Over the weekend, social media was ablaze with allegations that SureFire is anti-Second Amendment due to donations made in the past to Democrat political campaigns. Dr John Matthews, Founder and President provided us with this statement.
In all of our work with SureFire over the years, nothing could be further from the truth than claiming they are anti-2A. They not only support the Constitution, but they provide those Americans who defend it day-to-day with some of the finest tools available.
Dear Customers and Concerned Citizens:
It has been brought to our attention that past political donations from the SureFire Political Action Committee (PAC) have been called in to question along with SureFire’s stance on the Second Amendment. Before we get to the facts we’d like to thank you for your support and we sincerely appreciate your loyalty.
It’s a long read but the details should provide a fuller perspective:
Established in 2010 and disbanded in 2014, the purpose of the SureFire PAC was to gain the support and assistance of our state representatives (both Democrat and Republican) so that we had a chance at (1) obtaining congressional funding to develop sighting technology that would improve the warfighter’s ability to aim crew-served weapons, and (2) to be able to reach out to our representatives when we need assistance doing business in California.
During its existence from 2010 to 2014 the SureFire PAC made donations totaling approximately $10,356 to Democrat representatives and $16,610 to Republican representatives.
It should be noted that we were unsuccessful in obtaining congressional funding for the weapon-sight development project mentioned above, and that all of our product development has been self-funded. But if you are a defense business that hopes to get congressional budget earmarked funding and/or program support for defense-related projects, you typically need to get the attention and support of at least one of your state representatives—or all of them if possible—so they can “represent” your interests during the budget appropriations process.
This is how business is done in the defense industry, by most medium-sized defense manufacturers, and by all of the large ones. And, it’s what we needed to do to achieve our mission of ensuring the safety, success and survival of our customers—whether military, law enforcement, or patriot-citizen.
In 2018 one of our employees donated $500 to the DNC Services Corp, a pro-Democrat organization. This was a personal donation, had nothing to do with SureFire, and despite the fact that we, as a company, are not aligned with his political preferences, we recognize his right to think differently and to vote as he pleases.
SureFire (as an organization) is 2A to the core. I myself am an NRA Lifetime Endowment member; our VP of Suppressors and Weapons is a veteran and world-class competitive shooter; our VP of Sales and Marketing is a veteran and competitive shooter; our VP of Military Sales gave 21 years to his country, 18 of them as an Army Special Operations commando; our graphic designers practice dry-firing and handgun drills in the office; our team-building events usually involve shooting; many of our executives and employees are concealed carry permit holders and carry daily. Most of us worry about how to live our 2A lives without running afoul of so-called “assault rifle” laws, reduced-capacity magazine regulations, and all the other restrictions we deal with as firearms owners, and as a manufacturer of firearms and firearms accessories in California.
We also support organizations such as the National Rifle Association, American Suppressor Association, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, among others, and are proud of our long history of sponsoring USPSA, IDPA, 3-Gun and other shooting sports. Come by our office and you’ll see we share the same values as you do when it comes to the freedom to bear arms.
Our focus is on providing the warfighter, first responder, and armed citizen with the tools they need to win the fight, and we promise to keep making products that support the Second Amendment, the American worker, our economy, our military, and freedom in general.
John Matthews
Founder & President
Want to make money in the defense industry? got to grease those rails and those rails go on both sides of the isle.
Sadly this is the reality of the industry, and this is not Surefire’s fault. If they want to remain in the game they have to play by the rules. Everything they did is legal, not a bribe or a kickback. We can all thank the Supreme Court and Citizens United for this,
“so they can “represent” your interests”
I like the quotes here.
So basically, you gotta give enough money to them (aka bribe), merely being an industry giant with a solid reputation for quality goods and providing employment to the community isn’t worth much.
F*** hell that political system is so broken.
Show me one that’s better? Overt bribery and kick backs are openly performed in nearly every other country on Earth. At least we make it tough, relatively speaking. It’s not that our political system is broken, it’s that this is what humanity does.
I’m not giving an example of a country that doesn’t have corruption, but of a company that tackled this whole issue differently: Barrett.
This is NOT a valid excuse. Almost every lighting product I own is from Surefire, and has been for 15 years now. Sadly I will have to rethink my future purchases.
I’m curious what kind of car you drive. Have you looked into who they donate to? Maybe the manufacturer of the device you used to type the comment?
I am fully aware that ignorance is bliss when it comes to who donates money where, but the things SureFire does to support the Second Amendment far outweigh the money they’ve donated to Democrats over the years. Plus, their stuff is made here, in the US, so your Dollars aren’t going to support a regime adversarial to our country.
My Car is not a firearms orientated company that on one side pretends to be a champion of Freedom and on the other side funnels money to people who want to destroy it.
Orientated? Man, you are a hoot!
Whether you agree with his point or not, it makes you look weak if the only thing you can attack is his grammar.
Looks like you better boycott other comments that donated to Dems:
-Microsoft
-Apple
-AT&T
-Boeing
-Dish
-IBM
-Version
-CISCO
-GE
-Intel
-CITI
-Wells Fargo
Just to name a few, so looks like youll never own a computer again, be able to talk on a cell phone, use the internet, fly commercially, use major appliances or go to a bank with out difficulty again, have fun.
Our right to drive cars is not being endlessly attacked with an agenda whose main goal is a total car ban. Of all of those brands listed, the political issue at stake is not principally related to the gun industry.
Although a good point well taken; it’s understood that bribes are integral to our government machine. In the world of firearms, we can not afford to give an inch. Not even for the almighty contracted dollar. Just saying, “Hey, that’s showbiz, Baby” doesn’t justify the actions.
I was going to reply this same statement to SSD, but you said it well. Phones, cars, and other industries are not intrinsically linked to guns and the 2nd amendment, whereas Surefire absolutely is. IMO, our tolerance for leftist heresy should be far less with companies in the industry, as they should know better.
I see hypocrisy in your morality. Anti-gun is either bad across the board and worthy of boycott or it is not.
You are a fair weather patriot. You’ll boycott a company if it doesn’t impose on your lifestyle but you won’t put down the car, clothing, electronics and social media who’s donations to Democrats are actually hurting your rights.
Preach
Mic drop!
So, when you donate to a conservative candidate, is that a bribe too?
May I put a small point out here, years ago we did not have this problem. Not since a bunch of uneducated youngsters from Florida were influenced by the gun ban lobby, mainly Bloomberg and every town, that they apply pressure on all our local businesses and companies that support at the NRA. They have NRA as a target on their agenda And will not let up until the NRA is according to them.
it’s only because of that everyone else is starting to follow suit picking and choosing who they buy business products from and what they support. I firmly believe in investing in companies that believe in American believes in the Second Amendment, but companies that invest in believe in everything in our Constitution.
Society has change so much in the last 40 years, I’m almost disgusted and afraid for the next 40. It seems the youngsters have forgotten to listen to the grandparents and parents who have gone through some nasty things in their lives, world wars etc., and easy answers are doomed to fail.
Someone must educate them!
It’s the only hope we have for our country, public schools have not done the right thing and made them more socialist than anything
so when 2A people boycott an establishment or business, it’s fine… but NRA is no to be touched?
The NRA is a garbage institution that had its own right for quite some time, but at this point their only public stunt is to somehow be linked to cash transfers with crooked Russians…
really want to see a better institution to protect 2A matters than the NRA. Actually really happy to see them die.
Russians? Really? “The enemy of my enemy is…”? “Cui bono?”
Also, NRA has tried to placate gun prohibitionists as well as place industry intrests over 2A protection. They should step up their game if they want continued support from the American people.
They are targeted because of the NRA-ILA who file legal challenges. That is the real threat to the anti-gun agenda. They have their own donation page vs plain NRA.
PREACH!!!!!!
That’s the idea.
This is where I will watch and see who has figured life out and who hasn’t.
Thanks for doing that Dr. Matthews; sorry you had to take the time.
Surefire isn’t Benchmade…..Never once did this cross my mind.
I saw people whining the same thing about Benchmade recently.
Guess where they learned this news? Facebook who openly bans conservatives AND donates big time to leftist politicians like Corey Booker and Kamalla Harris who work to take away American’s rights in congress. Not to mention facebook steals your private info and sells it.
Everybody ready to jump on the boycotte bandwagon of a $200 knife or flashlight, MADE IN USA, so next they go to walmart or Amazon and buy something made in China and feel like they came out ahead. Go figure.
Anymore a majority of folks in this country HAVE to be irritated, annoyed or my favorite offended by something…calm down. Surefire makes great products right here in the USA and no less in California which I cannot even begin to imagine the BS they deal with when it comes to most of these liberal politicians that have been elected here who have absolutely zero use for firearms or anything associated with them. Calm down.
The real question is why haven’t they already moved their operations out of California. Calm down? Bet you’re a boomer cuck. You’re a cuck regardless.
SSD is a little more professional than calling people silly names.
Carlos Danger – go buy some douche powder cuzz it sounds like you are menstruating…boomer cuck?!!! LMFAO straight J-cat.
Only dim-witted millenial beta types call someone a “cuck.”
Making them in california is no different than made in china.
You actually believe this? Perhaps you could enlighten us about why this is the case?
Actually it’s precisely the opposite.
If you anodize metal in China you only have to bribe a couple local officials. Bribery in Cali is so expensive that it’s actually simpler to just follow the environmental regulations.
Same with labor. Labor is from 33% to 75% MORE expensive in Cali than anywhere other than Manhattan, and about 4x the cost of labor in China.
The other uniquely American thing they do is offer top notch support their legacy product. They basically rebuilt my X400 for the cost of the parts…
An actually good response and I’m okay with it in my book. Benchmade was vague, and the guy just mumbled on for 20 minutes, won’t get my money anymore. Also, Surefire donated only $10k, while benchmade did $1.2 million!!! Looking forward to upgrading to a 1000 lumen x300.
The false equivalency on this post is astounding. To attempt to make a connection between any of the companies listed by 123 and a company like Surefire is they don’t produce product specifically geared towards firearms and self defense.
Then we get the “gotta grease the wheels to get attention” crap is just that, crap. A business such as Surefire has decades of good press within the military and self defense circles. To act like they have to pay off politicians to be considered for a government contract is bullshit.
Of course at the end we get the “we served so we are above reproach” ignorance. Just because you were in the military doesn’t mean you can’t be a flaming leftist. Also, playing the “we are in the NRA” works about as well, as they have already stated they are willing to pay off politicians to get good marks so dropping money into the NRA for the same isn’t that far of a stretch.
Sorry if this offends, but we’ve already had this with Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms and the apologists including the NRA have continued to kiss their asses. If we continue to bend over to these companies because “they make good product” then we are cutting our own throats.
Well said.
On point!
Those other companies actually do harm to your rights. But boycotting them would be inconvenient, right?
SureFire donates more in products EACH WEEK to support Law Enforcement Agencies, Military Units, First Responders, and to charities that support these groups, than all of our political contributions combined. EVERY WEEK, and I personally write many of those orders. John Matthews is true patriot that invests the majority of our earnings back into R&D, seeking to invent better equipment for those out there doing the work. We are a private company focused on building the best, in America, and we are certainly as Pro 2-A as you can get. We have never received any political favors, we survive completely on the quality and performance of our illumination tools and suppressors. We have always backed our products with a 100% guarantee, and continue to do our best to deliver the highest level of service and quality to our customers. Historically SureFire has made a positive impact on tactics, techniques, and proceedures that can’t truly be measured. I am proud of SureFire and fortunate to be on the team lead by our founder and President John Matthews.
Jamie Wiedeman
VP-Military Sales
SureFire, LLC
Your first sentence speaks volumes Jamie. You excluded the very people who foot the bill for your congressional funding, the American citizen. Nobody questions your support of the mil/le community. We do question if that support comes at the expense of everyone else. True patriots don’t sellout their fellow citizens to gain gov funding or contracts.
We may have to bow down and accept companies outside of the 2A community funding attacks against our rights however, it should never be acceptable for any 2A company to put even $1 in the pockets of anti-gun politicians.
You picked the wrong guy to accuse of not supporting the Constitution. He’s given a lot for this country, both in the military and since his retirement. I hope that you get an opportunity to discuss your mistake in person with Jamie.
Furthermore, SureFire does an amazing amount of stuff for the armed citizen. They give away loads of equipment to instructors for their students and sponsor numerous competitive shooters as well as the events others participate in.
Do you actually believe that $2500 a year took away your rights? Especially considering during the same period, they gave $4000 a year to Republicans?
I made no accusation about Jamie’s support of the Constitution and never questioned his sacrifice to this country. He said John Matthews is a true patriot and I questioned that statement.
As I said, I believe even $1 dollar given to any anti-gun Senator or member of Congress is unacceptable.
I demand to know how much toilet paper manufactures are making of of the dod and where they then spend their money. I refuse to wipe my ass until I know it’s 2A suupported ass paper.
John is a true patriot, sacrificing in many ways for others. He could have retired long ago, but comes in everyday and works hard, sets the example. He had one of the first SR25’s ever made and ride his mountain bike to the range to shoot it. He spends hours each week working on a training system to help police and others be better shooters. Those of us who know and support John see the countless ways he takes care of others and remains focused on the mission to build the best. Ask yourself what have you done to make a difference in this world? We at SureFire are motivated by knowing we contribute in a positive way to defending freedom and the American way.
Jamie, I’ve created two successful businesses (one is 2A based) that employ great people. My father is retired LE and my brother is active duty within SOCOM, supporting those communities is important to me. Gear has been purchased and donated to people working to defend our nation. Training has been covered for underfunded officers. Money has been given to local LE K9 units. My wallet opens up to support veterans, families of fallen officers, and families of fallen military warriors. I invest time and money in getting youth involved in the shooting sports. And, I’ve never given a dime to any politician so they could represent my interests. Ultimately it’s not up to me to decide if I’ve done anything to make a difference. I try to do what I can.
That’s outstanding. Any money donated in the past was not intended as support for anti-2A. That was never the logic, and it wasn’t meant as a bribe either. It’s a way to get time with your Congressman. It didn’t work out, and most of us were unaware until a couple days ago. My wife and I donated personally for President Trump’s campaign. At least I am on here with full disclosure of my name and title. I personally try and limit my support for blatant anti-gun organization, and it certainly restricts my options for shoes, clothes, coffee, and entertainment, but those are easy calls, intentional disagreemnts with my beliefs. This issue with SureFire is not the same, and we deserve some consideration.
Ultimately our beliefs are similar. I’ll give SF the benefit of the doubt. Have a good one Jamie.
I entrust my life every day to surefire products. I have used several other popular brands and have had major failures. Surefire’s customer service has been top notch to me and I cannot thank them enough. I would be willing to bet that several people condemning Surefire have never even contacted their representatives regarding issues. Thank you again Surefire for your products and support.
I certainly have Mike and I can say their customer service was top notch. They even covered gear going back to the Laser Products days.
Well said Jamie.
And they don’t write that off?
There is one question I would like to ask, why hasn’t Surefire moved operations to a more 2A friendly state, much like Magpul did when they left Colorado for Wyoming and Texas after a major change in the political environment?
In the main of brand and word-association – whenever I think about SureFire products(especially the few SureFire products I own) – first few words that come to mind: Mission-enhancing and Life-saving. My SureFire Helmet light(mission-enhancing!) and my clunky ‘ol SureFire V1(life-saving!!). I recall reading somewhere(Esquire, maybe?) that ‘real men’ should own things like a few pairs of Crye Precision combat pants and at least one SureFire light. Don’t know what the magazine article was actually trying to underscore but I do know that I’d rather leave my Amex card at home and bring my SureFire V1
That’s great to hear. Now, let’s see if donations to gun grabbers stop when the numbers are are released next time.
What are the dates of the donations that have you all hysterical?
Surefire can do anything they want. Just like customers can do anything they like. Seems strange to me to promote the free choices of one and not for the other.
Team Wendy makes a great product. I won’t buy one. There are other companies that make great kit and are more aligned with my values.
I wish everyone the best and to follow their conscience but here is a strategy suggestion.
When magpul moved from Colorado because of the state’s stance they gained me a s customer even though I had dozens of serviceable mags. Now magpul is all I run. I bet it hurt a lot to move in a lot of ways but that’s commitment.
Magpul didn’t move out of Colorado.
Roger, google “Magpul leaves Colorado”…
Magpul donated to Democrat’s in the past, if only some of you blithering idiots would lighten up and smell the reality for a second. If you’ve done any of the following than you have played a role in the encroachment of 2A rights:
Skipped an election.
Voted third party.
Payed taxes.
Sent your child to public school.
Bought Girl Scout Cookies.
Shopped at a openly anti 2A business – REI and the like.
Pay for television service.
Bought anything made in the PRC.
Get your head out of your ass and stop ring a bunch of whiny pathetic outraged pussies.
It never ceases to amaze me how hypocritical these “true patriots” and “2A supporters” are when it comes down to brass tacks. They expect a perfect mode of operation for everyone but themselves.
A state passes a law they disagree with? MOVE YOUR BUSINESS INSTANTLY OR ELSE YOU’RE A TRAITOR! As if it’s that simple. Yet they’ll continue to live, pay taxes, and “fight” in those areas by doing nothing more than typing on their truly anti-2A iPhone.
They’ll spend hundreds on Thin Blue Line paraphernalia and scream about supporting the Law Enforcement community. Then when Benchmade actually helps LE by caring out their judicial orders, cops and Benchmade are suddenly the enemy.
“How DARE you not produce X, Y, and Z in AMERICA!!”, they say while standing in shoes, socks, pants, t-shirts, and hats they purchased from overseas, thus setting an impossible market value for USA manufacturing to meet.
“Voted third party.”
Yes because voting for a party that actually supports guns rights is now anti-gun behavior. (liberal logic at its finest right there) There under 10 republicans in congress that want fewer gun restrictions. Voting republican is statistically very anti-2A. ( I got that number from someone who actively lobbies congress on gun rights as his full-time career)
That is not “liberal thnking”.
Just sectarian purity. Must be purer than purer to attain pure pureness.
And I agree, Republicans are only pro-gun if it gets the next election, but then they are just as scared of the evil guns.
When you hand an election to a true enemy of the 2A, when you might have had a tepid fish on “our side” that would at least be inclined to listen to arguments from their side of the aisle.
I only have one surefire flashlight, but I kind of get what surefire did. They are headquartered in california(?), and unfortunately california has alot of democrats in power. Not occasionally, but consistently. Short of moving their entire business out of state, they probably have to get these democratic representatives (who probably dont like them in the first place) to represent them. From what I read about their reply, it seems that they donated to these people to force them to sit down with surefire and listen to them, and what they need. To me it seems like surefire had to pay a fee because of their business being related to firearms, where as any socialist company (google, apple, etc) has representatives at their calling. Not sure what surefire is supposed to do if the committee that make the calls are all chaired by democrats. Im pretty sure no democrat would bat for them unless they somehow benefited themselves, especially because of their perceived optics of a democrat working with a firearms industry company.
Looks like google spends a few million a year buying access:
https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cycle=2018&cmte=C00428623
Does this guy have any idea that the NRA is under as much heat right now? Put out one fire and start another I guess. Plus whoever that one employee is I hope he gets some free medical attention after getting thrown under that bus.
Hopefully you guys gave that one employee a free light before you tossed him under the bus…….. like for real don’t mind our 10k donation but unknown employee 500$ got him sacrificed on social media.
funny how the 1A doesn’t matter when its not in line with your thought process
Mentioning those traitors to the 2a at the nra isnt helping your cause. Sorry, but everyone has a choice to stand behind your principles you chose to sacrifice your 2a principles for money.
How much money did they donate to pro-2A causes? Have you asked?
I’ll tell you what impresses me. The guys who want to destroy a company over $10,356 donated to Democratic politicians from 2010 to 2014.
Hell, you’re doing the gun grabbers work for them. Michael Bloomberg approves.
I’ve started to realize that these people have zero idea how the world actually works and has been pointed out, there’s a great deal of hypocrisy in their beliefs.
PACs are created to support a candidate or to influence toward a cause. In SureFire’s case, the goal was funding for work they wanted to pursue. That was it. It wasn’t a pro-2A PAC. Demanding a special interest litmus test be applied against every PAC or lobbying effort, whether related to its expressed goal or not, associated with each business you run across is ridiculous and unreasonable.
Had SureFire secured the funding due to the efforts of the PAC, firearms owners and armed professionals alike would have benefitted. But to understand that requires an understanding of business and a vision of what can be achieved.
BINGO!!! But I doubt the type of person who lacks the intellectual capacity to figure this out will be able to make sense even of your comment.
It’s just ridiculous.
“We” are beginning to sound like a bunch of triggered “woke” leftists.
This is a pretty simple thing to understand if you are capable of logic and reason, and the ability to turn the lizard brain off long enough to process them. Surefire clearly committed no transgression against 2A here….jesus, read the letter. I have to say its amusing to watch other Republican/conservatives on here battle against the same knee jerk anti-intellectualism that all the rest of us are already familiar with from their party.
…beginning… personally i believe it happened even before the lefties started going all woke.
Why does SSD always defend the bad parties? How much money you getting from industry to shine light away from the dirt?
You might want to try to figure out why your point of view is upside down.
‘shill’…? A rather big word for such a tiny minded and insignificant pipsqueak… Obviously, you have no idea of what your actually talking about. Apparently there’s just too much sunlight here for you – time to slither back and hide underneath your tiny rock…
I’ve seen it before. When I’m called a shill, it’s just a projection issue. They know they can be bought and think others can as well.
As usual, what guys like this fail to comprehend is that it’s not easy to stand for what’s right. It’s much easier to go along with the crowd and vilify a company for clicks. Lots of it going on. I never forget who does the easy thing.
I’m Sorry I missed this. Since you want to accuse me of malfeasance, I think it’s time you and I met in person.
Valiant effort: trying to explain basic chess strategy to folks who can’t grasp tic-tac-toe is tough work.
Surefire is playing to win in a tough environment, can’t see anything actionable when it comes to even a bit of the old anti-gun sentiment there, but you can’t fix stupid.
Left or Right, Americans are becoming self-involved, irresponsible, passive-aggressive, decadent, easily-offended whiners who live to buy chicom junk in big-box stores and then brandish the ole online fists versus a company that has been making decent lights, cans and wpns kit in the US for decades and employs a boatload of fmr mil/LE….with this many clowns, no doubt we’ll be the first country to successfully kick its own ass in a war. No doubt most of the country would prefer to run/capitulate/die-in-place if we were invaded tomorrow, I can hear it now “Hell no, I’m like waaaay too smart+special to go, #teeheenotme” on one side and “Hell no, big gubment deep state military got to go, got plenty freeze-dried and ar15 in backyard hole, me go it alone, #basementmulisha” on the other. Can’t wait until the combat ladies-in-waiting get told they’ve got to sign up for selective service in a month or two and the media decides how to cook and serve for maximum melodrama…the concept of a “draft” just died.
Don’t try to elevate the logic. They’ll never get it.
Even if a company made a bad choice or business decision you don’t agree with, doesn’t really mean they’re anti-2A. I mean, they make things that attach to guns after all.
I’m not mad Surefire.
Love my Surefire lights and will continue to buy them. Keep up the good work and thank you for setting the record straight.
IMO, being anti-gun in your line of work doesn’t make much business sense. Lmao.
Go look up this guy Truitt Colton on Facebook he looks like a molle trash can and claims to be special forces.
https://www.facebook.com/colton.truitt
Unfortunately the useless bickering of those who choose to mindlessly boycott companies like Surefire, Benchmade, DanielDefense and others will do more to erode our 2A rights then help. These are all generally shared amongst folks who don’t rely on the firearms or defense industry for a living. Rad, glad your life is so simple and mundane you can live in black and white. Meanwhile your world will be shaped by those who know everything is much more complex than Red vs Blue. Defense spending is approved by Congress, companies who want defense contracts would be foolish to not donate to their states’s representatives. It also makes sense that any company which wants to try and advocate for 2A rights would help keep local, state, and federal politicians engaged; donations do this. Pretty much anyone over 21 with a room temperature IQ knows this. An all or nothing stance only removes you from the conversation; congratulations you played yourself. Insisting companies you buy from do the same removes them from the conversation. Unfortunately these stances can also fracture, not strengthen the pro 2A community.
To add, with customers as fickle and crazy as these, why would anyone want to get into the gun industry? Whoops, you helped out a local law enforcement agency, or whoops you tried to get funding for a .mil development contract, now you’re getting hate mail. It would likely be a lot easier to just stop selling to consumers and only go through .gov and agency contracts. Or just leave the firearms industry and let the car salesman with a GED and a ‘don’t tread on me’ flag design the next suppressor or reflex optic
Everything I wanted to say has already been said in this thread. There is nothing nefarious going on here; if you don’t think this kind of behavior is the norm, you’ve got your head in the sand. Go ahead and go to Streamlight/Inforce… there is a reason you don’t see those lights at the tip of the spear.
I understand why SSD is carrying water for their sponsors.
It doesn’t matter that they “only” gave 10k to anti-pols.
It doesn’t matter that the “system” is broken and if they want sweet sweet taxpayer and deficit dollars they need to bribe whatever their officials are.
What matters is that it should hurt, and it should encourage these firms to relocate to mfg regions populated by Americans and leaders who think that we have rights. Then they can throw all the bribes around they want to.
And perhaps, next time, another company will reconsider pulling the trigger on a donation to the Opfor.
Instead of just writing off my position as “carrying water for their sponsors” perhaps you ought to consider reality and the big picture. You’re carrying water for the anti-gun movement, doing their work for them.
So instead of trying to add more conservatives to liberal states, we should just abandon them and let the lefties win? Gotta to love that quitter’s attitude.
Some of you people are so screwed up it’s no wonder the progressives beat you so easily.
That $10,000 will cost Surefire a lot more than $10,000. #MAGA
Go and MAGA- illuminated by a made in China flashlight.
And that’s different than Chinese imported components being assembled in communist California. If SF actually cared out the 2A, they would have move out of Cali decades ago instead of funneling all those tax dollars to the state that would be happy to see the out of business.
Irony.
You cannot make a SF quality light of only US based components. The US isn’t capable of it. That’s why you need to import… And why would they move further away from their supply lines? It makes 0 sense.
If you think California is communist, then you obviously think way too highly of communism and has absolutely no clue what communism is.
A bribe is a bribe even if it is legal. Everyone else does it is not an excuse.Disgusting, goodbye Surefire
Buh-Bye James, enjoy Streamlight, Inforce, O-Light, UTH, NCStar, Rayovac, and Maglite!
Like ” they support the military” is some sort of legit excuse.
Reason #256 why I am not on social media. The hive mind and trolling meant solely to distract and divide.
I bet a fair amount of the people commenting don’t own a SureFire product or have any interest in supporting the Second Amendment. Also, if past is prologue, they likely can’t even make a reasoned argument- and in fact have shown that is mostly true.
Surefire made a business decision to selectively contribute to politicians who were likely to support their bid. A reasonable guess tells me they were probably advised to do so, and at this point regret it. That doesn’t remove them from any responsibility, it’s just a likely fact. Then they took the time to publicly advise people what they did, and why. Some even took the time to comment here.
A reasonable person could therefore deduce that Surefire, who by the way demonstrably supports the Second Amendment just about ever day, made a short-sighted business decision, not unlike many other industry companies, which they now find remorseful. This is not what we call a pattern of behavior, but more so the converse.
It is therefore a substantial stretch to say they are somehow a consistent anti-Second Amendment advocate or supporter. Nor does it make any sense to “boycott” them as that action would do more harm than good. That is, it is illogical and antipodal to supporting our Second Amendment- which I would guess is the aim of some commenting here.
This is not a time in which we should be at each others throats. WE should be focused on a party of Democrats who are intent on infringing upon our Second Amendment rights. There is bill in Congress, H.R. 5097, that represents the worst breach of our Second Amendment rights in history. It in fact bans some of the products that Surefire makes and has 178 co-sponsors, all Democrats.
Now I ask you, what more important, this petty, ephemeral issue now in the past, or a future in which we will need ever person in the fight?
I know what I have chosen.
Not all Democrats are anti-2A. Why not enlist a Democrtat’s aid in ultimately supporting a pro-2A business or organization? Knife Rights garners support from both Republicans and Democrats in revising states’ knife laws – much to the benefit of 2A supporters.
As a guy who works in, around, and through the defense contracting world… all of the rhetoric being thrown around here makes me laugh. Not laugh because I think anything is actually funny… because it isn’t. Rather, laugh because of the misguided positions some are taking.
Surefire took a position of wanting to compete for business with our government. If you have any idea what that takes, you know that working with, for, and around government contracting is akin to pushing a really big rock uphill constantly. Surefire seen an opportunity to engage in a warfighter initiative; leveraging their technologies, approaches, business, resources, and most importantly to any business… its capital. If I was a betting man, I would say it is likely Surefire contacted the KO/command/PM/etc etc etc to express their interest in participating in the initiative. Further, contacting your elected representatives to help you be better positioned for that initiative is not out of bounds… for gods sakes, that’s what they’ve been elected to do, represent their constituency.
If you are a fighting man or woman that has ever had your unit outfitted through the TLS process, rest assured, an anti-2A congressman has had their hands in that. If you are a police officer that has ever seen your department benefit from a grant for equipment or vehicles, rest assured, an anti-2A congressman has had their hands in that. If you’re a National Guardsman that is stationed at an installation on the BRAC list, rest assured, you’ve had an anti-2A congressman on your base talking about the severe impact closing it would have on the community and state. My point… Surefire asking it’s elected representatives to help further it’s interest in a initiative to help make warfighters more lethal is not anti-2A, it’s a private company, made up of private citizens, exercising their rights to correspond with their government via representatives its state elected to represent their interests, nothing more. If you think this is actually a 2A issue, then you are about as misguided as it gets.
I am in no way affiliated with Surefire. The closest I have ever been to Surefire is speaking several times with Don, an American hero who helped Surefire further their business for a number of years; and I own 1 x300 for my G19. I won’t carry Surefires water, they can do that on their own. But I will say that Surefire has done more to increase survivability and to make the warfighter more lethal that most companys I can think of over the course of the last 10-15 years. If that doesn’t matter to you and you insist on being a dog with a bone on this PAC nonsense… then I don’t suspect you have any idea about business, politics, your actual rights, the system in which you help elect, the government at large, or why the Second Amendment is perpetually under attack. I assure you, it isn’t because Surefire wanted to compete in a warfighter initiative.
Laughing because it seems some people have they idea that respecting the constitution means censoring anyone with different opinions than their own.
Please clarify… because as I see it, no one is censoring anyone. The submit comment button seems to be working just fine.
“Further, contacting your elected representatives to help you be better positioned for that initiative is not out of bounds… for gods sakes, that’s what they’ve been elected to do, represent their constituency.”
100%. You know who shows up at the NorthWest Defense Council meetings? Earl Blumenauer, bow tie wearing super democrat who also makes sure the 125 STS gets whatever they need…
I sense a lot of neckbeards and Molan Labe tattoos in this commentary. I work in the firearms industry. I come into a lot of contact with people who LOVE guns, but know very little about them or how they operate. Or the bigger picture of what affects us as a group and what doesn’t. Surefire spelled it out pretty well, these donations are a cost of doing business in EVERY industry that deals with government. Your ire should be directed at the politicians who accept these donations, not the companies forced to give them. The people refusing to purchase Surefire lights because of this probably own a home built AR that looks like the TAPCO catalog puked on it, topped off with a China made clone of a popular Optic. Or an 8x Scope that has a laser built in. Either way, ho-hum.
I love this post! Well said… ho-hum
This post made my day.
Lol…solid comment. The Molan Labe Tatoo neckbeards… bless their hearts… they just want to not be treaded on man!
Hush – that was perfect. Jethro – that was damn near poetic. I love it!
It amazes me at the lack of reading comprehension in this country. The short lived PAC was formed for two specific purposes. One, and I’m sure the primary reason, was to compete for funding to develop new weapons sights and on a parallel track during the same time period get the ear of local political leaders.
DOD is constantly funding product development. It’s not anti 2A to do business with the government. Surefire doesn’t write the rule book. They chose to play the game this time. I’m sure they learned a few things. Probably most of them unpleasant.
As entrepreneurs they continued the development program, paying for it out of pocket. Whether anything made it to market I don’t know and it doesn’t matter. They dissolved the PAC. Business goes on. End of story.
Exactly… I am still failing to see what any of this has to do with the Second Amendment. I suppose the next position is that Democrats are elected at all means Americans hate guns… or maybe, because Democrats breathe then we all hate gun rights. Make no mistake, the Second Amendment is under constant attack… I think it always will be… but it isn’t because of Surefire.
SSD has becoming nothing but a shill for companies like Surefire, Team wendy ect that go against the principles most of us live by and many of us have bled to protect.
This whole exchange is such ridiculous bullshit. Complete naivete. Such ignorance and blinded ideology. Nick, the companies you attack develop products that are centered on helping our warfighters and first responders do their jobs effectively and in some cases, come home, alive. God help us all! What a laod of ignorance on this thread. And SSD being nothing “but a shill…”. And what exactly are these principles you live by? What a farce.
If that’s the case, why are you still here?
Someone else referred to guys like you as fair weather patriots.
In reality, you’re just a mirror image of the social justice warriors who plague our society. The thing is, a man stands for his beliefs. He doesn’t hide behind anonymity.
Go home Nick . . . you’re drunk again
Keep defending the undefensible.
All you so-called “patriot” types better shut up or actually put out because you’re just shitting out epic levels of hypocrite diarrhea day after day with these stupid boycotts and lame excuses to pull the “muh infringements!” card.
There are far far worse things in the pipeline than any so-called infringement on firearms. Yet you hold firearms above all else to the point where it’s become a veritable religion. It’s beyond ludicrous. The only thing standing between you and your loss of freedoms is YOU. It’s sure as shit not your guns.
When I was part of an industry group that was formed to combat legislation against our industry, we hired lobbyists and formed a PAC. While we rallied the public to support us and worked political alliances in the legislature, the majority of our political donations, as individual companies, or as an industry group, went to the “other side”. This gave us access to the politicians that we knew would vote for legislation against our industry and gave us the opportunity to have them hear us out, perhaps strike some compromise, and dangle the promise of future political or financial support. Expending your political effort and limited resources in an echo chamber gets you only where you are, not where you want to go. Call it what you will but this is the reality of how our political system works. So go ahead and call to boycott companies and organizations like the NRA, the only organization capable of defending the 2A on a national level by size and reputation, that don’t do exactly what you expect them to do in your small-minded libertarian utopia fantasy world. Conservative virtue signaling snowflake outrage frustrates me more than the liberal social justice warriors because I want to think that the people I ideologically identify with are smarter and more reasonable. Every group has idiots. But so many so often?
Amen
Amazing excuses for organizations whose charter is to defend and further the the 2a. The NRA has done less than nothing in combatting anti 2a laws in many areas around this country, while raking in tens of millions a year and paying nice fat BOD/ consulting salaries to people like Cox and hammer who have more in common with the enemy.
The sad hard truth is like many in the firearms industry, they want gun bans and threats against the 2a. Nothing drives up sales and donations like a good gun ban. They know this, we know this and you know this.
This is why people are pissed off. So stop insulting peoples intelegence like yoy
I have been a long time user of SureFire products personally and now that I am in a position to make decisions for what the department I work for uses we all have SureFire under gun lights on our handguns. This is a top notch company and it is sad that they have to do this but it is the way of doing business in this country. Even our current President has had to do this in the past. I for one will change nothing in the way I purchase lighting instruments, both personally and for my department. All I have to say is SureFire keep up the good work, thank you for incredible lighting interments and other fine products.
Again keep up the good work and if you have to grease the Freedom Hating anti American, anti Constitution anti everything this country has stood for democratic party, hold your nose and do what needs to be done, I have no doubts where your allegiance lies.
David Spicer
Seriously, no big deal. Maybe everyone should worry about what Commissar Nancy is trying to push through the House of Useful Idiots. Or, go abck to bitching about camouflage or 9mm vs. 45. Seriously!
“…we recognize his right to think differently and to vote as he pleases.”
The most important thing he said. I also find it disconcerting that many of the posters here, among other websites don’t appear to recognize the ability to choose is key.
If there is no choice and only ‘the way’ you are perpetuating MAO, Stalin, Hitler, Communism, socialism and fascism.
Don’t be stupid, it’s ok to disagree with your fellow countrymen but no one made any of you king (england..fight for independence from authority trying to tell our ancestors what to do….ring any bells?), especially in the land of the free. There are many other places in this horrid world you can go live if you want to abide by someone else’s rules.
As a gift to you fake patriots shitting on Surefire, tomorrow I am going into the office where I am the boss of a supply chain with adequate budget for miscellaneous items like lights, and I’m going to order around $50,000 worth of Surefire lights. We don’t need them right away, but I’ll have my folks put them on the shelf. They’ll get used eventually.
I figure that will be about 20 times the amount of money they lose from your “boycotts”, because let’s get real–if we combined the number of surefire lights that were going to be bought by the naysayers in this thread, it would be a number somewhere under 100. Now not only is your boycott a waste of time, it has actually resulted in surefire getting a little beer money for the weekend.
Your type is easy to read and easy to predict, and that’s why the anti-gun lefties are so steadily eroding our 2nd amendment rights. They’re actually smarter than you. Unfortunately the people who know what needs to be done to fight them are shouted down and outnumbered by the molon labe inbreds.