FedEx announced Monday that it will continue offering shipping discounts to National Rifle Association members, despite boycott threats in the wake of the mass school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
FedEx issued a statement saying that while it does not agree with some of the pro-gun positions held by the NRA, it will not “deny service or discriminate against any legal entity regardless of their policy positions or political views.”
“FedEx Corporation’s positions on the issues of gun policy and safety differ from those of the National Rifle Association (NRA). FedEx opposes assault rifles being in the hands of civilians,” the company said. “While we strongly support the constitutional right of U.S. citizens to own firearms subject to appropriate background checks, FedEx views assault rifles and large capacity magazines as an inherent potential danger to schools, workplaces, and communities when such weapons are misused. We therefore support restricting them to the military.
FedEx responds to questions on the National Rifle Association, gun safety and policy https://t.co/qYgmbyQ5jk pic.twitter.com/02q1hD2Q9s
— FedEx (@FedEx) February 26, 2018
“Most important, FedEx believes urgent action is required at the local, state, and Federal level to protect schools and students from incidents such as the horrific tragedy in Florida on February 14th,” it continued, referring to the Valentine’s Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that claimed the lives of 17 students and teachers.
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“FedEx is a common carrier under Federal law and therefore does not and will not deny service or discriminate against any legal entity regardless of their policy positions or political views,” the company said. “The NRA is one of hundreds of organizations in our alliances/association Marketing program whose members receive discounted rates for FedEx shipping. FedEx has never set or changed rates for any of our millions of customers around the world in response to their politics, beliefs or positions on issues.”
Celebrities, politicians and survivors of the Parkland shooting have used social media to pressure companies to stop offering special deals to NRA members. Major companies like Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Enterprise Holdings, Hertz, Symantec, TrueCar, MetLife, SimpliSafe, and First National Bank of Omaha have already followed suit.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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