Woke companies who want to continue operating in Texas will have to effectively take a vow of neutrality on guns following the latest school shooting.
Thanks to a June 2021 law endorsed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) signed by Governor Greg Abbott, firearm makers, retailers and industry groups have special protections using language typically reserved to shield people from racism, sexism, ageism or other 'isms, Bloomberg reports.
The bill requires companies signing contracts with state government agencies to verify that they don't discriminate against the gun industry - which forces them to ignore calls from Democrats to sever business ties in the state over the latest shooting in Uvalde, TX in which a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers.
"Texas has pro-gun legislation which clearly makes a statement at ensuring that the firearms industry is well protected," said Janice Iwama, a professor at American University, who studies the impact of gun legislation.