Report by Paula Antolini
March 7, 2018 6:38PM EDT
Bethel’s First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker Signed Petition Against NRA, FedEx, Russians and Others
It appears that on March 3rd Bethel’s First Selectman signed an online petition on change.org opposing the NRA, FedEx, Russians and others. VIEW PETITION PAGE HERE.
The petition demands that the NRA end ties with FedEx because of connections with Russians. “Demand that FedEx show respect for American democracy. Demand that they end their relationship with the NRA now,” the petition states.
The petition reads, in part, “Companies like FedEx, a member of the NRA’s Business Alliance, are helping the NRA and their Russian allies push guns into our communities, and to push people like Donald Trump into office. Those companies — many of them major American brands — should be ashamed.”
Knickerbocker shared the link to his personal Facebook page, urging others to sign the petition too. It reads, “Help Matt Knickerbocker Get More Signatures. We need 132 more signatures today.” (Click on image below to view larger.)
The petition continues, and indicates names: “Once a patriotic organization with deep ties to our country, the NRA and their gun lobby friends have spent years building relationships with shady foreigners. Some of their top people, like disreputable former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and former NRA President David Keane, have traveled to Russia to promote the “guns everywhere” agenda abroad. And Russians with connections to the Kremlin and the criminal underworld, like Alexander Torshin, a Russian politician and alleged money launderer, and Maria Butina, a Russian gun lobbyist often spotted around Trump allies, have come to the United States to plot strategy with their NRA friends. Now it looks like they’re actively undermining American democracy with Russian blood money.”
The petition’s creators are listed as: “Guns Down started this petition to FedEx and 2 others.” The “two others” are listed as “decision makers” Fredrick W. Smith and James L. Barksdale. (Read more about them below.)’
View signature on petition page below.
Click on image to view larger.
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The full petition reads:
“Demand FedEx Drop the NRA and their Russian Friends
“The National Rifle Association spent tens of millions of dollars on Donald Trump’s campaign, and the campaigns of other politicians who support their deadly “guns everywhere” agenda. Now, they’re under investigation by the FBI for funneling money from Russian interests into American political campaigns. If the gun lobbyists took money from a hostile foreign power and used it to influence our elections, they broke the law and betrayed our country.
“Once a patriotic organization with deep ties to our country, the NRA and their gun lobby friends have spent years building relationships with shady foreigners. Some of their top people, like disreputable former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and former NRA President David Keane, have traveled to Russia to promote the “guns everywhere” agenda abroad. And Russians with connections to the Kremlin and the criminal underworld, like Alexander Torshin, a Russian politician and alleged money launderer, and Maria Butina, a Russian gun lobbyist often spotted around Trump allies, have come to the United States to plot strategy with their NRA friends. Now it looks like they’re actively undermining American democracy with Russian blood money.
“But the NRA’s new Russian friends aren’t the only people working in support of the deadly agenda pushed by the gun lobbyists. American companies are helping them too.
“Companies like FedEx, a member of the NRA’s Business Alliance, are helping the NRA and their Russian allies push guns into our communities, and to push people like Donald Trump into office. Those companies — many of them major American brands — should be ashamed.
“Join Guns Down in demanding that corporations with business ties to the NRA, starting with FedEx, end those relationships immediately.
“FedEx must divest from the NRA. Their association with the gun lobby and the dangerous ideas they spread was unacceptable from the start, but with news that the NRA may have illegally funneled foreign dollars into our elections in order to undermine our democratic process it is simply unconscionable for an American company like FedEx to maintain a relationship with them and their Russian allies.
“Demand that FedEx show respect for American democracy. Demand that they end their relationship with the NRA now.”
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More about GUNS DOWN:
Founded in July 2016
The mission statement of Guns Down is: “We need to make it harder to get and use guns. And we need to punish the organizations and politicians whose action – or inaction – facilitate the mass murder of Americans.” About: “We have a clear & simple message: fewer guns – through banning assault weapons, gun licensing and repealing open carry – will make America safer. Join us.” STORY: “
Guns Down is a bolder, broader movement calling for dramatically fewer guns in America, and for making them dramatically harder to get.
We aim to provide Americans with information and advocacy tools to build support for limiting the availability of guns in America though social media and on-the-ground activism.
This is a broader, more inclusive coalition that will bring in activists from the LGBT community, people of color, millennials, immigrants, and others to solve our nation’s gun crisis.”
Contact: info@gunsdownamerica.org
Website: https://gunsdownamerica.org/
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More about Frederick Wallace and James Love Barksdale:
“Frederick Wallace “Fred” Smith is the founder, chairman, president, and CEO of FedEx, originally known as Federal Express. The company is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee,” according to Wikipedia.
“James Love Barksdale is an American executive who served as the president and CEO of Netscape Communications Corporation from January 1995 until the company merged with AOL in March 1999. Before Netscape, Barksdale had worked as CEO of McCaw Cellular/AT&T Wireless and, before that, as Vice President and COO of FedEx.[5][6] After departing Netscape, he founded The Barksdale Group, an investment and advisory group created for the purpose of helping Internet service companies. He also sits on the Board of Directors of several companies including Time Warner, FedEx, and Sun Microsystems. President George W. Bush appointed him to the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board,” according to Wikipedia.
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