs like those at Lululemon, Lyft, and Unilever have called gun violence a "public health crisis" in the past, but now they're keeping mum.
According to Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a Yale professor who has close ties with major CEOs, this silence is a result of frustration among corporate leaders. These executives joined causes with valor and nobility, but they can't just take cause after cause without others joining them. The social change that occurred in the 1960s wasn't led primarily by CEOs; it was sparked by interfaith activity, student activism, and civic engagement.
Sonnenfeld believes that CEOs have taken a strong stance on gun control, which may not be matched by public opinion. This frustration stems from their desire to join the chorus of voices demanding change but feeling they can't do it alone. Social capital is just as valuable as financial capital for these executives, and they want there to be public trust.
In reality, CEOs have not been as influential in campaign contributions since 2020. Since the January 6th attack on the US Capitol, many businesses either imposed an official moratorium or gave mere pennies to politicians. The notion that CEOs control campaign purse strings is entirely wrong.
Meanwhile, Tesla reported a modest 4% rise in sales despite several price cuts and talk of strong demand for its lower-priced vehicles. This raises questions about whether executives like Elon Musk's claims about demand are backed up by the numbers. Production far exceeds sales, with over 78,000 more cars produced than sold in the last 12 months.
The silence from corporate America on gun control is a stark contrast to their earlier efforts and may be due to an expectation that others will join them. The lack of action from other civil society groups, including students, clergy, and civic leaders, has left CEOs feeling like they're carrying the burden alone.
. I get why they wanna join forces with others, but come on, this is a public health crisis we're talkin' about 
! They used to be all over this stuff, but now it's like they just wanna sit on the sidelines and wait for someone else to take the lead 
. Meanwhile, Elon Musk is out here making claims about demand that don't even add up 
... 78k cars produced vs. sold? That's a pretty big gap 
. Maybe we need to be lookin' at the social capital aspect of this too - these CEOs are feelin' like they're carryin' the weight alone, and it's not just about the cash 
. We need more voices joinin' in on gun control, period 
CEOs have been doing a lot for social causes in the past but now it seems like they're feeling kinda forced to keep mum about gun control. maybe its time for them to rally again and not just expect others to join the fight? 
we need more people (and leaders) speaking up on this! 
. i mean, come on, you guys were all about being socially responsible back in 2018 when you started banning single-use plastics or something, but now it's like "oh, someone else will do it" 
. newsflash: just because you're a big corp doesn't mean you can just opt out of making a difference.
. if social change is really that dependent on public trust, then why isn't the public showing up for these causes? it's like corporations think they can just buy their way into being seen as "do-gooders" without actually doing anything 
. Like, they're not even trying to put out a statement or make an effort to create change on their own.
. But what's going on is that these big companies are trying to join forces with social movements without actually contributing much financially or in terms of resources 
It's time for them to speak up, even if it means not having everyone join them 
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What took so long for them to figure out that being a silent advocate isn't as effective as they thought? 
, but honestly, it's kinda like when your aunt says she's not going to a family gathering because you're being too loud... yeah right 
. They want the spotlight, they want the social capital, and now they're all like "I'll just sit here quietly"... boring 
. And what's with the production vs sales thing? Like Elon Musk is literally making cars all day, every day... maybe he should just start selling them on the streets instead 
. And btw, who needs CEOs to do gun control anyway? Maybe it's time for some students and clergy to take charge (just saying)...
. They joined causes and took a strong stance, but it looks like others aren't following suit 
it's so disheartening to see all these big corps just ghosting on gun control after everyone else has spoken out. i mean, if corporate america was really as influential as we thought, wouldn't they be putting their money (and influence) where their mouth is? 
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78k more cars produced than sold? That's wild! Maybe they should be using their influence to actually make some changes instead of just talking about it 
. And look at Tesla, they can produce way more cars than they sell, but that doesn't mean demand is there, right? It's like we're all expecting someone else to make things happen instead of taking ownership ourselves 
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Without a strong showing of public support, it's no wonder they're hesitant to speak out loud. The fact that social capital is just as valuable as financial capital for these execs is an understatement 
. It's true that back in the 60s, it was student activists and civic leaders who were leading the charge, not CEOs 
? I mean, we've seen some big businesses take a stand on other issues, like climate change or diversity and inclusion 
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. Whatever the reason, I think we need more vocal advocates for gun control from big business 
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. Maybe that's a sign that we're not as invested in this whole 'demand' thing as we thought? Whatever the case, I think we need more transparency and accountability from these companies when it comes to social issues like gun control