Walmart says it will stop selling handgun and short-barrel rifle ammunition, while requesting that customers not openly carry firearms in its stores, even where state laws allow it.I bought stuff at Walmart, in part, because I could buy practice ammunition for my handguns. But the fact of the matter is that everything else I bought at Walmart I can buy elsewhere.
And so I shall.
When it comes to guns and ammunition, Walmart is now "By Fudds, For Fudds".
What it means to me is that, instead of dropping by Walmart for a couple of boxes of range fodder, I'll probably go to a bulk online seller and buy a thousand rounds at a throw instead of a hundred here and there.
For a company that has connived for decades in hollowing out American manufacturing and has profited by exploiting its workers, this is a pretty odd way for Walmart to all of a sudden signal that they are virtuous.
Fuck you, Walmart.
The demographic issues that I have suggested are a problem for gun owners, may be closer than even I thought. The seemingly sudden increase in so called inexplainable mass shootings is changing the perception of people who were previously on the fence or somewhat pro-2nd. The actual incidence and other factors are less important than the impact of the current 24-7 news culture on peoples perceptions, and that perception is now chilling.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to stopping selling the ammunition when they run out, Walmart is now asking customers to refrain from carrying openly in states where it is legal. A couple of hours later, Kroger made the same announcement. I get a feeling that Walmart won’t feel any pain from the mooted boycotts, yet another sign that things ain’t so good for gun rights in America. It is now no longer inconceivable that some moves toward restrictions may be put forward, and passed. The NRA is crippled by internal issues and may have pissed away 25 years of dominance in the debate, only to fall at the turn.
I’m not in favor of these changes, but I’m no longer somewhat dubious that such a path might be ahead and much closer than I ever considered. The Midland/Odessa ass-wipe has connected with peoples fears in a way that not even the Vegas ass-wipe did.
Why would someone need to open carry in a Wal-Mart? Protection from all the falling prices?
ReplyDeleteThe converse argument is also valid, DA. Do you have some data that shows a problem either way...I mean, real hard data?
ReplyDeleteHAYDEN, Idaho — The details are shatteringly ordinary. A 2-year-old toddler, sitting in a shopping cart in a Walmart, his mother’s purse unattended and within reach as she shopped. Three girls, all under age 11 — relatives of the boy and his mother, the police said — tagging along. A frosty morning in the northern Idaho panhandle, the temperature in the teens. Holiday break. The clothing aisles near electronics, back of the store.
ReplyDeleteThen, shortly before 10:20 a.m. on Tuesday, as the store video cameras recorded the scene, the little boy found a gun in his mother’s purse and it discharged once at near point-blank range from where she stood, less than arm’s length away, said Lt. Stu Miller, a spokesman for the Kootenai County sheriff’s office. She died at the scene, he said, her death appearing to be accidental.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/us/walmart-shooting-by-2-year-old.amp.html
I work at a Wal-Mart near Baltimore. We don't carry firearms or ammunition, or even bb guns or paintball equipment. All gone, before I started there 4 years ago. We do have to watch an active shooter training video once a quarter, "avoid, deny, defend." We have an off duty police officer at the front about half of the time. More than one has told me that if there's real trouble, they won't step in, because they don't want to get hurt. I don't really have a point, but every time something happens at a Wal-Mart, us peons know we might be next. And corporate makes some feeble response.
ReplyDeleteI understand the Comrade's issue, but for Walmart this is purely a matter of the shekels, not human compassion or corporate citizenship. Their customers and employees are starting to feel the itchy bulls-eye on their backs, and that isn't good for the bottom line in several ways. Asking people to please stop open-carrying into their stores is a humane request, but weak tea in the larger sense. When corporations make soft noises about the well-being of others, IT IS ALWAYS ABOUT THE MONEY, HONEY.
ReplyDeleteThis is an easy one for me. Had never been a fan of Walmart to start, and my Liberal snobby country resisted Walmart setting up shop here (Walmart is way to conservative, by their lights, see?) so there is no store near me anyway.
ReplyDeleteDA sad story. However I don't label it as accidental. Its negligent
ReplyDeleteas toddlers get into everything and putting a handgun in a purse without
a sleeve or a retention holster to make the trigger inaccessible is an
accident waiting to happen.
Malwart, a company with no morals.
Obilo: follow the money is dead on.
I tolerate MalWarts presence and savings but I generally avoid them
when possible. Why go at all, they often have what other used to
before they displaced them. The business model is push all the
little guys out and then camp, if the camp is poor they leave and
the vacuum remains. Typical big box.
Eck!
Nailed it, Eck! DA, that’s not the subject of the comment, that subject was open carry.
ReplyDeleteThe point is, idiots like this woman will be the ones doing open or concealed carry in a Wal-Mart.
ReplyDeleteNobody has stated why open carry in a Wal-mart is needed in the first place. Is it a fear of the greeter being faster on the draw?
DA, the exercise of a Right doesn’t presuppose a need. Even idiots need Rights...
ReplyDeleteSome clarity, about the unfortunate and negligent loss of life.
ReplyDeleteFirst carrying your blaster loose in the handbag or pocket is stupid.
Said blaster has this thing called a trigger, press on it and it goes bang.
So if it were properly secured as in under the owners control in a holster
or a holster in the bag that protects the trigger from negligent use. Doesn't matter for this that its concealed carry in her purse or on her body as in open carry, as that's not the problem here. Its that it was not properly secured.
Likely if it were open carry in a proper holster would have in this case been safer. Ok, some seeing that would likely shit themselves but long as its in a holster it will not go bang! Cops carry open and its safe, we worry when it come out of the holster.
Is open carry a good idea, to me no. I prefer to not advertise something that bad guys would like to steal. That and there people that get their panties in a twist at the word GUN and seeing one would likely cause a call for cleanup on aisle POO.
Firearm safety is the responsibility of those carrying them. Firearms are
not inclined to go off on their own, so if they go bang is either because someone neglected using their brain and mishandled it. Those people are dangerous with saws and knives too.
Eck!
Honestly, there are no accidental discharges, there are negligent discharges.
ReplyDeleteAh, so it’s a ritual, as in the Confucian sense that it’s something you do when the original purpose is either missing or forgotten. Good to know.
ReplyDeleteWalgreens, CVS and Wegmans now join the asking customers not to open carry.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem with stores asking customers not to openly carry guns or knives. Open carry, other than by cops or security guards, is the province of assholes. Few things set my teeth on edge more than some putz carrying a Glock in a cheap-ass nylon bag of a holster.
ReplyDelete