Should pro-gun advocates consider the reason Dick's Sporting Goods hired anti-gun lobbyists?

2018-05-19T13:31:27-04:00

Breaking News: The Santa Fe shooting. Do you still believe liberals are using school kids to further an agenda? Does Dick's and Field and Stream deserve to remain boycotted by pro gun businesses? A 17 year old used legally owned guns of his father to committ the mass shooting.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2018 1:33 PM

2018-05-19T13:33:56-04:00

and just how would dicks new policy have prevented any of these tragic shootings?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2018 1:45 PM

2018-05-19T13:45:32-04:00

The 17 yo didn’t legally own anything. He stole the guns, illegally possessed them, illegally carried them on school property, murdered people... etc, etc.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2018 1:57 PM

2018-05-19T13:57:51-04:00

PO3 Phyllis Maynard well they are a private business they can do whatever they want I suppose but thankfullybi don't shop at dicks for anything so I could care less about what they do.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made May 19 at 2018 2:59 PM

2018-05-19T14:59:46-04:00

First off, Dick's is a private company, an organization. It has no morale compass. It has Stockholders and Stakeholders. Those people are interested in protecting the Brand. This is no different than the USMC protecting its Brand by creating policies which reflect our ethos. That said, THEIR goal was "stop the bleeding" (specifically money through bad press). They made a business decision working under the assumption that "gun enthusiasts" were a small enough portion of their business that they could take the hit in that sector to avoid hemorrhaging more money elsewhere (through additional bad press).

The Santa Fe shooting is a "related" issue, but just barely. Keep in mind that "think of the children" is a classic logical fallacy (argumentum ad passiones). It only works because we allow it to work by not calling out those who use it.

Mass shootings, and more specifically, (gun) violence are statistically insignificant in the US. We "perceive" them as a big deal because the Media SELLS them to us as a big deal. This in turn exacerbates the issue because we end up with copycats (high correlation and assumed causation). All that said, ALL violence in the US has been on the decline for 40~ years. That include "gun violence." Violence including "long guns" (rifles & shotguns) is less than 10% of total homicides committed with firearms. Anti-gun lobbyists have focused on the wrong tool (pistols & handguns make up 90+% of the figures).

If you want a comprehensive breakdown the numbers will sound not only sexist (mostly male), racist (a product of socio-economic influence), but also ageist (almost all violence in the US is committed by 16-25 year olds).

That sad, we don't punish or restrict Rights based on "what could happen" (class based argument) but "this person did this" (individual argument).

Response by Maj John Bell made May 19 at 2018 3:19 PM

2018-05-19T15:19:42-04:00

Yes, I do still believe liberals are using school kids to further an agenda. But it is no skin off my nose. The parents that allow their kids to enter the public arena have made a decision that their kids can take it. But I'm not going to pull punches because it is a kid. If you want to play in the grown up arena, be up to it and take your lumps, or get back into the bleachers.

A business that signals social mores may gain business that it would NOT have otherwise; and may turn away patrons who disagree. That is a business decision. Whether or not Dick's deserve's a boycott is not a "societal" decision. It is an individual decision, so to answer your question "Does Dick's and Field and Stream deserve to remain boycotted by pro gun businesses?" As far as I am concerned yes, they deserve to be boycotted. They made a public statement. I don't agree and I don't want to create the false impression that I agree. Do you think they deserve to be boycotted?

Now if they had been quiet about it, never made a public stand, I could not have cared less. I'm not going to stop doing business with a company that quietly decides to stop selling certain products or types of products for social reasons if they don't make it a public display.

Finally, if there are immature, irresponsible, or mentally ill minors in a household; it is NOT the gun manufacturer's fault that a grown up man didn't properly secure his firearms. It is NOT a firearm dealers fault that a grown up man did not properly secure his firearms. It IS the grown up man's fault that he did not properly secure his firearms. Substitute Car, Liquor, Cigarettes, Medications, Toxic Cleaning Supplies, Power Tools, or anything else that can result in death or serious injury; whose fault is it if it is not properly secured and someone gets hurt.

Response by SSgt Christopher Brose made May 19 at 2018 4:54 PM

2018-05-19T16:54:56-04:00

1. Absolutely, liberals are using school kids to further an agenda. Liberals have no qualms at all about letting an emotional teen speak for them regardless of how stupid the argument being presented actually is, and then viciously attacking anyone who dares address the substance of the argument as supporting murder and terrorism. It happens all the time.

2. Dick's and Field & Stream made an emotion-based decision to actively work against the interests of many of its customers as well as many of its suppliers. It should surprise precisely nobody that the people and suppliers whose interests are now opposed by Dick's will not continue to do business with Dick's. Nothing about the Santa Fe shooting changed any of that.

Response by TSgt David L. made May 20 at 2018 12:55 AM

2018-05-20T00:55:14-04:00

I don't care about Dicks. At all. I'm not sure the latest shooting has anything to do with it unless the dad bought the guns at Dicks. Don't be Dicks!

Response by LTC David Brown made Oct 15 at 2019 9:09 AM

2019-10-15T09:09:01-04:00

I dislike shopping. It seems tedious with endless choices. I leave with a little bit of anxiety if I made the best choice etc, especially on a purchase. So, when buying hunting clothes, ammunition, animal calls, it is nice to have one stop instead of coveralls here, ammunition there, across town for new gun bla bla bla. https://www.fox46charlotte.com/news/we-sell-ar-15s-banner-at-sc-pawn-shop-takes-jab-at-dicks-sporting-goods

'We sell AR-15's:' Banner at SC pawn shop takes jab at Dick's Sporting Goods

A South Carolina pawn shop is causing a stir after posting a tongue-in-cheek banner that takes a jab at a national sporting goods chain.