Massive Gun Maker Refuses To Back Down, Hits AR Boycotters with Brutal News
If Dick’s Sporting Goods thought it could ban the AR-15 and similar weapons and just face boycotts from gun owners, they were wrong — especially after they started campaigning for gun control.
One of the largest gun manufacturers in America, Springfield Armory, has announced it will no longer do business with Dick’s in the wake of their February decision to stop selling certain rifles.
The move came after it was reported that Dick’s was working with lobbyists to enact new gun restrictions on Capitol Hill.
“The company has retained Glover Park Group to lobby Congress on the matter, according to a disclosure form filed in late April,” Bloomberg reported Thursday.
“The move is unusual for a firm in the retail sector, where few brands tackle such a politically-charged issue for fear it will turn off customers.”
Forget customers, however — they might have a bigger problem on their hand with Springfield.
“Springfield Armory is severing ties with Dick’s Sporting Goods and its subsidiary, Field & Stream, in response to their hiring a group for anti-Second Amendment lobbying,” the company announced Thursday.
“This latest action follows Dick’s Sporting Goods’ decision to remove and destroy all modern sporting rifles (MSR) from their inventory. In addition, they have denied Second Amendment rights to Americans under the age of 21.”
The company went on to emphasize its belief that the right to keep and bear arms is guaranteed under the Constitution, and applies to all adult Americans, provided they are not criminals.
“We at Springfield Armory believe that all law abiding American citizens of adult age are guaranteed this sacred right under our Constitution,” the statement continued.
“It is clear where Dick’s Sporting Goods and its subsidiary, Field & Stream, stand on the Second Amendment, and we want to be clear about our message in response,” Springfield said. “Their position runs counter to what we stand for as a company.
The armory concluded by noting that Americans’ constitutional rights exist because patriots and the Founding Fathers actually fought for them. As a result, it’s wrong to let those rights go to waste.
“At Springfield Armory, we believe in the rights and principles fought for and secured by American patriots and our founding forefathers, without question. We will not accept Dick’s Sporting Goods’ continued attempts to deny Second Amendment freedoms to our fellow Americans.”
If Dick’s is going to continue selling firearms at all, Springfield would be a major loss. Most of their products do not fit into the sporting rifle category; their pistols have become known for both their quality and ubiquity on the market.
Such weapons would likely not be covered under any gun control legislation passed in the near future, meaning that customers would go to other stores — and give them their business — if they want a Springfield.
Why Dick’s would lobby against the interests of their suppliers and their customers is anyone’s guess, but one could predict that Springfield isn’t the last company we’re going to see boycotting Dick’s.
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