“Evan Hafer just wants the vitriol to stop. The founder and CEO of veteran-owned Black Rifle Coffee Company has received copious hate mail, social media backlash and disparaging phone calls in the wake of a New York Times’ article profiling the company, which paints itself as an organization not only serving up a basic cup of joe, but with an extra shot of patriotism delivered by military veterans.
“Hafer and his colleagues hoped the article, which ran July 14, would give them the opportunity to distance Black Rifle from right-wing fringe groups and individuals who’ve adopted its merchandise as their own. The piece would be the company’s chance to denounce racism, hatred, bigotry and antisemitism from its brand once and for all, arguing that the vitriol never aligned with the firm’s mission.”
Here’s how he wants to define BRCC’s mission: “Hafer said … at its core, Black Rifle is about brewing good coffee and supporting veterans and first responders.”
All well and good. But he marketed his brand by “hyping up a certain gun-toting, unruffled machismo leaning heavily on the founders’ military experience and veteran status to build its fan base” by playing on “the ‘tactical lifestyle’ that’s hugely popular with paramilitary and ultranationalist groups.”
And now he and his colleagues are a target of rightwing haters who feel betrayed by his denunciations of racism, hate, bigotry, and anti-semitism — the very things they live and die for. With those people, you’re either one of them, or you’re not. With them, you’re either all in, or the enemy. By trading on their culture, but not embracing it, he set himself up as a Judas in their eyes.
Read story here.
Photo below: If this is how you’re gonna market coffee, you shouldn’t be surprised when the synagogue torchers and Mike Pence lynchers show up at your coffee bars.
I doubt that the bigots and racists are much of his customer base. A vocal minority. [Edited comment.]
That’s not the problem. Harassment is. A tiny but vocal minority can do a lot of damage to a business and make life miserable for its owners and employers. That’s why you don’t pander to them in the first place, which sets them up to feel betrayed.