Dear Kroger...

May 7, 2004

I have been a Kroger customer all my adult life. The reason I'm writing today is to ask you if you wish to continue to earn my business.

I've learned that you are enabling criminals and discriminating against my fellow American's civil rights in your Cincinnati-area stores by prohibiting their right to protect themselves. Specifically, you don't want armed customers in your stores there - customers that have undergone thorough state mandated background checks and training.

What sets me apart from others that may contact you is that I have stopped a violent crime in your Bartlett, TN store.

Last September while shopping, a predator snatched the purse of an elderly woman who was shopping in your store at 5995 Stage Rd. in Bartlett, TN. He almost ripped her arm off in the process. While I was armed with a concealed handgun, the situation was not life threatening, so I, along with Kroger employees and other customers apprehended the purse snatcher with appropriate force, including my using pepper gas, rather than my firearm. The lady got her purse back and the bad guy went to jail - another example of responsible armed citizens.

Also late last year, three predators walked into your store at 4770 Germantown Rd. in Memphis, TN and shot, in cold blood, your guard, who was a uniformed Memphis Police Officer. Guess what? The monsters that shot the police officer, and robbed your store WERE NOT legally armed citizens. They were bottom feeding, gangster reprobates. Monster criminals who don't care about the law or your signs. Can you imagine the law suits, had this happened in Ohio, and customers were injured or killed because they were complying with your criminal enabling discrimination policy?

If you are going to discriminate against my fellow Americans and deny their civil rights in Ohio, then I will not be shopping with you any more down here. If you'll check the records at your Bartlett store, you'll see based on my check and debit card purchases, that my wife and I spend thousands of dollars a year there. Please let me know what your decision is. Thanks in advance for your reply.

Sincerely,

Pat McGarrity

Commentary:
Tennessee's laws are similar to Ohio's - a private business must post signs if they wish to render their customers defenseless. Kroger stores are NOT posted in Tennessee, or any other state.

Short of installing metal detectors (which may present a problem for the shopping karts), there is NOTHING Kroger can do in ANY state which can prevent criminals from being armed in their stores.

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