Super-market chain Publix was recently discovered to have donated $670,000 to Adam Putnam, Florida's agriculture commissioner who is now running for governor. Putnam has touted himself as a "proud NRA sellout," and fought against gun control legislation in the same state where, earlier this year, 17 people were killed in the Parkland school shooting. Publix's support for Putnam was noticed and called out by David Hogg, Parkland survivor and gun control activist, who staged a peaceful protest to show the chain what side of history they were supporting.
Hogg's "die-in" took place in Publix locations all over the Southeast. at 4pm, people simply laid down to show their support for gun control legislation. It was quite the sight.
To their credit, Publix responded by ceasing all political contributions, though their statement to Huffpost noted regret only for causing a divide amongst their customers (not for supporting any particular candidate). Part of the statement read:
We would never knowingly disappoint our customers or the communities we serve. As a result, we decided earlier this week to suspend corporate-funded political contributions as we reevaluate our giving processes.
Some protestors aren't declaring victory yet. Ryan Deitsch, who protested at the Coral Springs Publix, commented to the Sun Sentinel:
Suspended means nothing. Publix knows we're not going away.
But Hogg counted this as a small triumph on the long road to a safer America.
H/T - Huffpost, Wikipedia Commons
