Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
April, 25 2018
Many years ago, I worked at a children’s treatment center and amidst a fight that broke out among the adolescent boys on the unit I worked on, one boy, whom I adored partly because he was hilarious and partly because his history would break anyone’s heart, exclaimed, “Why can’t we all just get along?” Based on the how and when of how he delivered this one liner, it was very funny and it broke the heaviness of the mood amongst the boys.
So today, as I reflected on the Yeti/NRA debacle, and we can label this nothing short of a debacle, I took a five mile run to clear my thoughts and my emotions tied to the anger and vitriol going across social media in regard to the situation. I pondered, why can’t we all just get along? And, I also pondered how my very good friend Pam would not have called my run a run, but instead she would have called it a WOG (walk/jog). Depending on whose shoes you are standing in, isn’t it funny how your perspective can change? Today, I declare to my dear Pam, I am a marathon runner and it may look like a WOG but I am an athlete. And, I also declare that if we don’t start to understand each other’s perspective, wait and listen, then we will all sacrifice peace and our rights in the return.
On Monday, we were in a tail spin because there was a hate campaign building in regard to a product we have very carefully chosen for our stores, Yeti coolers. We don’t make decisions lightly on what products we carry and chose Yeti because we have used the product and think it is stellar and we love the story of Yeti. Isn’t it really the American dream? Isn’t it exactly what we are doing at Frontier Justice? We had a cool idea born out of a passion and then we struck out to make a company that would allow us to invigorate core values, American values, that would bear fruit. Yeti did the same. It was a match, and we have sold the product with success. Sunday a friend texted me a story that Breitbart had published on how the NRA had declared Yeti as anti-second amendment because their business had shifted. The firearms community was in rage. And, here’s what our company needs you to understand: 1) We had no knowledge of any of this before you did as a public, and 2) We have a significant amount of inventory of Yeti in our stores. As a start-up, we don’t have the luxury of throwing a good product out. We cannot return the product. We stand and evaluate our products, and ponder that there are many companies that every one of us use that do not necessarily align with our core values. But we are Americans doing business and getting our needs met one day at a time, one product at a time helping our neighbors build their dreams the same as we are asking them to help us build ours. Our dream begins and ends with Faith, Family and Freedom. Faith, as we are trying to build significant kingdom resources; Family, creating stores that whole families come in to enjoy, and Freedom, promoting the firearm as the same tool that law abiding citizens, law enforcement and veterans have so faithfully used to ensure all of us have this great opportunity to chase those dreams. All this said, when you are a start-up, you cannot afford for an entire inventory to be lost. It can be a company killer for a company as small as Frontier Justice. So, rather than make rash decisions, we waited for Yeti to explain the situation, and we felt like they did with their public statement and explanation directly to us. We realized it had quickly turned into a classic he said/she said debacle. And, here are some facts you need to know about YETI. Their CEO came from Vista Outdoor which is a FIREARM company and the owners of YETI have hunting ground right here in the great state of Kansas. We posted their response on Facebook, not our opinion of the response, to see what our clients would say about their reasonable pro- 2A reaction. This is where a great deal of disappointment gathered in my heart, resulting in a long and thoughtful RUN this morning.
Client: Why is frontier justice even back peddling for yeti is what I don’t understand. So they carry some products….still don’t get why their talking for yeti.
Client: Yeah, but why? Why did they post it? Is it because they carry a few Yeti items? Yeti made their bed, no need for Frontier Justice to get involved. Just stay out of it and let the chips fall where they may. Which other cya news releases can I look forward to from my favorite shooting sports store?
These comments made me flash back to year one in business. A guy posted “I give them one year to go out of business,” on our Facebook page. It stung. I sat and wondered –why such hate? I felt our best response was no response, and it probably holds true still today. However, here is what I must say to you gentlemen. There was no back peddling, but we do have skin in the game. When we started Frontier Justice four years ago, we weren’t only buying coolers, but we bought a dream and we are all in. If we don’t guard our business down to the last detail we have failure that stares us in the face and no one on the Frontier Justice team is a quitter or a loser. We are winners. But, we need a team. We need support. Your support! And, Yeti and the NRA are both pro-2A and we are proud supporters of both. If Yeti cannot afford to do business with the NRA under their guidelines or support foundations because of their business dollars available then please don’t chastise them when none of us have all the details. Frontier Justice would LOVE to do more on all these fronts, but we don’t have the resources yet. We have to make it first and then do more, but know this–Mike and Bren Brown have invested everything they have in faith, family and freedom. We sell guns. We have a staff that bleed red, white and blue, and we sell Yeti and will continue to sell Yeti. And, know this and take it to the bank, if pro-2A folks out there don’t stand down and stick together on all firearms related issues, support one another and quit tearing at each person who we feel differs one shade of gray from us, then we will fall. The liberal agenda will be won and all the Constitution loving Americans can go look in the mirror or hop on Facebook and read the demise of this great nation, one uninformed argument and insult at a time. We at Frontier Justice call for the day when we can all just get along, especially when it comes to our rights.
And, as my love/hate relationship with Facebook continues, let’s all reflect on this client’s comments:
Client: So we are all believing what paid lobbyists are saying now over private companies? Tell me who really defends your right to own a gun? Is it that lobbyist wearing a suit in DC? Or is it you? Nobody is taking my gun from me regardless if the NRA exists or not. The NRA is just as overpriced as YETI. At least with YETI my beer stays cold. Also..for all of you speaking out against Frontier..where in the above post did Frontier Justice say anything about where they stand on this issue? We know that Frontier stands up for 2nd Amendment rights period!!! All they did was post a statement they received from YETI and y’all out here throwing hate already. Smh.
You sir, are our tribe. DM us for a free YETI mug for your beer.
