ArfinGreebly
Moderator Emeritus
Today, having read yet another Wal*Mart thread with the usual complaints, I picked up the phone and called 1-800-WAL-MART (that's 800-925-6278 for the Fone Letterz impaired).
I waded through the voice menu, which sort of hopes that you'll peel off into something automated before you get to an actual person, and finally go to speak with a Customer Service Droid.
Very courteous.
I explained that there was a store in my area which used to carry firearms, had lost its FFL, had re-qualified, but had been denied by corporate, and I wanted to know what could be done to fix that, since a) they are close to a local gun club, and b) they have never had a "low demand" problem.
I further explained that I shop there regularly for ammo, but I'd also like to be able to pick up rifles for the kids (it's unimportant that they're not MY kids).
CS droid explained that the decision to eliminate guns from certain stores was a nation-wide thing, and based on demand, and blah blah blah . . .
I explained that I understood this, but pointed out that Sam Walton never meant for his stores to not carry firearms, and explained about the Wal*Mart-only rifles and shotgun -- a deal Sam made with certain gun makers before he died -- for example the Ruger 10/22 in stainless with a 22" barrel, and pointed out that there are customers -- like myself -- whose only real draw is the long arms and ammo.
I got some more of the "nation-wide decision" script.
I told him, "Look, the day that Wal*Mart stops carrying firearms and ammo is the day I take all my business elsewhere. I can buy linens, kitchen supplies, tools, furniture, and food anywhere. The reason I walk into Wal*Mart is that they support shooting sports. They day they stop that is the day I stop shopping there."
He finally got that I wasn't interested in the "nation-wide decision" and said he'd pass my concerns along.
I will be following this with a letter, whose content will be essentially what you see above.
Any fool can log on to "teh intarwebz" and bitch about stuff to his homies.
It requires just a little more effort to actually tell the offender.
And tell him again.
And keep telling him.
I invite anyone else who wants to see guns in superstores as commonplace and unremarkable to call the corporate phone bank, patiently explain your concern, and then follow it up with a letter.
They can ignore one.
They can ignore a few dozen.
Can they ignore hundreds or thousands?
Let's find out.
I waded through the voice menu, which sort of hopes that you'll peel off into something automated before you get to an actual person, and finally go to speak with a Customer Service Droid.
Very courteous.
I explained that there was a store in my area which used to carry firearms, had lost its FFL, had re-qualified, but had been denied by corporate, and I wanted to know what could be done to fix that, since a) they are close to a local gun club, and b) they have never had a "low demand" problem.
I further explained that I shop there regularly for ammo, but I'd also like to be able to pick up rifles for the kids (it's unimportant that they're not MY kids).
CS droid explained that the decision to eliminate guns from certain stores was a nation-wide thing, and based on demand, and blah blah blah . . .
I explained that I understood this, but pointed out that Sam Walton never meant for his stores to not carry firearms, and explained about the Wal*Mart-only rifles and shotgun -- a deal Sam made with certain gun makers before he died -- for example the Ruger 10/22 in stainless with a 22" barrel, and pointed out that there are customers -- like myself -- whose only real draw is the long arms and ammo.
I got some more of the "nation-wide decision" script.
I told him, "Look, the day that Wal*Mart stops carrying firearms and ammo is the day I take all my business elsewhere. I can buy linens, kitchen supplies, tools, furniture, and food anywhere. The reason I walk into Wal*Mart is that they support shooting sports. They day they stop that is the day I stop shopping there."
He finally got that I wasn't interested in the "nation-wide decision" and said he'd pass my concerns along.
I will be following this with a letter, whose content will be essentially what you see above.
Any fool can log on to "teh intarwebz" and bitch about stuff to his homies.
It requires just a little more effort to actually tell the offender.
And tell him again.
And keep telling him.
I invite anyone else who wants to see guns in superstores as commonplace and unremarkable to call the corporate phone bank, patiently explain your concern, and then follow it up with a letter.
They can ignore one.
They can ignore a few dozen.
Can they ignore hundreds or thousands?
Let's find out.
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