The little dweeb is back at it. Stirring up the ignorant masses, which isn’t too hard to do. Instead of a “die-in” at Publix supermarkets, people should do a “die-in” in his front yard. Oh well, it’s good to know that some people pushed back.
This cry baby, David Hogg, is going to milk the Parkland shooting for his personal gain as long as he can. Bottom line: he’s just a moron, plain and simple. TGO
Refer to story below. Source: Orlando Sentinel, Sun Sentinel
Anne Geggis Contact Reporter Sun Sentinel
One of the most visible Parkland activists is calling for a “die in” at Publix supermarkets Friday to protest its donations to gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam, whose pro-gun stance gets him a top rating from the National Rifle Association.
David Hogg, who helped galvanize the “March for Our Lives” movement after the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, told his 799,000 Twitter followers on Wednesday they should “die in” at Publix stores. It entails lying on the ground inside supermarkets for 12 minutes at 4 p.m. Friday.
Hogg is a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where gunman Nikolas Cruz on Feb. 14 killed 17 people and wounded 17 more.
Hogg called Publix an “#NRASellOut” through his Twitter account, criticizing the Lakeland-based chain’s donations to Putnam, who once labeled himself on social-media platforms as “a proud #NRASellout.” On Tuesday, Hogg called for a boycott until Publix pulled its endorsement of Putnam and on Wednesday, he called for the “die in.”
Putnam’s stance and votes on guns have earned him the gun lobbying group’s A-plus rating.
Publix’s $670,000 donation to the gubernatorial candidate came to light last week in the Tampa Bay Times.
Responding to some customers’ disappointment over the endorsement, the company has tweeted that Publix has supported Putnam since he ran for the state House of Representatives as its hometown candidate.
Company officials couldn’t be reached late Wednesday to comment on whether protesters would be forced to leave, or arrested if they protest inside Publix stores. But a spokeswoman’s statement Wednesday said the company is concerned about the controversy the donation set off.
Nicole Krauss, Publix spokeswoman, wrote in an email that the company has a history of supporting candidates focused on job growth and a healthy Florida economy. “We regret that some of our political contributions have led to an unintentional customer divide instead of our desire to support a growing economy in Florida.
“As a result of this situation, we are evaluating our processes to ensure that our giving better reflects our intended desire to support a strong economy and a healthy community.”
It also said the vast majority of the company’s “giving is focused on organizations whose mission supports youth, education, and the plight of the hungry and homeless within our area of operation.
In his tweet, Hogg references two local Publix supermarkets, an apparent reference to the Parkland Publix, as well as a Publix a few blocks west of Stoneman Douglas, in Coral Springs.
Retweets and “likes” were climbing into the thousands within hours after Hogg tweeted about the “die-in” idea. Many of the tweeted responses, though, seem to indicate strong support for Publix, or reflected just how much of a lightning rod for controversy Hogg has become.
Some said they wish him luck getting down on the dirty floor.
Twitter user Gunnar Hemming seemed to think that Hogg’s idea was just hurting Floridians, noting that Publix is an employee-owned company. “What you are doing is advocating taking food of those [hard working] peoples’ tables.”
Kyle Kashuv, a Stoneman Douglas junior who often challenges Hogg’s efforts, called the boycott “just wrong.”
Some saw a great opportunity to give Publix a shout-out for its clean stores, “amazing customer service and great subs.”
“JonWhyNock” seems to suggest the protesters should get one after they finish “dying in.”
Twitter user PierceMohel described himself as a 17-year-old who works for Publix and said the endorsement concerned him.
“Not proud of my first job,” he wrote. “It is the higher ups in the company and not all of us down the chain.”
ageggis@sunsentinel.com, 561-243-6624, or @AnneBoca . Visit our Deerfield Beach community page at SunSentinel.com/FacebookDeerfield.
