You’d think that outfits like Gander Mountain would have learned where their bread is buttered by now, but under pressure from left wing activists, they’ve given the boot to NRA, which intended to do grassroots workshops to help train activists ahead of the recall election for Governor Walker in Wisconsin.
Gander Mountain are certainly free to be cowards if they want, but we are also free to go take our hunting and shooting dollars elsewhere. I ordinarily cut companies a break for trying to be apolitical, because when policy does not directly impact your business, it’s smart business to stay out.
But hunting, shooting and outdoor companies are directly impacted by policy, and I expect them to join the fight against those who want to destroy their line of business, and destroy our constitutional rights. We should accept nothing less. Gander is certainly benefitting from the passage of the concealed carry bill that Scott Walker happily signed. Turning around and stabbing him in the back with cowardice is unacceptable and disgraceful for a company like Gander.
I would encourage every gun owner to contact Gander Mountain and express to them your outrage at their decision, and inform them that you’ll be taking your hunting and shooting dollars elsewhere until they capitulate on this matter.
UPDATE: Here’s Bitter’s take on why Gander Mountain’s ban on NRA-ILA events is really about keeping gun owners from organizing to support the Second Amendment and hunting rights.
Oh come on. They are a business. Why should they be forced to be politically involved in the issue any more than Starbucks? There are a lot of gun owners who are not fans of the NRA for one reason or the other. No need to punish the store because they are not being as politically aggressive as you want them to.
Starbucks sells coffee. That has nothing to do with guns. If people were out to ban or restrict the coffee business, I would expect Starbucks to take a stand on that, and take a stand with organizations that rally grassroots support to candidates that support coffee drinker rights. It would make sense for their business.
To me this is a hang together, or we hang separately issue.
Britain went thru this. They chose to hang separately…worked out well for them, didn’t it?
So in other words, unless a company that sell firearms ACTIVELY support candidates that YOU choose…despite risking other business, you think they should be boycotted.
No, not that I choose… that support the rights of guns owners. This is about NRA, it’s members, and what NRA does for the Second Amendment…. which also happens to benefit Gander’s line of business. It’s not about my individual preferences.
OK, so same question, unless a company capitulates to the NRA to host political events for whomever they choose, they should be boycotted? The article sums it up, there are Republicans who hunt and Democrats who hunt. Believe it or not, there may be some folks who hunt who don’t like Walker for a whole bunch of reasons that have nothing to do with 2A.
I shop at LL Beans, and I know they are a conservative company, but as a customer would I be turned off if they were hosting a “How to fight abortion laws” workshop? Yes, I would.
Just to clarify the last sentence. I am pro-choice and I shop at LL Bean, even tho I don’t care about the owners politics. But I would be turned off if they were hosting an anti-abortion workshop.
Yes, I think they should be boycotted, they are not taking a stance on any other issue, they are taking a stance on guns and in turn hunting, self defense, freedom and everything else that we stand for.
I dont expect other companies to hold such a line…but this company…taking money from predominantly 2A loving customers. They should have chosen better on this one. And now they will suffer for it. As they should.
“capitulates” to the NRA? Invent ludicrous rhetoric much?
Your analogy fails because LL Beans’ business model has nothing to do with abortion.
The events were focused on advocacy for a specific candidate in an election where RKBA isn’t a major issue (AFAIK – correct me if I’m wrong, I don’t follow Wisconsin politics real close, i just read Althouse). I can see why a store might be leery of that, and I personally hope the NRA works very hard to maintain their credibility (at least among people sane enough to keep track of reality) as a non-partisan single-issue advocacy organization.
As for gun owners who “don’t like the NRA”, they can move to NJ and sit in prison for all I care. 90% mobys, 9% fudds, 1% 3%ers.
Scott Walker has been a great supporter of the Second Amendment, having signed a right-to-carry bill after years of vetoes from his predecessor. RKBA is absolutely a major issue in this recall election. If Walker is removed, the anti-gun groups will be shouting high and low that his support for NRA was a factor in his defeat, and will be taking credit for helping defeat the Governor.
I have not read that as one of the issue in any of general media stories. (either pro or against). It mostly seems about the economy and labor issues.
Putting your head in the sand is not a legitimate defensive.
So, basically what you are saying is this: If a candidate sucks in every way except for support for gun rights, you would support that candidate. You would vote for Satan if he supported gun rights. Correct?
No, I wouldn’t personally. But that’s all NRA is going to consider when evaluating whether to issue an endorsement of a candidate trying to retain public office.
And I would note, if Gander Mountain decides that they won’t host NRA because Walker sucks on other issues, they are taking a political stand, just in the other direction. They are certainly free to do so, but because I generally don’t agree that Walker sucks on other issue, I’m going to take offense to that.
I’m generally OK with businesses defending their businesses from government encroachment, even if I ultimately might disagree with that business the particular measure they are fighting, but it’s understandable. I’m generally not OK with businesses taking a political stand because they feel like it. Gander would be engaging in the former.
So, basically what you are saying is this: If a candidate sucks in every way except for support for gun rights, you would support that candidate.
Ah, but the thing is, the RKBA is a remarkably good touchstone for someone’s attitude towards liberty. And with the New Left’s capture of the Democratic party post-1968 and further polarization since then there aren’t that many politicians who present such conundrums. John Dingle would be a good example … tempered by the minor detail of the hard Left stripping him of his power post-2008. Not to mention his squishiness on the RKBA (was NRA Board member who voted for the AW ban and then resigned the next day).
Can any of you think of other current or recent examples?
That having been said, when it comes to politics I’m 100% who/whom. They hit us, we hit back harder. “Right” is when we win. It’s idiotic to try to play golf on a soccer field. If there were a GM ’round here, I’d boycott it.
I’d boycott Gouger Mountain, but I rarely shop there. Their prices on firearms are ridiculous, their ammo is overpriced and their staff frequently don’t know enough to be helpful.
Ah, so your boycott will be like the NGVAC Starbucks boycott.
Scott Walker has been a good friend to gun owners in Wisconsin starting with concealed carry. I think it is only natural – and appropriate – for the NRA to reward this support by organizing the grassroots in support of him in the recall election.
I’m sure that Gander Mountain has seen an increase in their firearms sales since CCW was passed. They would not have had those increased sales if Tom Barrett had been elected in 2010 and won’t have them in the future if Tom Barrett beats Scott Walker.
GM needs to get right with gun owners or pay the consequences.
I sent this:
I heard you guys kicked out the NRA in Wisconsin when they tried to run a pro-Walker event. I encourage you to reconsider.
You guys need to realize that your customers (nation-wide) are more loyal to the NRA than to you. We can buy our hunting supplies and shooting goods at other stores, but there’s no substitute for the NRA. If you aren’t on our side, you will lose our business. I didn’t buy a Ruger firearm for 15 years after they came out in support of the 1994 assault weapons ban. What do you think we’re going to do to your company if you turn your back on our cause?
You claim that Gander Mountain is a “tireless supporter of the 2nd amendment.” How about you show that support by letting the NRA do what it does best? Kicking them out of the store to avoid annoying a few left wing idiots is not “tireless support.” It’s cowardice. You need to apologize to the NRA and invite them back in.
While I have the same position as you on Ruger, their wild success right now makes them a poor choice for a boycott example.
It would be better to find one that was successful, and ideally one that’s a lot more “in your face” like Gander Mountain’s; what Bill Ruger did was if not subtle, at least behind the scenes out of the public eye.
I actually think a better tactic is to go to a GM store, ask to speak to the manager and have him explain to you why denying the NRA the opportunity to ‘support the 2nd amendment’ is a good idea.
I think that is an excellent idea, Packetman!
Bad move by Gander Mountain. They will alienate customers in order to appease people that likely have never set foot in Gander Mountain. As a business that thrives off of guns and gun owners, one would think Gander Mountain would not bow to leftwing political campaigning.
I say this as someone that does not care for the NRA much.
I figure the best way to make a point and be an annoying !@#$% is to walk into Gander Mountain. Load up a cart, go to the counter…
And then say “Oh wait, I heard Gander Mountain national has decided to not support the NRA. Well, I guess I can no longer support your business.”
And plop a flyer down on the table and walk out. I bet if that happened at half a dozen stores and got back to national they’d change their bark real quick.
Unfortunately, conservatives don’t do boycotts well. Since the left does, we have unilaterally disarmed, putting us at a significant disadvantage in this arena. It isn’t like corporate America is all that friendly to us anyway. Look at the struggle over parking lot laws. Conservatives argue, here and elsewhere, that it is the corporations property and thus their right to ban guns. One can argue about that but if they were our friends, why would they want to. Corporations are so hostile to self-defense, it is hard to buy anything if one were being purist. Bottom line is the left can get corporations to pressure ALEC over SYG laws, for example, while we sit there sucking our thumbs. Walmart adopted Bloomberg’s gun sale policy and the right didn’t even seem to notice. Didn’t work because the left still attempts to prevent Walmarts but the policy didn’t change. Corporate leaders evidently think that Marx was joking when he wrote “When we hang the last capitalist, it will be with a rope he sold us.”
Starbucks hasn’t backed down to lefty pressure. There was a buycott here in AZ for Starbucks when someone was protesting Starbucks in another states for allowing people to enter with holstered weapons.
I’ve already taken my business elsewhere. Gander doesn’t stand with NRA? Then I don’t stand with them. I’ll spend a little extra money on ammo and buy it from the local gun store instead.