Anita's Angle: If corporations are people, do they own guns?

This happens every time. It happened after Columbine, Sandy Hook and UCSB. Now, after the tragedy that took 17 lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, our country once again finds itself at a crossroads. It shouldn’t take a tragic event to reopen this debate, but that’s what happens every time. It should be obvious to us by now that thoughts and prayers are not enough, but cowardly legislators offer them every time.

But maybe, just maybe, there is a reason to believe this time around is different. Post-Parkland, three-quarters of Americans believe gun laws should be stricter than they are today, up from 68 percent after the Las Vegas shooting. There is a bipartisan consensus calling for change, even if it will take baby steps to get there. But there is one group that has the influence, and the money, to get things done quicker than we’re used to, if they’re willing to take a stand: the private sector.

Whether we like it or not, in our system, money talks. One notable example that comes to mind is the fight over Senate Bill 1062 in Arizona, which would have allowed any individual or business to be exempt from state law if it “substantially burden[ed]” their exercise of religion. The LGBTQ community, among other groups, was up in arms given the potential of this bill to legally allow discrimination. Ultimately, the hashtag #BadForAZBiz gained traction, and state legislators listened— not because they genuinely cared about condemning discrimination but because they were afraid that this bill could harm Arizona’s tourism-driven economy. After a public display of indecision, at the last minute, then-governor Jan Brewer vetoed the bill. But it took Apple, American Airlines, AT&T and the Arizona Super Bowl host committee, not just activists, to get her to listen.

Grassroots activism is crucial, but without the private sector backing the same causes, it may not always be enough to spur change. Fortunately but uncharacteristically, after Parkland, businesses have stepped up on a large scale to condemn gun violence. Rather than just issuing empty condolences, national retailers like DICK’s Sporting Goods have stopped carrying assault rifles in their stores. Walmart raised its minimum age to buy a gun to 21. Businesses including Delta Air Lines, Enterprise Rent-a-Car and Symantec have cut their ties with the NRA. Big business is slowly realizing that if according to the Supreme Court, corporations are people, then they have a responsibility to take a stand on issues as grave and widespread as gun violence.

Unfortunately, the message seems to have been lost on some, including Warren Buffett. Last week, he said that Berkshire Hathaway would not avoid doing business with gun owners and that despite his appointment to the board of Everytown for Gun Safety, he does not want to impose his views on shareholders. Regardless of the irony and hypocrisy of his diffidence, the personal is indeed political. We must remember to hold business leaders accountable too, not just political figures.