Amazon...Family Values?

Amazon entered the American political arena this past fall with CEO Jeff Bezos making a $2.5 million contribution to support a Gay marriage initiative in Washington state (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19017526).  The initiative was passed by Washington state voters in November by a 52 to 48 percent margin.

One might assume that Amazon's corporate culture, based in liberal King County (Seattle), is Progressive or, perhaps, Libertarian.

Rudolph Hess: The New Face of Amazon?
Kindling different Fires...?

Many Americans might, therefore, be shocked to learn that in Germany Amazon hired a security company called Hensel European Security System or HESS.   Rudolph Hess was Hitler's deputy Fuhrer prior to his surprise defection in May of 1941 (see earlier posts, Rudolph Hess 1/7/13 and Rudolph Hess: Peacemonger 1/13/13).  Hess allegedly used neo-Nazi employees and engaged in intimidating practices with Amazon's immigrant employees.  Just this week, facing criticism after a documentary aired on German television, Amazon severed its ties with Hess this week (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/world/europe/amazon-cuts-links-to-company-facing-furor-over-security.html?_r=0).

Jeff Bezos has, of course, every right to support whatever candidate or issue that he pleases.  That is his Constitutional right as an American.  His company can also hire anyone it likes regardless of their political affiliation.  We live in a world of consumer options and the informed consumer, however, also has the right to take her trade wherever she likes as well.

Commander Kelly says, "What astonishes me here, aside from Amazon's apparent naiveté, is the fact that Hess, who died in 1987, still has the power to shock our sensibilities in 2013.  History is all around us and it still has the power to burn the unwary."