Levi Strauss Doubles Down on Anti-Second Amendment Virture Signaling

Gun Watch ^ | 8 September, 2018 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Chip Bergh CEO Levi Strauss

Image from YouTube

Levi Strauss & Co. CEO and president Chip Bergh has jumped into the debate over the Second Amendment and American rights to self defense with both feet. He has come down on the side of those who want population disarmament. 

In 2016, Levi Strauss asked gun owners not to bring guns to their stores. They claimed they were not against gun owners, they just did not like people exercising the Second Amendment in their stores. From splinternews.com:

Citing a recent incident in which a customer was injured after the gun they were carrying was accidentally fired in a Levi's store, Bergh concluded that, "while we understand the heartfelt and strongly-held opinions on both sides of the gun debate, it is with the safety and security of our employees and customers in mind that we respectfully ask people not to bring firearms into our stores, offices or facilities, even in states where it’s permitted by law."

Now, in concert with the Democrat party ramp-up supporting gun control for the 2018 midterms, Bergh has announced full support for political groups pushing for more and more restrictions on the exercise of Second Amendment rights. In concert with the Progressive left, he uses the re-branded term of "gun safety", as "gun control" has become used up and toxic. Some policies, different label. From fortune.com: 

So today, on top of our previous actions, Levi Strauss & Co. is lending its support for gun violence prevention in three new areas.

First, we have established the Safer Tomorrow Fund, which will direct more than $1 million in philanthropic grants from Levi Strauss & Co. over the next four years to fuel the work of nonprofits and youth activists who are working to end gun violence in America.

Second, I’m proud to announce that Levi Strauss & Co. is partnering with Everytown for Gun Safety and executives including Michael Bloomberg to form Everytown Business Leaders for Gun Safety, a coalition of business leaders who believe, as we do, that business has a critical role to play in and a moral obligation to do something about the gun violence epidemic in this country. I encourage every CEO and business leader reading this to consider the impact we could make if we stood together alongside the broad coalition of concerned parents, youth, elders, veterans, and community and faith leaders who are committed to shaping a safer path forward.

As is typical with those pushing more restrictions on the ownership and use of guns, words and facts are carefully changed in Orwellian ways. Take this phrase from Bergh's interview:  "On an average day, 96 Americans are killed by guns" .
 
That is factually false. people are not killed *by* guns. People are killed with guns. To say that people are killed *by* guns is to impart cognition and volition to the gun from the person.

About 2/3 of the people who are killed with guns, kill themselves, with their own gun. Most are older white men, to use the identity standards of the left.


None of the current restrictions on gun ownership or use of guns proposed by the political left would make any significant reduction in those suicides. 

It is a bad idea for a company to insert itself into a contentious political question. They are bound to offend a large group of potential customers.

But progressive businessmen often put the political agenda ahead of profits and the well being of their stockholders.

It seldom works out well. There are many manufacturers of clothes on the market. It isn't hard for the 100 million gun owners in the United States to chose a different brand. Leftist virtue signaling has consequences.

©2018 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

[mrmeyer]

Serious question: Wrangler or Lee jeans, or Carhartt? And why?

[certrtwngnut]

Not only have they been anti 2A for years they also came out for the gay problem years ago. That was when I stopped buying they’re products.

[inchworm]

Levi’s are metrosexual.

[Manly Warrior]

As a guy who does not an single pair of blue jeans of any make, it is moot to me.

However, the nice man can say that “even in states that allow”- well, thankfully I am in MO, and MO concealed carry with a license, even in a posted premises, is not a violation of anything unless found and asked to and refuse to leave.

Not that I will shadow a Straus threshold anyway.

Wait, I do own two pair of black denim pants- Dickies I think.

[niteowl77]

Not only have they been anti 2A for years they also came out for the gay problem years ago. That was when I stopped buying they’re products.

Same here. I hadn't worn jeans for a while, but I stopped buying Levi Strauss' Dockers line when they got mouthy about 2A and homosexuality.

Levi Strauss' management and board have been pretty good as life coaches: do the opposite of of whatever it is that Levi's advocates and you will have a better life.

(sigh)

San Francisco... you need rubber gloves to handle everything connected with it.

Mr. niteowl77

[Vaquero]

nothind new here. They funded the Million Mom March 20 years ago. Right around the time I stopped buying Levi Jeans.

[Sirius Lee]

[Fred Hayek]

I go with Carhart since they have a fire resistant option. It’s necessary for working in refineries, chemical plants, and pipelines.

[snoringbear]

“-—not new for Levi’s—they got on the anti-gun bandwagon nearly forty years ago (along with every other left wing California fantasy) and nearly broke the company-—“

No worries here; switched to Wranglers years ago. No intention of going back to Levi’s, ever........

[Big Red Badger]

“Fire Resistant”

Good to know.

[yuleeyahoo]

That’s fine. I prefer the fit of Wranglers better anyway.

[yuleeyahoo]

Wrangler, Lee, Rustler and Dickie’s are the same company https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VF_Corporation.

[TheNext]

Levis are still the best quality fit jean. Others hang oddly on your body.

But I have replaced Levis for everyday work jeans because those wear quickly.

[OKSooner]

Thank you for that info...

[rellimpank]

—yep-—must have been about 1981-—all I had of Levi’s were a pair of suspenders-—ditched them and haven’t had anything with their label since-—

[stevio]

Yep, and I haven’t bought them since.

[ealgeone]

Odds Levi HQ has armed security?

Odds he has armed security?

[Mr Rogers]

“Serious question: Wrangler or Lee jeans, or Carhartt? And why?”

Wrangler. Originally for price. I buy the cheap ones at Wal-Mart, not the high end ones. Less than half the price of Levi 501s. Tried Levis again a couple of years ago. I liked the fit in the waist, but they were too tight in the thigh. I’d go to get on a horse and have to hitch my jeans up on my thigh first to be able to bend my leg and get my foot into the stirrup.

I’d characterize it as Levi’s are fitted to feel good if you are standing still. Wranglers - both low and high priced versions - feel better if you move around a lot.

[phormer phrog phlyer]

Carhartt makes quality products, great for work and leisure.

I have a pair that is over 5 years old still going strong.

[Bonemaker]

“Citing a recent incident in which a customer was injured after the gun they were carrying was accidentally fired in a Levi’s store,”

I’m nervous around Glock triggers myself...especially in the hands of cops.