Jews For The Preservation of Firearms Ownership, Inc.
P.O. Box 270143
Hartford, WI 53027
Phone (800) 869-1884
Fax (425) 451-3959
Updated September 27, 2000
WalMart wants your opinion about guns
JPFO has received this notice via e-mail:
Walmart founder Sam Walton was a dedicated quail hunter, and must be rolling over in his grave over the success of anti-gun activists in blocking gun and ammo sales at two stores.The company is now taking a call-in count of whether they should continue to sell guns in their other stores. To voice your opinion call:
(800) 925-6278, select option #1, then option #4, which -- after an 8-10 minute wait -- will give you a real-live representative in the CEO's office.
Note: from the information I have, this means any kind of guns ... from shotguns to water pistols. The MMMs have been busy!!! Let's let WalMart know how WE feel!
WalMart: http://www.walmart.com/
Forwarded by The Liberty Crew
Addendum, September 27, 2000:
Update On Wal-Mart Gun Sales Policy Change
Recently, we sent an alert containing information from usually reliable sources that Wal-Mart had discontinued or was planning to discontinue selling firearms in their stores. Apparently many other Internet e-mail alert systems also transmitted the same information. The Wal-Mart alert generated three main responses.
WALMART'S FORMAL RESPONSE
First, Wal-Mart responded with a press release which we reproduce here in full:
"Wal-Mart's position on the sale of firearms in our stores
"Wal-Mart has sold firearms in our stores for the past 38 years, and we have no plans to discontinue this. We appreciate the fact that we have become goal local destination of choice for American sportspeople and we will continue to meet the needs of these customers throughout the nation.
"Wal-Mart has recently announced that we will not display or stock guns in a new super center in New Tampa, Fla., but customers will be able to purchase guns in this store through a special mail order catalog. The situation in New Tampa is unique and we are treating it as such. We considered a variety of factors, including input from the community and our local associates, as well as our many customers who enjoy hunting and fishing. However, the biggest consideration in this case was the location of this store next to a school. Every one of our stores strives to be the store of its individual community and this is the right decision for the community of New Tampa. But again, this decision involves very unique circumstances and it in no way should cause our customers to question our commitment to carry firearms in our stores."
SUPPORTERS' RESPONSES TO THE ALERT
The second main response to the Wal-Mart alert was puzzlement and unhappiness on the part of several supporters. These supporters believed that the alert was inaccurate, misleading, or exaggerated. We are sorry that these supporters were upset with the alert, but the third main response showed that the alert actually produced a net benefit .
Many supporters did contact Wal-Mart to find out what was going on with their firearms sales policies. Wal-Mart received a huge number of calls from customers who wanted to preserve their right to keep and bear arms, and who did not want the supply of firearms and accessories to be restricted. Many supporters contacted us to thank us for getting this message out. Although Wal-Mart had not changed its company policy this time, the outpouring of calls and concern showed Wal-Mart the depth of concern of gun owners.
SINGLE STORE POLICY CHANGE IS SERIOUS
We strive to make sure that our alerts are accurate and timely, and our commitment to these goals is unchanged. In this case, our alert might have overstated the case from one point of view. Nevertheless, had Wal-Mart heard no negative responses to its decision not to sell guns in the New Tampa store, then Wal-Mart executives might well have believed that American gun owners did not care about the change in sales policy. We do care, however, and now Wal-Mart knows that very well.
The change of policy in a single store is actually quite important because the reason for the policy change is worrisome. The mere presence of a discount store that sells firearms does not cause or abet crime, any more than the presence of a gasoline station cause traffic accidents. Yet because of an unfounded and superstitious fear that having a Wal-Mart (with a gun department) located near a school would increase the risk of harm in the school, some local manager decided to ban sales of firearms in that store. That kind of irrational thinking and action indicates a real problem in American society.
JPFO has been trying to reverse that kind of thinking for a decade, and CCOPS is joining in that effort. We cannot stand by idly while one of America's best known chain stores starts to adopt "voodoo" anti-gun policies -- even on a one-at-a- time "local" basis. If one local store bans gun sales without receiving criticism, then the precedent is set for other stores to do the same.
Americans have been losing their rights slowly, piecemeal, by one small infraction at a time. Perhaps by going "overboard" on a seemingly small matter, American gun owners have slowed the pace of irrational anti-gun corporate policy changes. Our thanks to all supporters for their feedback and for their action in support of our right to keep and bear arms.
The Liberty Crew
Don't forget JPFO's new sister organization CCOPS: Concerned Citizens Opposed to Police States. Check out the new website: ttp://www.ccops.org/
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Copyright 2000 JPFO, Inc. Permission is granted to reproduce this alert in full, so long as the JPFO contact information is included.
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