Good news for a change: Sneaky Pete Holsters

The world never goes short of stories about things that don't go well.  I've just had a brush with very good corporate conduct and I thought it really deserved a mention.

Despite not having owned firearms for several years (medical issues) I remain a member of the National Rifle Association.  Last week I was flipping through the latest issue of American Rifleman when this ad for "Sneaky Pete Holsters" caught my eye for the wrong reason -

 

Sharp eyes will have spotted the concern.  One of the "covert series" holsters advertised features the Red Cross badge quite prominently.  It's not always well understood that the Red Cross image isn't a generic sign for medical help.  Essentially it is "[in] times of armed conflict ... the visible sign of the protection conferred by the Geneva Conventions on the victims and on those who come to their aid".  Use of the image is quite heavily restricted in order to maintain its protective status.  It struck me that this really couldn't be a proper use of the badge, particularly going on a firearms accoutrement.

I sent this email to the company -

Dear Sir/Madam,

I was interested to see your recent advertisement on page 7 of the December 2017 issue of American Rifleman.

I note that your "Covert Series" holsters includes an item which carries the Red Cross badge (I'm guessing this is to make it look like a first aid kit?). It seems to me this may not be a proper use of the Red Cross symbol. The International Committee of the Red Cross says that in "times of armed conflict it is the visible sign of the protection conferred by the Geneva Conventions on the victims and on those who come to their aid; in peacetime it shows that a person or object is linked to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, of which the International Committee of the Red Cross is the founding body." (https://www.icrc.org/en/guidelines-red-cross-emblem-fundraising).

I'm certainly a supporter of firearms rights, but I respectfully urge your company to consider redesigning this particular product.

Yours faithfully,

Stephen Tuck

A day or so later I received this reply -

Hi Stephen,

Thanks very much for your feedback and getting this to our intention. We will change the layout of the cross for sure. Thanks again!

Reasonable people will have a range of views about firearm ownership in general and concealed carry in particular.  The same reasonable people would probably agree, however, that the humanitarian work of groups like Red Cross is immensely valuable.  "Sneaky Pete Holsters" is evidently willing to put itself out to ensure that that work is not undermined.  This is corporate citizenship that should be applauded.