CEOs are tired of being held responsible for gun regulation

Corporate America's Gun Silence is Jarring Amid Mass Shootings

In the wake of another devastating mass school shooting in Nashville, it's surprising that corporate America hasn't been more vocal on gun control. The United States has grown accustomed to seeing major CEOs convening alongside elected officials in Washington, DC, to discuss geopolitics and policy issues. However, when it comes to gun regulation, corporate America seems remarkably quiet.

In recent years, the sector has made significant strides in advocating for gun control. In 2019, nearly 150 major companies, including Lululemon, Lyft, and Unilever, called gun violence a "public health crisis" and demanded that lawmakers pass legislation to address it. Even after mass shootings at a Walmart in El Paso and a nightclub in Dayton, Ohio, many corporate leaders continued to push for stricter regulations.

So, what's behind this sudden silence? Yale professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, who has direct access to major CEOs, attributes the lack of outcry to the growing expectation that corporations will take on every social issue. He argues that while CEOs have made significant strides in advocating for causes like climate change and immigration reform, they're not being held accountable for their efforts.

Sonnenfeld notes that corporate America has taken a strong stance on gun control, but they've stopped short of taking concrete action. "They're still the most active even if they're less active than they were six months ago," he says. "But CEOs don't want to be the only one singing; they want there to be a chorus."

Sonnenfeld's frustration is echoed by many who feel that corporations have become too vocal on certain issues while remaining silent on others. When asked about his concerns, Sonnenfeld says, "They've taken a very strong stance and they've gone out further than the general public. But we're ready for others to now do something. Social capital is as valuable as financial capital."

It's worth noting that corporations still wield significant influence in terms of campaign contributions. However, since the 2020 elections, big business has given much less to politicians compared to previous years.

In contrast, Tesla's latest earnings report shows a modest 4% rise in sales despite efforts to reduce prices and attract more demand for its lower-priced vehicles. The company produced more cars than it sold in the first quarter of this year, raising questions about the validity of Elon Musk's claims of strong demand for those models.

The contrast between corporate America's gun silence and Tesla's sales performance highlights the need for meaningful action on gun control. While corporations have a role to play, they can't be expected to solve this complex issue on their own. It's time for civil society to step up and join the chorus of advocacy, rather than relying solely on CEOs to push for change.

I THINK IT'S WEIRD THAT CORPORATIONS ARE BEING SO SILENT ABOUT GUN CONTROL WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY MASS SHOOTINGS RECENTLY . THEY'VE BEEN REALLY LOUD ON OTHER ISSUES LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMMIGRATION, BUT FOR SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE IN PUBLIC PLACES, THEY JUST SEEM TO BE STAYING UNDER THE RADAR . I MEAN, YALE PROFESSOR JEFFREY SONNENFELD MAKES A GOOD POINT THAT CORPORATIONS WANT TO BE PART OF A "CHORUS" BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO SING IN THE BACKGROUND WHEN PEOPLE ARE GETTING KILLED . WE NEED TO SEE REAL ACTION FROM THESE BIG COMPANIES AND OTHER CITIZENS WHO CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE, RATHER THAN JUST HOPING SOMEONE ELSE WILL STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING .

this is getting crazy like what happened in nashville, how can big corps just sit there? we need some serious leadership from them, not just empty words and another thing, why do they gotta be so quiet about gun control when they're all over social justice issues

this is so frustrating corporate america has become super vocal about everything except gun control it's like they're more worried about being seen as social justice warriors than actually doing something to help they need to stop playing the victim and take real action, not just use their money and influence to try and sway lawmakers

I mean, seriously, where's the outrage? We've got a bunch of rich dudes who are supposed to be saving the world from climate change and social injustice, but gun control is like the one issue they're not willing to touch? It's like they're waiting for someone else to do it. Newsflash: no one else is going to save you. And another thing, if corporations can take a stand on pretty much anything except this, what's next? Are we just going to let them dictate everything?

And don't even get me started on the excuse that they're waiting for others to join in. Like, come on guys, lead by example! You know who would make some noise about gun control if they had to? Elon Musk. Because he's all about " revolutionizing" stuff, right?

corporate america's silence on gun control is like a big fat zero - it's not just quiet, it's deafening and it's only getting worse after all those mass shootings . i mean, they're good at making a fuss about climate change and immigration but when it comes to actual action, zip . what's behind this sudden silence? is it because they're scared of losing sales from gun owners or something ? honestly, i think they should take responsibility for their silence too

I'm really jarring right now hearing about all these mass shootings and seeing corporate America keep mum They used to be so vocal about gun control, but suddenly it's like they just forgot or something I mean, what's the deal? Did they not see this as a public health crisis back in 2019 when they were all "gun violence is a public health crisis" and then just decided to keep quiet about it after a while It's like they're only speaking out on issues that benefit them directly, you know? And now, Tesla is doing way better than anyone expected, but corporate America can't even be bothered to talk about gun control anymore

omg i'm literally shaking thinking about all those ppl getting hurt it's wild that corporate america is being so quiet about gun control tho, like they're just ghosting us or something i mean don't get me wrong, it's great that they spoke up in 2019 and stuff but now it's like they're all hiding behind their profits and public image

i've been following elon musk's tweets lately and omg he's being super extra about tesla's sales performance it's like if a CEO can't even control their own company's success, how are they gonna make a difference on gun control? anyway, i think we need to get the people involved in this conversation too, not just CEOs and corporations

I'm getting weird vibes from corporate America right now . I mean, they're super quiet about gun control despite all the shootings lately. In 2019 they were all like "we need stricter laws" but now it's like crickets . I think they just want to play the social responsibility card without actually doing anything meaningful.

And don't even get me started on Elon Musk and Tesla . Their sales numbers are sketchy at best, so how can we trust their claims about strong demand for lower-priced vehicles? It's all about optics, you know? They're just trying to look good in the eyes of investors and regulators.

We need more than just CEOs spouting off on social media. We need actual policy changes and concrete action from our elected officials . The silence from corporate America is deafening, but I'm not holding my breath waiting for them to step up .

Corporate America is so extra when it comes to climate change but totally ghosted when it comes to gun control? Like, they're all about being woke but only if it's cool to be woke . I'm not buying the whole "we want a chorus" vibe from Sonnenfeld - sounds like corporate America just doesn't wanna rock the boat . Meanwhile, Tesla is over here selling more cars than they produce and somehow still making Elon Musk look good . It's time for these CEOs to put their money where their mouth is (and by that I mean actual legislation) rather than just tweeting about it . The people are waiting, not the chorus

I'm so done with corporate America's silence on gun control ... I mean, what's the deal? One day they're all about advocating for social justice, but when it comes down to protecting our kids from getting shot, they just chill . It's like they think someone else is gonna pick up where they left off and make a difference . Newsflash: no one's coming to save you, corporate America . We need the people to step up and demand change, not just your CEOs' tweets and PR spin . I mean, what's the value of all that social capital if it doesn't translate into actual action?

You know what's wild? How quiet corporate America is when it comes to gun control . I mean, they're all over the place with social justice issues, climate change, and immigration reform, but suddenly their voices get all hushed up after a mass shooting . It's like, what happened to that "public health crisis" thingy in 2019? Where did it go?

And don't even get me started on Elon Musk's sales numbers . Like, if Tesla is producing more cars than they're selling, how do we know that's actually a good sign? It just feels like a PR stunt to me .

I think what's going on here is that corporations are getting too comfortable with being the "heroes" of social justice movements . They're taking all this heat for something and suddenly they don't want to be held accountable anymore . Newsflash, CEOs: you can't just be vocal on some issues and silent on others . That's not how it works.

We need civil society to step up and join the chorus of advocacy for gun control . We can't rely on corporations to solve this complex issue on their own . It's time to get loud, get involved, and make some real change .

idk why corporate america is being so quiet about gun control it feels like they're only speaking out when it's convenient for them, not really putting their money where their mouth is. i mean don't get me wrong, it's great that companies are calling out gun violence as a public health crisis and demanding action from lawmakers, but where's the concrete change?

it's all about social capital for these CEOs - they want to be part of the conversation without being the ones leading the charge . but what if they actually had to put their necks on the line for once? maybe then we'd see some real action

it's like they're all hiding behind corporate social responsibility what's going on is that everyone knows gun control is a super important issue but no one wants to rock the boat so they just shut up and make some token statements about it... meanwhile, Elon Musk is making bank off his electric cars and other CEOs are just too scared to take a stance on something that could get them backlash from their shareholders or worse, a boycott

I'm so confused about corporate America's sudden silence on gun control . One day they're all like "we need stricter regulations" , and the next they're just... quiet . It doesn't add up.

And don't even get me started on Tesla's sales numbers . If Elon Musk is really saying that his lower-priced cars are flying off the shelves, then why isn't he making more of them? I mean, I've seen some pretty sketchy financial reports in my time, but this one takes the cake.

But seriously, it's time for someone other than corporate America to step up and demand real change . We can't just rely on CEOs to solve our problems - we need policy changes that actually make a difference . And those who are claiming that corporations can handle gun control alone? Yeah, I'm not buying it .

omg u guys i'm literally so done with corporate america being all quiet about gun control like what happened in nashville was another mass school shooting and still no one is talking it's not just the ceos who are supposed to speak out, they're the ones who have the power and influence to make a real difference but instead they're just taking a chill pill and letting politicians handle everything

i mean i know some of them did call for gun control back in 2019, like lululemon and lyft and all that jazz but now it's all quiet again and i'm so over it it's not like they're going to solve the problem on their own, they need help from the rest of us

i'm so tired of corporations being all about social capital instead of actually doing something meaningful for once sonnenfeld is right though, we need more people speaking out and demanding change not just the ceos who are already trying to be activists

I'm so over how corporate America is always MIA when it comes to guns . Like, I get it, they have a right to free speech too , but come on, you'd think they'd want to contribute to the conversation instead of just sitting back and waiting for others to do it .

I mean, remember that time in 2019 when like, 150 major companies spoke out against gun violence? That was a big deal . But now it's like, crickets . And don't even get me started on Elon Musk's sales numbers . Like, if Tesla can sell more cars than they make, that's still not solving the problem of mass shootings .

It's time for civil society to step up and take action . We need people who are passionate about this issue taking the lead and pushing for change . I'm so tired of waiting for CEOs to do something . Can't we just expect a little more from our corporate leaders?

idk man corporate america is literally doing it all but when it comes to gun control its like they forget we have feelings too they were super vocal in 2019 but now they're just chillin maybe its cuz they dont wanna be the only ones speaking up or maybe its cuz they really are worried about being seen as "taking sides" or maybe... idk maybe they just lost interest

I'm getting so tired of seeing all these massive companies making noise about climate change and immigration reform but completely MUTE when it comes to gun control It's like they're saying "we care" but not actually doing anything to help. And don't even get me started on Elon Musk - the guy is a genius with electric cars but his demand numbers are definitely sketchy If corporations want to be seen as responsible corporate citizens, they need to take concrete action on gun control. It's not just about PR, it's about actually doing something to help reduce the number of mass shootings in this country

Corporate America is pretty cool when it comes to talking about gun control... or at least, they used to be . I mean, who wouldn't want to see mass shootings stopped? But now, there's just this weird silence from the big players . It's like, what happened to all that noise in 2019 when 150 major companies spoke out against gun violence? Did they just lose their voice or something?

I think Sonnenfeld is right, though - corporations are taking a stronger stance on some issues but then stop short of doing anything real. It's like, "Hey, we care about climate change... but not this." vs. . And yeah, the 2020 elections did see big business pull back on campaign donations, so maybe there's hope for change?

But let's be real, corporate America can only do so much without some pressure from the public and other stakeholders . We need to keep pushing for gun control and holding those CEOs accountable if we want to see real change happen . It's time to get the chorus going - who's with me?