Corporate America has grown silent on gun violence: CNN

Passersby walk past the gun-free zone signage near Times Square in New York, the United States, Sept. 1, 2022. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

Guns are among the hottest hot button issues right now. In a polarized era, most companies still prefer to avoid these sorts of questions.

NEW YORK, March 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. biggest companies once rushed to strengthen their gun safety policies over one after another mass shooting, but the groundswell of corporate action on guns has ended, with most of them declining to speak out in the aftermath of the latest massacre at a school in Nashville, Tennessee, reported CNN on Tuesday.

"Much of Corporate America has grown silent on guns," said the report, noting that "few major companies have changed their policies related to guns in recent years. Their efforts to curb gun violence have run into fierce pushback from Republican lawmakers that oppose both gun restrictions and corporations taking on social roles."

Gun safety advocates say businesses have a civic responsibility to keep their customers and employees safe from gun violence. They have called on retailers to ban firearms in their stores, invest in communities plagued by gun violence and end political donations to lawmakers with ties to National Rifle Association, according to the report.

"Some companies, including gun manufacturers, have financial reasons to fight gun restrictions. Other businesses may not believe is their responsibility or role to weigh in on America's gun debate," said the report. "And some companies are staying on the sidelines of gun issues for fear of political blowback and antagonizing gun rights supporters."

Guns are "among the hottest hot button issues right now," Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University and a CNN political analyst, was quoted as saying. "In a polarized era, most companies still prefer to avoid these sorts of questions."