Gun Owners Say Goodbye to Dick's Sporting Goods
It appears that Dick's is living up to its name.
Buckeye Firearms Association is deeply disappointed that Dick's Sporting Goods has chosen to punish law-abiding gun owners by restricting sales of legal firearms based on the bad actions of a mentally ill individual in Florida who committed the Parkland school murders.
While Dick's CEO Edward Stack says this is about helping to solve the problem, we believe it is about caving to political pressure. Dick's sold a shotgun to the Parkland killer in 2017, and while that particular firearm was not used in the Florida tragedy, we believe Dick's has made a cynical financial calculation that infringing Second Amendment rights will do less damage to their bottom line than protests and bad press.
"When we saw what happened in Parkland, we were so disturbed and upset," Mr. Stack said in an interview Tuesday evening. "We love these kids and their rallying cry, ‘enough is enough.' It got to us."
He added, "We're going to take a stand and step up and tell people our view and, hopefully, bring people along into the conversation."
Mr. Stack said he hoped that conversation would include politicians. As part of its stance, Dick's is calling on elected officials to enact what it called "common sense gun reform'' by passing laws to raise the minimum age to purchase guns to 21, to ban assault-type weapons and so-called bump stocks, and to conduct broader universal background checks that include mental-health information and previous interactions with law enforcement.
This is not the first time Dick's has made changes in response to a school massacre. In 2012, after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that killed 26 people, Dick's removed assault-style rifles from its main retail stores. But a few months later, the company began carrying the firearms at its outdoor and hunting retail chain, Field & Stream.
This time, Mr. Stack said, the changes will be permanent.
Well, Mr. Stack, if these changes are permanent, then there's something else that will be permanent.
We will never again set foot in Dick's Sporting Goods, Field & Stream, or Golf Galaxy, all of which you own. We will not buy ANY guns or ANY other products from you, in your stores or online, ever again.
You've chosen to punish the innocent masses for the crimes of the guilty few instead of supporting real change and real solutions that could make a difference.
Goodbye, Dick's. And good riddance.
Buckeye Firearms Association encourages Ohio's 4 million gun owners to stop shopping at Dick's Sporting Goods, Field & Stream, and Golf Galaxy.
Take your business elsewhere to support businesses that respect ALL of our Constitutional rights.
Tell your family and friends to do the same. Post it on your social media accounts. Shred your coupons and rewards cards. Unsubscribe from Dick's emails.
This isn't the first time Dick's has betrayed its customers. But it should be the last time we reward them for this cowardly behavior.
Dean Rieck is Executive Director of Buckeye Firearms Association, a former competitive shooter, NRA Patron Member, #1 NRA Recruiter for 2013, business owner and partner with Second Call Defense.
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