The courage of your convictions is laudable; extraordinarily naïve but laudable. I assume you have never had to run a multi-national, publicly trade company. In case you don't know, that means the "owner" are the share holders and the person who runs it is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
I haven't either, but as a Vice President, I have run a multi-hundred million dollar business unit for a multi-billion dollar defense corporation that employs over a hundred thousand people. You better believe every word that came out of my mouth in an interview, a speech, or a customer or teaming negotiation was extremely well considered and depending on the subject, vetted with the Chief Information Officer (CIO).
Respectfully, you are going to have to school me as to what you believe is the purpose of a business enterprise. I don't know what line of work you are in, perhaps you donate every bit of profit to saving whales, or if you are salaried, you tell your employer to simply keep your wages. In the real world, a business can't survive unless it turns a profit. You don't get a wage or a profit unless you or your employer are successful.
Zeiss has a reasonably profitable business in a narrowly defined and fairly competitive market. They make superb outdoor instruments. But they are also leaders in optics of all kinds - particularly the medical field and photography. They are part of a larger holding group that represents even more diverse products.
I am sure they would like to continue to make quality products in all their divisions. But if they become the center of some hysterical anti-hunting or anti-assault weapon crusade, they endanger their whole product line. Hospitals turn to other lens and instrument sources, Leica turns to China for camera lenses etc. etc.
They are simply being good stewards of their brand, protecting their employees, and sustaining their share value.
With all the work I've put into my guns, with few exceptions I could never, ever leave the very familiar, right tools home on a trip to use some unfamiliar gun that's been banged up since birth (some even featured in past civil wars!) I did once use a PHs 375 at his suggestion for larger PG, got familiar with it, loved it, and later purchased it. That's one exception. LOL Asia may be another...
