Some businesses have politics mixed into their basic DNA. If you run a retailer that is part of its mission donate some of its profits to any specific group, you are making a statement.
It’s not necessarily a bad statement. Mission BBQ, for example, donates some of its profits to veterans groups. Few Americans would be against that, but other choices can alienate potential customers.
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Chick-fil-A, for example, and Hobby Lobby , at least at the corporate level, have taken stance against the gay community. They would not phrase it that way, and would cite their religious beliefs, but their actions have cost them some LGBTQ+ customers.
Even a company like Target got backlash for a decision that seemed pretty down the middle. The chain added a solo bathroom that anyone could use to all stores.
That could be a transgender person or it could be someone who does not like to use the bathroom with other people around.
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Instead, offering non-gender bathrooms was taken as a left-leaning statement, which has contributed to the chain’s struggling sales.
Target has also faced backlash for selling Pride Month merchandise as has Starbucks. Walmart, which is perceived to be a right leaning company also sells Pride Month merchandise, but has not been held under the same scrutiny.
Image source: Shutterstock
Most businesses avoid making statements on political hot buttons
President Donald Trump has a plan to deport any person who does not have a legal right to be in the United States. This includes people whose sole crime is being here.
Traditionally, undocumented workers have been a pretty large part of the workforce. These other people who pick our fruit, clean our crabs, and provide day labor in the construction industry.
Under past administrations, both Democratic and Republican, no effort was made to arrest or deport these people.
Trump, however, has has cast a wide net and plans to deport anyone who does not have American citizenship, a green card, or legal work authorization.
Americans, as you might imagine, are very split on this issue. Some have seen neighbors be deported who were positive members of the community.
Others know people who are afraid to go out in public because they fear deportation
Most businesses have been very quiet on this issue. Even companies that have relied on undocumented workers for labor, have generally kept their opinions behind closed doors.
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It does not really benefit a company to lobby for more lenient policies or more strict ones. Having an opinion in either direction is going to make your customer base smaller.
But, there are other ways to show your support or your disagreement with President Trump besides speaking about them. Avelo Airlines has very clearly made that choice, and at the very least has shown that it considers all money the same.
Avelo faces boycott over ICE flights
Indivisible Albany, a local chapter of the national activist group, held a protest at Albany Airport over the actions of Avelo Airlines and has called for a national boycott.
“Avelo Airlines has signed a contract with the Trump Administration to facilitate ICE deportations.; this corporation is actively helping the Trump Administration disappear persons that ICE has kidnapped. Avelo Airlines operates flights out of Albany International Airport. Join us on June 28th for a nationwide day of action to send a clear message to Avelo Airlines that we will not tolerate their facilitation of illegal deportations,” the group shared on its website.
Many on the left (and some on the right) maintain that these deportations are not legal because no due process has taken place. In some cases, people have been deported who legally had the right to be in the U.S.
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“We're demanding that Avelo stop using taxpayer dollars to fund their own pockets and deport humans to places like El Salvador,” Indivisible Albany Organizing Co-chair Marianna Achlaoug told ABC 15 news,
State Senator Patricia Fahy and other Democratic lawmakers recently introduced the “Safe Air Act,” which aims to “end deportations without due process” on commercial flights.
