SayUncle: Boycotting Pilot Oil
It’s now been over one month since I reported that Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam is a member of the Joyce Foundation-funded, anti-gun group called Mayors Against Illegal Guns. This has been mentioned on my site and linked by instapundit, NRA News, and other local blogs; and it has been covered by radio host Steve Gill. But I’ve heard nary a peep out of the local press regarding his membership in a group whose desire is to export New York City type gun controls to other cities (NY controls include licensing, registering, only celebrities and those political connections can get permits to carry weapons, and excessive fees).
Mayor Haslam was the president of Pilot Oil prior to becoming mayor. His family still runs the business. I’ve long bought my gas, snacks and the occasional sixer of brews at Pilot stations since they’re conveniently located. I will no longer do that. I’ll drive the extra mile or two and spend my money at Weigel’s. My weekly $50 fill up will go to them.
I encourage other Tennessee gun owners to do the same. And to tell your gun-owning friends about it as well.
November 15th, 2006 at 11:58 am
I haven’t done business at Pilot for years. Have no plans to do so in the future. As long as Big Jim wishes to interfere with all aspects of government local, state, and federal he can do so without my monetary support.
November 15th, 2006 at 12:37 pm
That does it.
I am going to start buying my Rough Riders at Walgreens.
November 15th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
This one’s easy for me. I don’t even know where there are ANY pilot oil stations anywhere near me. 🙂
November 16th, 2006 at 9:35 pm
As an employee of the Haslam administration I encourage sayuncle to contact me via email as I may be able to offer a communication venue if he is having trouble connecting with the mayor.
November 17th, 2006 at 10:22 am
[…] Regarding my boycott of Pilot Oil due to Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam’s membership in an anti-gun group, I received this comment: As an employee of the Haslam administration I encourage sayuncle to contact me via email as I may be able to offer a communication venue if he is having trouble connecting with the mayor. […]
November 21st, 2006 at 9:56 am
I stopped doing business at Pilot back in 1996. I made this decision when I heard that Jim Haslam, Sr. who always claimed to be a staunch Republican had contributed to Jim Sasser. He is the type of unprincipled individual who will contribute to both sides just to buy influence. Haslam and is ilk such as Ted Welch, Lamar Alexander, Howard Baker, and Don Sundquist are simply a bunch of “moderate” RINOs who want to use the Tennessee GOP as the political arm of the Chamber of Commerce. They have no interest whatsoever in any political or ideological principles. As you may recall, Jim, Sr. was also a supporter of the State Income Tax. Jim, Sr. is nothing but a nouveau riche social climber who wants to try to “give” to any cause that will enhance his own power, status, and influence. Tennessee needs an ideologically based grass roots Conservative movement to take control of the GOP and to return Tennessee to Constitutional principles.
November 27th, 2006 at 12:25 pm
[…] I said before that I was boycotting Pilot Oil due to Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam’s membership in an anti-gun group funded by the Joyce Foundation. I was pleased to have received correspondence from someone in the Mayor’s office offering to clarify the issue with me. I received that comment 11 days ago and awaited said follow up. But the follow up hasn’t happened yet. Now, I know their office was busy with allegations of racism and the holiday weekend and all. But I have yet to hear back. My offer still stands: I responded via email and offered to re-print anything the mayor had to say without edit. I also asked if he’d answer question about the group. […]
December 4th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
[…] And more from Knoxville from SayUncle. He’s using his wallet as his voice and boycotting Pilot Oil, the local mayor’s family business. For those of you not following his blog often, you might be shocked to learn that the Knoxville mayor has joined Bloomberg’s anti-gun group which hopes to export New York City style gun control around the country. He also responds to local press coverage of the politicians who used firearms in self defense. Since he may have a little kissing up to do to the wife, he needs to consider the necklace to the left. Actually, he needs to find something shinier and with diamonds, but that wouldn’t fit this carnival very well. […]
January 23rd, 2007 at 10:27 am
[…] Bloomberg does the opinion piece for mayors against guns a gun control organization that is funded by the Joyce Foundation. Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam is a member of the anti-gun coalition of mayors (see background info here) and that is why I personally am boycotting Pilot Oil. Nothing new in this misguided screed but I found this interesting: At today’s summit, we will be joined by representatives from the American Hunters and Shooters Association, because — as a new national poll shows — the vast majority of gun-owning Americans support common-sense measures to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, including eliminating restrictions on gun trace data. […]
March 16th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
[…] and SayUncle would be proud. We’ve been honoring his boycott of Pilot Oil since the Mayor of Knoxville who joined Bloomberg’s anti-2A group is […]
June 7th, 2007 at 8:33 am
[…] be good news for yours truly and the environment as I drive a vehicle that will take that. But I’m boycotting Pilot Oil since one of it’s owners, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, is a member of the Joyce Foundation […]