Democrat reactions after Walmart caves on gun and ammo sales actually speak the truth (for once)

To learn more about our mission, visit: www.ninelineapparel.com

As you have no doubt heard, Walmart announced it will stop selling handguns, along with ammunition for handguns and short-barrel rifles. The retail behemoth will continue to sell long barrel deer rifles and shotguns, and much of the ammunition for those guns.

In addition, where open carry is allowed under state law, the company is “respectfully requesting” customers in its Walmart and or Sam’s Clubs stores to refrain from doing so.

Walmart announced these changes about a month after 22 people were killed in one of its stores in El Paso, TX. In a statement, Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon said “In a complex situation lacking a simple solution, we are trying to take constructive steps to reduce the risk that events like these will happen again…The status quo is unacceptable.”

Well, we all agree gun violence is bad, Doug. But what Walmart just did is ultimately an empty gesture. Even the leftiest Democrat presidential candidates agree.

Beto O’Rourke praised Walmart’s decision but said “We can’t rely on corporations to stop gun violence.”

No shirt, Sherlock. Gun violence is committed by criminals and sick individuals.

Bernie Sanders applauded the “brave Walmart workers” who called on the company to stop selling handguns, calling it a good step, “but we still have a gun violence crisis.”

Yep, and gun violence will continue, Bernie, because this meaningless move will do absolutely nothing to stop it.

After all, most of us recognize Walmart is indulging in high profile virtue-signaling.

The company admits it represents only about 2 percent of the U.S. firearms market as a whole and currently generates 20 percent of the ammunition market. That means the majority of sales are not happening at a Walmart, as huge as it is, and most sales occur at small, local retailers.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimate for total ammunition sales in the U.S. peaked at around $8 million in 2012. So, let’s use that figure for comparison. Walmart currently gets 20 percent of that, or $1.6 billion. Walmart estimates its share of ammo sales will drop to maybe 6 percent, which means it will lose maybe a billion dollars in revenue. Sounds like a pretty big sacrifice, except the company had $514.4 billion in total sales last year, so it’s looking at a hit of two-tenths of a percent. BFD.

And the only state where Walmart was still selling handguns was Alaska anyway.

Per CNN, “Walmart stopped selling handguns in every state but Alaska in the mid-1990s and only sells a firearm to customers after receiving a “green light” on a background check.”

Walmart stopped selling assault rifles in 2015 and raised its minimum gun purchasing age to 21 last year after the Parkland, Florida, shooting.”

Hello, Walmart. Your policies didn’t do a damn thing to stop every mass shooting since 2015. Or suicide (which is now the tenth biggest cause of death in the U.S.). Or reduce the horrific violence occurring every single day in cities like Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore or St. Louis.

And forget boycotting Walmart.

People threatened to boycott Dick’s Sporting Goods in 2015 after it announced it would stop selling assault style rifles and high capacity magazines, and raise the minimum age to purchase a gun to 21 — and total sales have gone up every year since. Is that proof of “public approval” of its policy. Maybe? But it didn’t do a damn thing to end gun violence either.

However what is worrying about all of this is the slow but sure chipping away of our Second Amendment rights. A little here, a little there, as politicians, the media and now corporations attempt to change our behavior, and gradually make it disappear.

As the proverbial frog in the pot of water might say, “it’s getting mighty warm in here.”

Nine Line is an American Clothing Company with American made Apparel and Accessories- Veteran Owned and Operated