If you only knew

E

Ernest Emerson

Joined
Apr 5, 1999
Messages
460
Dear Members,

After spending all of last week at the SHOT Show and after being involved in almost a hundred meetings with customers, vendors, and industry executives I would like to just put forth the following that you might find interesting. I know the presidents, V.P.'s and executives from all of the major gun companies, all of the knife companies and a good portion of all the related tactical equipment manufacturers. I've been in the business end of this for almost 25 years and many of these friendships go back over 2 decades. Over the years we have discussed almost any number of subject matter and of course all of the things that we all seem to have in common.

Now, I take a lot of heat, bashing and yes, even the death threats for my political/philosophical convictions and my public discourse of those views. There are those who have stated, "I will never buy another knife from Emerson because of his political views." I have been called stupid, wacky, uninformed, misinformed and yes, an asshole.

All I can say is this; What world do you live in? We come from a world of cops, military, hunters, weapons designers and weapons manufacturers. What do you think the majority of their views are? You who have taken this stance would never buy another knife or gun from any company if you also truly knew their views. They just choose to not speak publicly of such for a number of reasons, including the fear of alienating or losing customers, which I totally understand (some of those companies are publicly owned). However, losing a few customers is not and never has been my concern.

At least, when you deal with Emerson, you know who you're dealing with. I for one, will not speak publicly one way and privately another. Anyone who won't buy an Emerson Knife because of my political views, yet buys knives, guns, and gear, from the other companies who in reality also share the same views has merely only made a stand against those who are willing to make their views known.

I am against oppression in all its forms and whether it wears the guise of government, religion or any political or social movement, I care not. I will physically, vocally and philosophically always take my stand against it. I am proud of my views and I will never hide them from anyone in fear, embarrassment or for lack of fortitude.

There are of course a couple of others in the industries like myself, who are not hesitant about making their convictions known. To those of you who take a noble and righteous stance against a company or individual like myself, the next time you pull an "other" knife out of your pocket I want you to remember these words. "If you only knew."

My Best Regards,

Ernest R. Emerson
 
I am appalled, sir, that you have to endure death threats based on your views. What a crock! Your views are your business, whether they are made public or not.

On a lighter note: Hey, you wuz a Cardinal once, man, how bad can you be? :)

I used to never hesitate to air my views but have been stopped by a great enemy: time. I'm well into my sixties and find, to my shame, chagrin, and frustration, that I now keep my mouth shut. Why? For the first time in my life, I need my job worse than it needs me. Being the only breadwinner in the family, I have lost the guts to rock the boat. I have found one ray of sunshine that might have been useful for me in my younger days. I find that I actually get more done, on my terms by -- flying under the radar -- people only look at the surface, at superficial things. I've found to my surprise that flying under the radar (keeping a zipper on my lipper) has resulted in my doing things my way and my higher ups assume I'm a company man and leave me the hell alone. At least there is that satisfaction.

As to you Mr. Emerson, my hat is off, and I salute you. May you live long and prosper! To lightly paraphrase a quote from the late Spiro Agnew, 'Let the "nattering nabobs of negativity" rattle on!'

Regards,
sweetwater
 
Words are a powerful thing, and the thoughts that drive them are equally so. But words can be twisted, and ideas out of context. But strong and consistant convictions - as the ones that you have displayed, voiced, and acted upon - can never be, and should never be thrown to discourse.

Those who are weak, uninspired, or simply without their own causes, will often label these ideals as radical, and inappropriate. But they are yours - and that is the beauty of it all. Those who mark the contrary, will see your ideology, and respect them. They may not agree with them, but they will defend your right to ownership. Thankfully, these beliefs spark individualism, which also charters character. There is a reason why Emerson Knives have become a staple so many: Transference.

Well thought out, worked on, innovative, sound, white-knuckled knives. I have yet to have to the pleasure of such a meeting, but the uninhibited honesty certainly comes to my respects of Mr. Emerson, as well as the tool.

You wouldn't go to war with your heart on my sleeve, so why should your blade be any different?

Warmest regards, and many thanks to you, and the men and women behind closed doors. I can't wait to see what the next 25 years have to offer.

- M
 
There are also some crazy hippies out there too. Let's not drop our guard when we smell patchoulI wafting in the air, right...;)
 
Ernest Emerson said:
I am proud of my views and I will never hide them from anyone in fear, embarrassment or for lack of fortitude.

My Best Regards,

Ernest R. Emerson
Click to expand...
Then why did you remove your statement about the Chinese nuking an American aircraft carrier during the '08 Olympics? This was posted on your website under the section titled "The Way I See It". In fact, other statements have also been removed. You've made several statements in the last couple of months that you can niether back up or even prove. I admire you patrotism and I like some of your knives but you are really full of yourself.
:thumbdn:
[/I]"Lying increases the creative faculties, expandes the ego, and lessens the frictions of social contacts."[/I]
Clare Booth Luce
 
I'm about liberal as one can get and pretty much opposes EVERYTHING Mr. Emerson has said of his views. But knives are knives and personal views don't need to be mixed in. There are better places to voice my political opinion than on a silly forum. I enjoy and collect his knives.
 
Honestly, from what I have heard from people who worked with you, you are a nice guy. So i'll stick with what people who know/worked with you say
 
That's lame! I mean, we're talking about awesome knives here... You'd have to have some pretty wacky views to keep me from your awesome products... And frankly, I've never heard anything that wacky from you... I mean, it's not like you're espousing the view that SPAM is a healthy and delicious treat, or pronouncing there to be dignity in slopping together a bomb improvised from cans of silly string and gummy bears, then strapping it on and looking for a bus full of nuns...

Opposing tyranny in all its forms... yeah, that's extreme... Shoot, by those standards I bet the lion's share of your brothers and sisters here on BFC are nutters too... Heck, your little essay would almost make me wanna buy a CRAPPY knife from you, just to give you some support... but your knives are the polar opposite of crappy, they sell themselves...

God Bless you Ernie, and keep up the good work... Oh, and He'd like it if you'd do a production run of knives in a heavier stock than 1/8th inch, from time to time... Just ask Him if you don't believe me... <ducks just in time as a lightning bolt narrowly misses his head>

Oh yeah, and even the hippies need a good knife every now and again.
 
Personally I found the solution to be to not read Emerson's blog and I no longer have any issues. I don't agree with him on nearly anything he writes there but the cqc7 is one hell of a knife and I'll keep buying them.
 
I love Emerson knives (own a bunch of them...will keep on buying them...a specimen of my favorite knife of all knives in the world - the Persian Tactical - is right beside me while I am writing this...), I am a republican, I tend to agree wholeheartedly with most stuff you say and I respect anyone who speaks his/her mind.

That said, it seems to me, Mr. Emerson, that many of your posts are tinged with a bit of ... paranoia.
I remember a few weeks ago when I started a thread about when the P-Tac was finally going to be produced (because I was genuinely SO eager to get my hands on the one I ordered. I now have it and it's such a beauty. If I can fit it in my budget, I will buy another one, making it the third P-Tac I currently own...) and all of a sudden you started a thread about the P-Tac, mentioning how it's hard respecting deadlines, how people that are not privvy to the process of making decisions in the business of producing + distributing + selling goods don't know how hard it is ... and a lot of other stuff along the same lines (but thank God there was also some viable information about where you were in the producing process of the P-Tac).

ALL I wanted was for anyone really in the loop to give a little hinsight on how far away the P-Tac production was from beginning (and, seen you provided some update on the P-Tac production, on that same thread I posted thanking you for the information). Not a lecture on how you do business at Emerson Knives.
This is just an example: I have seen many other threads and replies from you that give me the impression you are a bit on edge re. your clients or people in this forum in general.

Mr. Emerson, your knives are great, I truly don't believe people are out to get you in any way shape or form (I for sure am not), all is good. If I may suggest something to you, this is it: relax.
 
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Dont stop preaching the word of Conservatism. I am to, out spoken in my field of business and would rather my clients know what I, as the owner of the company, stands for. Many of my clients hold their political tongue until they see I am a conservative. If the client is comfortable and wants to talk politics, I tell him I have a good cigar with his name on it if he wants to just shoot the shit. You wont believe how many people will let their political guard down over a good cigar. Its great business as well. There is lots of us out there.
By the way, I love your "Conservative and proud of it" t-shirt. I would dress my whole family in it if you made it in kids sizes. I could sell a ton of these in my studio.
 
I would but Emerson knives regardless of your personal view of the world. That said, I am a proud member of the order of the Black Shamrock.
 
I'm just going to throw it out there.

Think of it this way, regardless of what you do view or say, you are already a rockstar with a big following, you already got the death threats/haters. you are about two live events away from getting panties thrown on stage. (or into the booth at Blade or any of the big shows)

My wife wound up getting death threats over a knitting based podcast. (yeah knitting) We also got stalkers and crap too. (no panties, but lots of art-toys and candy from foreign countries though)

Don't sweat it, people are just going to be dicks regardless.
 
"At least, when you deal with Emerson, you know who you're dealing with. I for one, will not speak publicly one way and privately another. Anyone who won't buy an Emerson Knife because of my political views, yet buys knives, guns, and gear, from the other companies who in reality also share the same views has merely only made a stand against those who are willing to make their views known."

excellent point mr emerson. thanks for yer product, and for being real.
 
I don't always agree with the man's politics, but I love the products and his views on personal responsibility.

As a newbie to this forum, is there another knife maker that raises this kind of debate?--the Strider controversy notwithstanding...
 
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