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Brands wade into chaos of shutdown

Outdoor companies seek support online for national parks

By Hamza Shaban, The Washington Post
Published: January 20, 2019, 6:05am

WASHINGTON — Corporate brands have waded into fraught political territory during the first two years of the Trump presidency — clashing with the president and his allies on polarizing issues such as gun ownership and immigration. Companies are increasingly taking stances on social and political issues important to their employees, customers and the broader public, even if it riles others. With the standoff over the federal government shutdown, this more emboldened public posture by companies is again on display.

President Donald Trump faced a backlash from major businesses soon after he took office. More than 100 technology companies, including Apple and Google, opposed the president’s initial travel ban, endorsing a lawsuit that sought to block Trump’s executive order on immigration from certain countries. The tech companies argued that banning citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States violated immigration laws and the Constitution.

Companies also took action after the Parkland, Fla., school massacre elevated the debate over federal gun-control law. The chief executive of Dick’s Sporting Goods announced that the store would no longer sell assault weapons, high-capacity magazines or guns to customers under age 21. Walmart also raised the minimum age for purchasing guns and ammunition. And other companies changed their policies in the midst of the political firestorm, including several airlines that ended discounts and perks to members of the National Rifle Association.

Now, as the longest government shutdown in U.S. history continues, 800,000 federal workers are left without paychecks, affecting the work of dozens of federal agencies. While the White House and Congress have not made progress in ending the standoff, companies are stepping into the fray through advocacy, charity and potent Twitter trolling.

Several outdoor apparel brands, including REI, Columbia Sportswear and the North Face, have used social media in recent days to support national parks, whose service has been disrupted by the shutdown.

“Make America’s parks open again,” said Columbia Sportswear chief executive Tim Boyle, in a Twitter post. He then took aim at the proposed wall that Trump wants built on the U.S.-Mexico border, the signature issue at the heart of the shutdown dispute. “Walls shouldn’t block access to parks, and federal workers shouldn’t be left out in the cold. Work together to open our parks,” Boyle wrote.

During the lapse in government funding, the National Park Service has taken the unprecedented step of diverting entrance fee revenue to staff operations at its most popular sites, as piling trash and vandalism threaten the country’s iconic public lands. Some critics say this move could be illegal. Photos of Joshua trees cut down by visitors at the Joshua Tree National Park have also sparked outrage as parks are left understaffed and the administration struggles to manage federal lands.

In response, REI has urged people to volunteer for restoration efforts at national parks once the shutdown ends. And the North Face has called for donations to the National Park Foundation, as Adweek earlier reported.

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