LA City Councilman Wants To City To Boycott Companies With NRA Ties

I wonder if City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell has ever heard of the federal Bill Of Rights and the California Constitution?

(LA Times) A Los Angeles lawmaker wants the city to cut ties with companies that are linked to the National Rifle Assn., saying that its opposition to “common sense gun safety laws” is at odds with the city.

City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell introduced a proposal Wednesday asking city staffers to provide a list of all businesses and groups that have a “formal relationship” with the NRA and lay out options for boycotting them.

“It’s important that we send a message as a city with an annual budget approaching $9 billion,” O’Farrell said, invoking mass shootings in Newtown, Conn.; Orlando, Fla.; Las Vegas; and Parkland, Fla.; as well as gun violence that happens regularly across the country.

“It’s time to speak with one voice and call attention to the assault weapon epidemic,” the councilman said.

Let’s use the Washington Post’s word from earlier: insidious. Let’s use another: un-Constitutional. This would be a blatant violation of the Freedom Of Speech clauses in both the federal and California Constitutions. It’s against people engaged in their free speech and involvement in a private organization that petitions the government for redress of grievance, as well as protesting peaceably. And, while not specifically mentioned, you also have freedom of association

Legally, the freedom of association is considered to be a fundamental right protected by the Constitution. In the Supreme Court case of N.A.A.C.P. v. Alabama(1958), a unanimous Court ruled that the NAACP did not have to reveal to the Alabama attorney general the names and addresses of the NAACP members in the state because it would violate the NAACP members’ freedom of association. Writing for the Court, Justice John Marshall Harlan II said in the decision that…

Just the very notion of the city creating a List of Undesirable Associations should give people the chills. And what is a “formal” relationship? An owner that is a member of the NRA? A few employees who are members?

O’Farrell said he also had asked the City Council to hold off on approving an agreement between FedEx and the Harbor Department to operate a warehouse and office space. FedEx has faced pressure from gun control advocates to stop providing discounted shipping for members of the NRA.

“We have a choice — and they have a choice,” O’Farrell said, arguing that FedEx could follow the path of other companies such as Delta Air Lines that have ended such discounts or other ties. “They could join in this sensible movement to discourage the proliferation of guns.”

This is the kind of abusive government that the 2nd was put in for: because sooner or later the government comes and tries to take the guns. Liberals like O’Farrell should remember how dangerous it is to set a precedent, because this could be turned around some day to go after Leftist groups.