Dick’s Sporting Goods has decided to permanently stop selling AR-15 or similar semi-automatic rifles and standard capacity magazines at all of its Dick’s and Field & Stream stores. The outdoor products retailer has also announced that it supports governmental bans on those same items.
Dick’s said in a statement that “the systems in place are not effective to protect our kids and our citizens” so they would take the following actions beginning immediately:
- We will no longer sell assault-style rifles, also referred to as modern sporting rifles. We had already removed them from all DICK’S stores after the Sandy Hook massacre, but we will now remove them from sale at all 35 Field & Stream stores.
- We will no longer sell firearms to anyone under 21 years of age.
- We will no longer sell high capacity magazines.
- We never have and never will sell bump stocks that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire more rapidly.
The retailer used terminology prevalent in left-leaning media, anti-gun propaganda and left-wing extremist talking points. An AR-15 is not an “assault-style” rifle nor are the other semi-automatic rifles that Dick’s will stop selling. In fact, outside of left-leaning circles, “assault-style” doesn’t have a specific meaning which would leave politicians and anti-gunners to decide what rifles are included. Also, 30-round magazines are the standard capacity magazines for the AR-15. High-capacity mags would be anything over the standard.
Dick’s didn’t stop at just including anti-gun terms in their statement – they then advocated for an outright government ban on certain rifles and magazines.
“At the same time, we implore our elected officials to enact common sense gun reform and pass the following regulations:
- Ban assault-style firearms (which could include anything politicians decide)
- Raise the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21
- Ban high capacity magazines and bump stocks
- Require universal background checks that include relevant mental health information and previous interactions with the law
- Ensure a complete universal database of those banned from buying firearms
- Close the private sale and gun show loophole that waives the necessity of background checks”
Making sure that background checks contain all relevant information is something that gun owners, second amendment advocates and the National Rifle Association (NRA) have all agreed should happen. But, pushing for the ban on semi-automatic firearms under the guise of “assault-style rifles” and a ban on standard capacity magazines is extreme and closely aligns the retailer with anti-gun leftists like Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA).
Social media was quick to respond to the ill-thought move:
https://twitter.com/BiggPhillyFan/status/968823851802034176
https://twitter.com/j3mike/status/968836411775479808
https://twitter.com/SilenceDogood79/status/968831714184302592
https://twitter.com/KY_HenryClay/status/968828800166498304
https://twitter.com/Liberty29588/status/968834552948056064
This isn’t the first time Dick’s Sporting Goods has bent to pressure by left-wing extremists. In 2013, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, the retailer pulled AR-15’s off the shelf for a few months angering firearms consumers.
