Poll: Do Americans Really Care about where Companies Stand Politically?

A recent Gallup poll revealed only 38% percent of American adults “want businesses to take a stance on current events.” The remaining majority, however, would prefer corporations to stay quiet on their beliefs.

After several years of political madness, society has witnessed waves of boycotts from the Left and the Right. For instance, many conservatives and Christians have chosen to stray from doing business with organizations such as Bud Light, Target, Starbucks, and others, that unabashedly promote LGBT ideology. The same is true on the opposite side of the spectrum, as pro-Palestinian groups that support Hamas have chosen to boycott organizations with Israeli ties.

But notably, the poll, which measured the opinions of 5,835 people, found that “nearly all age groups, genders, races, and partisan groups” were represented in those who felt corporations should keep their political views to themselves. The groups that most strongly felt otherwise included Democrats, black adults, and those who promote LGBT ideology.

The question is: why is this the case? Is it possible consumers are tired of having to pick and choose where they buy a cup of coffee? Or could it simply be that the American people don’t want to associate everyday shopping with a particular worldview? To help give possible explanations to these questions, Family Research Council’s Director of the Center for Biblical Worldview David Closson commented to The Washington Stand.

“We live in incredibly hyper-politicized times,” he stated. “For the last several years, it seems that politics has exploded onto the headlines, and one can’t navigate through the public square without being forced to confront the latest cultural or social issue.” As such, Closson noted he’s “not at all surprised that Americans are expressing to pollsters the fact that they are utterly exhausted” to be faced with politics 24/7.

According to Closson, there are times when political engagement within an everyday shopping experience is justified. For instance, “The backlash against Bud Light and Target for their aggressive LGBT activism” had a purpose. Considering that many of the leftist companies faced severe drops in sales, it’s now obvious that the boycotts “sent a warning shot across the bow to many corporations that tens of millions of Christians were tired of having a moral agenda shoved down their throat that was not congruent with their biblical worldview.”

In the broad analysis, it stands to reason that Christians aren’t the only ones to be “getting tired of the constant, frantic political news cycle” that’s seemingly impossible “to extricate ourselves from.” However, arguably, Christians do face a unique dilemma when it comes to the political stance of an organization. As Closson emphasized, “Fundamentally, Christians are called to be good stewards” — a call applicable to both our time and resources.

However, from Closson’s perspective, “Christians should be good stewards with everything God has entrusted us with, which would include our consumer habits.” He continued, “When Target was putting chest-binders in swimsuits for those who identify as transgender on the very front display rack, I do believe Christians have an obligation not to support companies that so flagrantly and blatantly disregard traditional biblical ethic.”

Ultimately, in a fallen world, Christians will never be truly free of businesses that reflect anti-biblical beliefs. But that doesn’t mean, as Closson contended, that we should “worry about every little detail” and rob ourselves of joy. “Some of these large companies do our homework for us by virtue signaling and seemingly taking every step possible to let us know where they stand on the moral issues of our day.” And “when an organization, company, or business tells you what they believe on certain hot button issues, it’s appropriate for Christians to take them at their word.”

Closson concluded that when it comes to these matters, “Wisdom is needed.”