Subway Suspension-Shaming For Self-Defense Should Not Stand ~ VIDEO

Opinion

Rockford, Illinois – -(AmmoLand.com)- When discussing corporate gun control, Second Amendment supporters need to keep in mind that it doesn’t just include actions like those Salesforce carried out a couple of years ago. It can also include a number of other policies, like, for instance, self-defense.

Decades ago, 7-11 became notorious among Second Amendment supporters for firing a clerk who had used a firearm in self-defense, in violation of the company’s policy to comply with robbers. In 2002, the company prevailed in a lawsuit after firing a clerk who resisted a robber.

One such case hit the news involving an employee at a Rockford, Illinois, Subway restaurant. This time, Araceli Sotelo has not been fired for defending herself – technically. She’s been suspended until the video of her defending herself during an armed robbery is off the internet. As Second Amendment supporters proved in taking down the nomination of David Chipman, once something is on the internet, it’s there forever. So, for all intents and purposes, Sotelo has been fired for protecting herself, albeit the indefinite suspension leaves her in a state of limbo.

Whether it is a corporate policy imposed on the franchisee or if it’s a decision by the franchisee (who is a small-business owner), Sotelo is being punished for protecting herself. It’s an injustice, as she is the victim of a violent crime and now has financial insecurity added to it.

But while we have an obvious injustice – not to mention a very dangerous blanket ban on self-defense – rectifying it is not so simple in these cases. Part of the problem is obvious to anyone who has read some of Massad Ayoob’s writings over the decades on armed self-defense. The fact is, acting in self-defense does carry risks – and for many business owners, or those high up the corporate ladder, those risks spell legal liability and/or a public relations fiasco.

For instance, last month a 7-11 clerk in Texas was indicted on a murder charge after an incident involving two alleged shoplifters. This past October, a convenience store clerk in New York was charged with manslaughter in another incident involving a shoplifter. Those cases will be formidable obstacles to getting this policy changed in many business settings.

Another fundamental difference is that these are private entities and as such, not subject to the constitutional limitations that the government would be held within. Legislative and political efforts may make it harder for a company to punish an employee who acts in self-defense, but as Sotelo’s case shows, they will still find ways.

To get these companies to change their policies to something that more closely resembles common sense, to say nothing of respecting those who exercise their Second Amendment rights, will take a lot of persuasion and compromise. One step that should be considered is to allow companies to require that employees who wish to have the implements for self-defense readily available complete personal protection courses, like those offered by the NRA.

Remember that these businesses are private property, and just as we fight to have our rights respected and acknowledged, we need to do the same for these businesses. At the same time, pressure should be applied to reverse obviously unjust actions against employees who act to defend themselves. Second Amendment supporters should contact Subway and politely urge them to reverse the suspension of Ariceli Sotelo.


About Harold Hutchison

Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.

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Thinker1

Subway won’t see any business from me.

Henry Bowman

Subway hasn’t seen any business from me since they went woketard and hopped aboard the gun control bus.

It is a very short bus…

swmft

I go to a small local deli owner carries and one or two of the girls. all the male workers are ex cons. Funny as hell to see a girl walk a guy out to parking lot so he wont get robbed

Rock22

Subway was already on my no go list for sponsoring the Olympic women’s soccer creep.

OlTrailDog

I know it is off topic however some of the comments has reminded me that I’ve stopped visiting Subway. When I think about going there I remember they sponsor that female soccer player who hates the US and keeled during the Olympics. No thanks, I will take my business elsewhere. I just say nope to woke coke too and purposefully comment “No thanks for woke coke” and ask for Pepsi or coffee at other places that I see serve woke coke. I’m going to change the world, one cup at a time 😉

baxterday1

Yet another reason to avoid Subway.

shakesfist.

There meats are literaly a class one carcinogen.

Bigfootbob

My daughter, granddaughter and 2 grandsons worked for Subway. My daughter was in management. I’m very glad that’s all in the past now. The area where they used to live started getting rough after the state of Washington decriminalized ALL street drugs and it’s become Mecca to all drug criminals. They had to padlock the dumpster to keep people from sleeping in them, every morning they had to scoop human poop from the drive thru and constantly be aware of what the vagrants are doing. They come into the restaurant in groups and harass and loiter around. One came in… Read more »

james

She did nothing wrong. She is alive and can find work elsewhere.
In NC a Speedway was robbed in daytime, the clerk was shot after handing over the cash, she died in the hospital. She was a grandmother.
Other times the clerks are sexually abused.

Henry Bowman

SELF-DEFENSE IS A HUMAN RIGHT. PERIOD, FULL STOP!

The answer to corporations like THIS is “GET WOKE, GO BROKE”!
Boycott them into oblivion, and that’ll send a message to the rest of corporate America: WE THE PEOPLE ARE IN CHARGE, NOT YOU!

zuzuk

We must do more than boycott … let your voice be heard by using more than removal of your dollars … email, call, etc to tell them exactly why they will not be counting your dollars! This will remove the ability of making excuses for falling profits. Without telling them why they suck, they will learn nothing.
I just told submissive way that they will not get my money and that I will educate others to do the same

I Haz A Question

What a coinkidink that I’m seeing an article on Subway after my own trip to my local franchise today for lunch, lol. I ate their sandwiches at least twice a week for years, until a couple of years ago when I finally realized their bread has extreme amounts of sodium. So I cut back to once every other week. Then there was that pedo scandal involving “Jared”. Then the scandal about the tuna fish being…well…something other than tuna. Or even fish. Then the issue with the pressed chicken being something other than chicken. And today… …I went in for a… Read more »

Ansel Hazen

Politely my ass. Do unto others as they do unto you. The libtard left throws everything they can at the wall to see what sticks. We need to fling it back harder.

Henry Bowman

Little Quisling Harold is back to being a RINO. You’re right – we are well past politeness and damn close to saying ‘F YOU’ with our bullets! The Left never plays fair, yet Harold would have you play fair AND be polite!
I only read his Bravo Sierra for the comic relief.

WI Patriot

“How should Second Amendment supporters address corporate policies that prohibit then shame employees from defending themselves?”

Ignore them…

gregs

corporations and government agencies should be held financially liable if any harm comes to anyone during the commission of a crime if they do not allow lawful concealed carriers to exercise their Second Amendment right. once it hurts them financially, maybe they will rethink their position. government probably not because it isn’t their money, but it’s a start.

incorrigible

AMEN!!!

OlTrailDog

“…once it hurts them financially, maybe they will rethink…” The problem is that since it really is YOUR money and not the government’s money they really don’t give a hoot. They simply will take more of your money, or print more money your children will be responsible for, and carry on their merry way. That is an inherent flaw in government taxing and spending; it is not their money they are spending it is your money and they really do not have a vested personal interest in the quality of the product they “purchase”.

JSNMGC

That is the exact same logic of why taxpayer payments related to the egregious and criminal behavior of bad enforcers does nothing to discourage bad behavior by other enforcers. They are not concerned about losing their assets.

“Not-so-qualified immunity” has to be modified.

zuzuk

Submissive Way … NO WAY!!

ANY company with these BS submissive policies, denying self protection, should have to provide protection! Yet somehow, even that doesn’t feel like it would make up for a denial of a right!

Jrod

Lets see if this fits: I’m a store owner that hasn’t seen a profit for a long while. I arrange for my store to be robbed as a way to balance my books. The employee interferes with my efforts. Now I want to get a new employee for violating company policy. Fits? You judge !!!