I strongly disagree with the premise of this article, that it's a tough choice. Appeasement doesn't work. Target pulling merch just tells the domestic terrorists that threats work.
I'm pretty sure BLM razed Chicago to the ground a couple years ago. Not sure why my coworkers who used to live in the area keep pretending it isn't a smoking crater.
Well, yeah, threats do work. Because enough domestic terrorists have followed through with them in the last ten years that taking them seriously must be part of the threat model.
The Target thing wasn't a boycott, the merch got moved or pulled because a group of people were using the threat of violence and other intimidation tactics to achieve political goals.
Always has been, we just got fooled that "tradition" meant "act in the rules of engagement and civility" instead of what it is: "Ooga ooga, I bonk, head empty" like they're finally showing.