We support the second amendment, just not people who support the second amendment… – Delta, basically.

Monday, the Georgia Senate blocked a fuel tax break for Delta Air Lines, which is headquartered in Atlanta.

Georgia’s Lt. Governor and other conservatives are refusing to support the tax break unless Delta reinstates its relationship with the National Rifle Association.

Saturday, Delta joined the anti-second amendment mob and announced it was ending discounts for NRA members. Delta insisted they were merely confirming their neutral position in the second amendment wars. Georgia Republicans were not convinced.

Part of Delta’s official statement:

“Delta’s decision reflects the airline’s neutral status in the current national debate over gun control amid recent school shootings. Out of respect for our customers and employees on both sides, Delta has taken this action to refrain from entering this debate and focus on its business. Delta continues to support the 2nd Amendment.”

We support the second amendment, just not people who support the second amendment… – Delta, basically.

No sooner did Delta feign neutrality than Georgia Republicans began mounting a charge to tank the fuel tax break under consideration. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Sunday:

Former state Sen. Rick Jeffares, a candidate for lieutenant governor, voted to support Delta tax breaks during his stint in the Georgia Senate. But hours after Delta cut ties with the NRA, he took to the phones urging his GOP colleagues to reject it. “If Delta is so flush that they don’t need NRA members’ hard-earned travel dollars,” said Jeffares, “it can certainly do without the $40 million tax break they are asking Georgia taxpayers for.” Within hours, several other Republican candidates for high-profile seats also publicly opposed the measure. And others, including Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, were stuck in a quandary over what to do with a tax break that was once expected to easily sail through the Senate and land on the governor’s desk. Cagle, who heads the Senate and is the GOP front-runner for governor, condemned the corporate giants that cut ties with the NRA over the weekend but didn’t say whether he supports the tax break for Delta. “If corporate America wants to make a positive difference on gun violence, it should donate a portion of its profits to mental health treatments and school safety initiatives,” Cagle said.

Their efforts were successful. Monday, Delta’s would-be tax break bill was blocked:

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

The Georgia Senate blocked a lucrative tax break bill on Monday that would benefit Delta Air Lines after the Atlanta-based company severed ties with the National Rifle Association. Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle said he would not support tax legislation that helped the airline “unless the company changes its position and fully reinstates its relationship with the NRA.” He echoed a growing number of conservatives who opposed the measure over the weekend. It came after Delta desperately sought to find neutral ground in a gun debate that has very little, trying to soothe concerns among conservative lawmakers infuriated by the company’s decision to end discounted rates for NRA members in the wake of the mass shooting at a Florida high school.

The NRA counts the blocked bill as a win, as it should:

???? The #Georgia Senate blocked a lucrative tax break bill on Monday that would benefit @Delta after the Atlanta-based company severed ties with the National Rifle Association. #StandandFight #SorryNotSorry #2A #NRA https://t.co/NbeKVxAMhm — NRA (@NRA) February 26, 2018

And the Lt. Governor (who is running for Governor) is showing no signs of budging until Delta backs down:

I will kill any tax legislation that benefits @Delta unless the company changes its position and fully reinstates its relationship with @NRA. Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back. — Casey Cagle (@CaseyCagle) February 26, 2018

The online mob seized upon the Florida shooting tragedy (even though the shooting was the fault of law enforcement agencies who refused to intervene, the shooter himself, and policies that fail our children), using the incident to destroy the NRA and attack second-amendment protections. Thankfully, there are plenty of people, elected and private, willing to fight back.

The NRA didn’t start this fight. It was the anti-second amendment mob that showed up with their torches ablaze and pitchforks at the ready, demanding the NRA, partnering corporations, and gun owners be shamed into compliance.

Constitutional amendments which protect us from our government and the mob that would require the government to destroy individual liberties in the name of safety deserve diligent protection.

Relatedly, the link to send a comment or complaint to Delta is right here.

[This post has been updated since publication.]



