The Private Sector Will Not Stay Silent: Lethal Force Without Due Process is Unconstitutional
January 26, 2026
The American Sustainable Business Network condemns the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, as well as the recent killing of Renee Good, both U.S. citizens exercising their rights to protest in Minneapolis, MN. This is a dangerous precedent for our democracy, our communities, and our economy.
This is not a partisan issue. It is a fundamental economic and democratic one.
Businesses cannot function in a country where a branch of the federal government is effectively given free rein to use lethal force against American citizens without due process, charges, or accountability. When the rule of law is suspended, economic stability collapses with it.
Local businesses rely on safety, predictability, and trust. Trust that federal and local agents will follow laws alongside citizens, that constitutional rights will be upheld, and that government power will be constrained by accountability and justice. When enforcement actions escalate to on-site executions, that trust is shattered. Workers are afraid to show up. Customers stay home. Communities fracture. Commerce grinds to a halt.
A country without due process is not a safe country. An economy without the rule of law cannot survive.
We demand a nation where safety is rooted in justice, not fear, and where our elected representatives actively defend constitutional rights, accountability, and the rule of law. Congress must act to rein in unchecked enforcement powers and restore the legal and moral foundations that allow businesses and communities to thrive.
The private sector has a responsibility to speak out when democracy is under threat. Silence is not neutral. Silence enables erosion of our rights and our economy.
Take Action
- Contact your representative and demand they fight to restore the rule of law, due process, and accountability.
- Download ASBN’s Advocacy 101 Guide—free, practical, and designed to teach you how to use your voice to drive the peaceful change our country needs.
- Share the link to the guide with your friends and community. We need every voice to demand change.
Businesses cannot, and will not, thrive in a nation governed by fear instead of justice.
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American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN) amplifies the collective voice of sustainable business to lead the way to a regenerative economy that is stakeholder-driven, just, and prosperous. As a multi-issue, membership organization advocating on behalf of every business sector, size, and geography, ASBN works to advance its mission to inform, connect, and mobilize sustainable business leaders, transforming the public and private sectors toward a just and regenerative economy.