Philadelphia Mayor proposing principles to pressure gun industry financially

The mayor of Philadelphia is organizing an economic boycott of sorts targeting the gun industry. He’s threatening to pull investments from gun manufacturers, distributors and retailers.

Mayor Michael Nutter calls them the “Sandy Hook Principles,” named for the Connecticut elementary school where 26 were killed last month.  He modeled them on the Sullivan Principles, put together by Philadelphia’s Rev. Leon Sullivan to get companies doing business in South Africa during Apartheid to reform their conduct.

“Philadelphia was one of the first pension funds to divest with companies doing business in South Africa,” said Nutter. “We saw that movement going across this country, in virtually every big city, some states and other investment fund managers took action.”

The principles call for the city to divest from any manufacturer, distributor or retailer or guns or ammunition that fails to adhere to a series of demands. They call for keeping guns out of the hands of children and those with serious mental illness as well as not selling military style assault weapons for civilian use.

“These are rational, these are reasonable these are common sense business practices that if they use them will help insure a safer America,” said Nutter

He is hoping others will adopt the principles.