Gun Control, Matthew McConaughey, and Wild Turkey

The news yesterday was that Matthew McConaughey, a native of Uvalde, was at the White House to make a plea for gun control. You couldn’t watch any TV news, either national or local, without seeing him at the podium in the White House with a pair of green sneakers.

From Today Show

From his remarks:

So, we know what’s on the table.  We need to invest in mental healthcare.  We need safer schools.  We need to restrain sensationalized media coverage.  We need to restore our family values.  We need to restore our American values.  And we need responsible gun ownership — responsible gun ownership. 

We need background checks.  We need to raise the minimum age to purchase an AR-15 rifle to 21.  We need a waiting period for those rifles.  We need red-flag laws and consequences for those who abuse them.

These are reasonable, practical, tactical regulations to our nation, states, communities, schools, and homes.

Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals. 

These regulations are not a step back; they’re a step forward for a civil society and — and the Second Amendment. 

In Uvalde, the killer passed a FBI NICS background check to purchase his firearms. In Uvalde, the killer was known to have issues but no one acted upon them. In Uvalde, the killer entered through a door that was not properly locked. In Uvalde, the police waited until it was too late to storm the classroom even though best practices say never to wait.

Any new law or policy that is enacted in a hurry because “we have to do something” ends up as a fiasco. More importantly, they don’t prevent or solve the issue at hand.

For those that are not aware, McConaughey is now the Creative Director for Wild Turkey and has been since 2016. Wild Turkey Distilling is owned by the Italian company Campari Group. He even has helped launch Wild Turkey Longbranch in conjunction with master distiller Eddie Russell.

Anyone who has followed this blog for any amount time knows that I enjoy good whiskey and especially bourbon. Wild Turkey does make some good bourbons and ryes. I have even toured their facilities in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky where their beautiful Visitor Center overlooks the Kentucky River. Looking over my collection I see have a bottle of Russell Reserve and an older Austin Nichols-labeled bottle of Wild Turkey Rye. I respect the work of Jimmy and Eddie Russell in crafting good whiskey.

I have a personal philosophy of not patronizing companies whose spokespeople or officers wish to run roughshod over my enumerated civil rights. As such, I will not be buying any more bourbon or rye from Wild Turkey so long as Matthew McConaughey is affiliated with them. Now my personal boycott of Wild Turkey is not going to hurt their bottom line.

However, if enough people made their displeasure known, it just might. I sent them a note last night saying I wouldn’t be buying their product any longer. You can do the same by using this contact link.

If you are a bourbon or rye drinker, the choice is yours. Do you support a company whose Creative Director wants to curtail your rights or do you go to one of the many other fine distilleries instead? I have made my choice and you can make yours.


2 thoughts on “Gun Control, Matthew McConaughey, and Wild Turkey”

  1. I never cared for Wild Turkey. It was just too sweet tasting for me. I’m a fan of Mr. Jack and his Single Barrel sipping whiskey. And as far as I know, they aren’t anti gun.

  2. Good for you. It has been my practice for some years.

    I am only one- by Edward Everett Hale

    I am only one,
    But still I am one.
    I cannot do everything,
    But still I can do something;
    And because I cannot do everything,
    I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

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