Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/06/05/walmart-suspends-gun-sales-in.html
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I hope they bloody stay gone.
If you’ve been wondering all these years what it would take for big box stores to stop selling guns, the answer is “lots of black people suddenly interested in guns.”
It’s almost like there’s a … correlation between ammosexuality and racism. Shocking, I know…
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Or they’re being responsible and don’t want stolen guns on the street.
Or they’re concerned about liability, so they don’t want their stolen guns on the street.
Or they’re concerned about instigators coming in to stock up while things are “free”.
Or guns/ammo are high value, easily carried items, so looters will make a beeline for the gun counter.
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This is your reminder that Dick’s Sporting goods, who also own Field and Stream. Have been cutting gun sales at stores, refusing to carry assault weapons or anything military style, and straight up destroying AR-15’s for a couple years now.
Their CEO has also been very vocal about supporting gun control, calling out gun violence, calling bullshit on gun manufacturers, and donating money and time to anti-gun violence causes.
Walmart has done some more limited stuff in the same vein, but mostly driven by trying to avoid the expense (and risks) of providing background check services for private sales and low fire arm sales in their urban stores.
Dick’s are the 2nd largest fire arms retailer in the US after Walmart, and the changes they’re making put significant pressure on the industry.
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It’s almost like these guns should be in some kind of “safe” place. And maybe only sold by specialty stores which require employees to go through serious training. And it should be noted that “21 and over” should be a nation-wide (not Wal-Mart wide) rule because beer and guns don’t mix; but they should at least have the same buying age.
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If you’ve been wondering all these years what it would take for big box stores to stop selling guns, the answer is “lots of black people suddenly interested in guns.”
That turns out to be the secret to getting gun control enacted, as well. It was the Black Panthers who first took advantage (in modern history) of long-dormant open carry laws. When they started standing around the police with rifles, keeping an eye on things, a whole bunch of gun control laws got enacted very quickly. Then the NRA decided to get political and roll all that back, but the initial reaction by the government was telling.
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Funny they never seem to have had much problem with selling fire arms and ammunition to school shooters and violent militias.
Though they did stop gun sales in states that require them to provide dealer services and background checks for private sales. Saying they were concerned about the safety of letting people carry guns into stores.
It’s totally consistent and above board!
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Those are all great arguments for, you know, not selling guns in a Walmart at all.
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Funny thing about that point…
We will allow a 17 year old to pick a loaded weapon and stand to post to defend our nation. So why should the age restriction be 21 for everyone else?
Arbitrary age points are just that…arbitrary. There is no valid test or scientific study showing that anyone reaching a certain age is capable of responsibly driving a car, owning a weapon, defending a nation, drinking, voting etc.
NOTE: I am not against using an age point as a marker, but it has to go hand and hand with what really matters…training and licensing.
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All of the above, too. Of course, none of that happened when white supremacist militias were occupying government property with their weapons and when schools get shot up.
But thanks for providing good additional reasons for Walmart never selling firearms again.
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It’s not quite as good as it sounds. It’s only some stores and the guns and ammunition are still available for sale:
While firearms and ammunition are still available for purchase at Walmart, the items are being stored in a secure room, the retailer said.
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to… everyone? Or is it at the managers’ discretion? wink-wink
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Oh, I’m sure there’s some code phrase you have to use. You know, wouldn’t want to sell to “untrustworthy” people, right?
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Kudos. I could not have said it better myself. This is precisely what is needed.
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So Walmart is going over to the old “Adult Section” video store model? Will they be installing a beaded privacy curtain for the ammosexuals?
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No. Training should be mandatory. Every high school should have a required class in safe handling. But licensing and its goatee-wearing evil twin brother registration are nothing but disguised ways of making an end run around the 2nd Amendment. They serve NO real purpose other than giving authorities a quick and easy way to find out who owns guns. They do absolutely nothing whatever to prevent or deter any kind of crime.
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With drinking and smoking, there is evidence that the various substances have a greater effect on younger people’s developing bodies, so there is some justification there. Less sure about voting, driving or owning a firearm.
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I’m having trouble with this argument. We license drivers and make them register their cars for a reason. Do those requirements have absolutely nothing to do with crime? If my car is spotted doing a crime, the police can use my license plate to find out who owns the car. Would the same not also be true with guns? Sure, it doesn’t stop the crime, but it makes it easier to find and hold responsible the criminal.
Edit: And please, don’t remind me that driving isn’t a right. I know that. I think the 2A has been largely misinterpreted by the judicial system. Registering your gun(s) doesn’t infringe the 2A, IMO, but I guess opinions vary.
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Safe handling of what? Guns is what I assume you mean. How about 12’’ Wusthof chef knife training? Or how about mandatory training for compound bows? Or mechanical pencils? Toothpicks, chopsticks, slingshots?
Weapons can be devised by almost anything. How about we regulate white cop knees. That seems to be the crux of the issue here.
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