Gunshop owner disrespects military ... your thoughts?

2014-12-24T00:23:44-05:00

Gunshop owner disrespects the military in a Facebook post. Is astonished by backlash, even death threats against him and his family!

http://teapartyupdate.com/gun-store-owner-writes-an-anti-veteran-rant-on-facebook-what-happens-next-will-leave-you-stunned/

Gun Store Owner Writes an Anti-Veteran Rant on Facebook, What Happens Next Will Leave You...

In the crazy topsy-turvy world of American politics, it seems that some people think they're being conservative when they decide to bash the nation's military. Michael

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 24 at 2014 12:26 AM

2014-12-24T00:26:35-05:00

Threats against ones family are never okay in my book don't care who or what you stand for.

Response by SPC David S. made Dec 24 at 2014 12:32 AM

2014-12-24T00:32:13-05:00

It's funny how he bad mouths the system yet quickly tries to back peddle out of it as he sees the dollars suddenly stop rolling in. What an idiot.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 24 at 2014 1:36 AM

2014-12-24T01:36:19-05:00

What an idiot. Especially in Anniston, Alabama with Fort McClellan next door. He must have lost a past girlfriend to a soldier. The death threats are overboard, but hopefully everyone will boycott his business and go to someone that is pro-military.

Response by MSG David Johnson made Dec 24 at 2014 5:49 PM

2014-12-24T17:49:36-05:00

This went around FaceBook a while back. But I think this was old. Don't remember for sure.

But the comments and attitude he has, there is probably a lot of people who have the same feelings but don't express them publicly. We may not like what they believe in or say but that's their rights.
But that's what the First Ammendment is about, freedom of speech. We wouldn't be here if our Founding Fathers hadn't spoke their minds.

But, I will be in the front row of blockers if that Westboro Baptist group comes around, or if I see someone disrespecting my Flag.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2014 10:51 AM

2014-12-25T10:51:00-05:00

And it's the people like that along with their right to free speech that we serve and protect. I do give him credit for recognizing local government officials, but dissing on veterans in such extremist fashion is uncalled for.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2014 11:14 AM

2014-12-25T11:14:10-05:00

Totally insane. There's so much to this that I don't know where to begin.

First, he has the right to express his disdain towards whatever it is he disagrees with. He also has to look at himself as to whether what and how he expresses himself is accurate and/or responsible, as well as how it may come back to affect him.

Second, regardless of his personal beliefs or what he said, in absolutely NO WAY is it okay to issue threats of violence to him or anyone in his family. This is just plain and flat out wrong.

Third, the best way to counter such ridiculous assertions is by peacefully spreading the word and boycotting his store. If others wish to follow suit then that is THEIR choice. If others wish to still patronize the man's store then that too is also THEIR choice. Allow others to learn and make their own choices. Hold them accountable as befitting their previous actions but do so in a civil, peaceful and adult manner.

A follow on to my third point, I personally don't care for many businesses or organizations. The majority of them I refuse to patronize because of their poor business practices or mostly because of their very poor attitudes towards society. While I would hope others would also not patronize them, I will not force my beliefs on others yet allow them to make their own decision.

Cpl Brett Wagner, SSG Daniel Deiler, SPC Danny Eldridge, SGT Richard H., SPC Charles Brown, 1SG David Niles, Cpl Dennis F., SSG P, B, PO1 Private RallyPoint Member, SFC Gary Fox, LTC Private RallyPoint Member, LCpl Steve Wininger, SSG Private RallyPoint Member, SGT Private RallyPoint Member, PO2 Ed C., SSG Gerhard S., SSG Jason Neumann, Capt Jeff S., Cpl Private RallyPoint Member, SGT Jonathan Willard, SFC Private RallyPoint Member, SFC Private RallyPoint Member, SSG John Bacon, SPC Jeff Daley, PhD, MSgt Keith Hebert, CPT Private RallyPoint Member, SSG Justin McCoy, SGT Jinger Jarrett, TSgt Tifani McCauley, SGT Private RallyPoint Member, MSG Brad Sand, SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL, Cpl David Schaffer, SFC Private RallyPoint Member, SGT Rick Nyberg, MAJ Private RallyPoint Member, 1LT Scott Doyle, CW5 Sam R. Baker, 1SG Michael Blount, Sgt John H., SSG John Erny, SSG Private RallyPoint Member, LTC Paul Labrador, MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca, CW5 Private RallyPoint Member, CPT Jacob Swartout, 1LT John Martin, SGT Tony Saucier, SPC Chris Lanaman, SSG Private RallyPoint Member, SGM Private RallyPoint Member, SSG Selwyn Bodley, SSG Laureano Pabon, SSG Trevor S., LTC Private RallyPoint Member, SSG Joaquin Goicoechea, Col Private RallyPoint Member, SGT Steven Eugene Kuhn MBA, 1LT Shawn McCarthy, SSG Jim Handy, SSG Stephen Arnold.

Response by SSG Gerhard S. made Dec 25 at 2014 1:08 PM

2014-12-25T13:08:34-05:00

All I can say is, Not very smart.

Response by SFC Gary Fox made Dec 25 at 2014 1:19 PM

2014-12-25T13:19:01-05:00

If he owned a gun store in my community, he surely would not get my business and I would let all my friends know about it as well.

There's a book called "How to Sell Anyone Anything" by Joe Gerard. He says on average everyone knows 250 people. When someone gets a bad deal from a business, they generally tell everyone they know. In turn most of those he tells will tell others they know. This can cause a small business to suffer very quickly.

Gerard wrote this long before the internet and social media. When somebody posts on the internet how they got a bad deal from a business, his message hits more than 250 people. First the gun store owner was a fool for making his personal opinion about veterans public. Second, he was a bigger fool for doing it on social media. He almost immediately began to feel the backlash to him and his business; so much so he comes out to publicly apologize.

I don't condone anyone making death threats against this guy as I find that to be extreme and uncalled for. I do favor boycotting businesses owned by people like him though.

Response by PO2 Corey Ferretti made Dec 25 at 2014 2:46 PM

2014-12-25T14:46:18-05:00

All i can say is he is an idiot. but he has the right to say what he pleases but im sure is business is hurting by now. The big part i dont agree with is death threats against him and his family. That crossed a line that should never be crossed. It frustrates me when i hear people do that because they don't like what someone says. It adds fuel to the lets hate veterans see they are violent and ticking time bombs see what they did after i said something harmless. Some people need to learn not to speak when they are mad that is for sure.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2014 5:24 PM

2014-12-25T17:24:04-05:00

Death threats are wrong.

Now that that is out of the way, this guy is a moron. Let's just say that he in fact holds convictions that veterans are not heroes, that they are puppets of corporate masters, etc. You own a GUN STORE. What genius alienates a high percentage of his clientele?
No amount of damage control will placate anyone who saw this rant.
All because he wanted to look cool to his eight hipster friends who "liked" his comment.

Response by SSG Stephen Arnold made Dec 25 at 2014 6:21 PM

2014-12-25T18:21:16-05:00

Openly deriding gets in a business that likely has a significant number of vets as customers? Dumb.

Making threats because you disagree with his comments? Criminal. In most jurisdictions it is called "assault".

Response by CPT Jacob Swartout made Dec 25 at 2014 6:22 PM

2014-12-25T18:22:16-05:00

When someone like him makes statements of that nature, what else would he expect from the public? He can't exactly hide since he owns a business and people know where to find him at work. I don't wish any harm on his family but, most people would think twice before they mention something controversial on social media. Good way for him to possibly shut down his business for good with statements against vets. Those "Heroes" he mentioned in his post have family or friends in the military too. He won't get too many new customers again. He will likely loose many customers from posting those ignorant remarks.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2014 7:26 PM

2014-12-25T19:26:02-05:00

The gun shop owner sounds like a nut, but the folks who threatened him and his family with violence are equally nutty. Wrong on several levels.

Response by SGT Edward Thomas made Dec 25 at 2014 7:35 PM

2014-12-25T19:35:32-05:00

All the responses I have read are all spot on. He has every right to express his feelings. However, his potential customers so have the right to do business somewhere else. As far as death threats to him and his family that is a bit too much. Threaten to ruin his business is one thing but never good to threaten his family.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 26 at 2014 1:27 AM

2014-12-26T01:27:36-05:00

Rather than getting mad, we have the power if we are willing to use it. Boycotting this idiot is exactly what we need to do. No death threats, no hate mail, no customers! We can share the news of the boycott every way we can, to make it have the maximum impact. In fact, we MUST or we will be ignored.

A similar example. In 2012, Devin McLean, retired Air Force, stopped a bandit from robbing Auto Zone. The store manager said McLean saved his life, but Auto Zone fired McLean. I have told Auto Zone that I'm not shopping there again until they issue an apology to McLean. Facebook has a Boycott Auto Zone page, if you are interested.

"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." Plato

Response by LCpl Steve Wininger made Dec 26 at 2014 12:26 PM

2014-12-26T12:26:09-05:00

This guy obviously has anger management issues. people have a right to be upset and speak back, however, people should leave his family out of it. he alone made the post and he alone needs to be the one the people confront about it.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 26 at 2014 1:39 PM

2014-12-26T13:39:47-05:00

It's almost hilarious that he runs down the very group of individuals that ensures his right to say what is on his mind. Not to mention that same group are likely to be the majority of his clientele. As Ron White would say, "You just can't fix stupid".

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 26 at 2014 6:12 PM

2014-12-26T18:12:08-05:00

This guy is a total nut. I was a police officer there for several years. I had several run-ins with him. This is not his first outburst on Facebook and he has no problem threatening others either. He actually post a threat towards me on Facebook a year ago on how I was a pig with a badge and if I came in his neighborhood again he would make sure I didn't leave. I have no sympathy for this lowlife.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Dec 26 at 2014 11:45 PM

2014-12-26T23:45:38-05:00

While the gun store owner who depends on the business of others to make his living, to put food on the table and the close on his back and the backs of his family has freedom of speech he should really consider his mouth to be a liability. He brought his turmoil on to himself and some people will never let him live down that fact that he is a veteran hater. He can never take back what he said about veterans. People who made threats against his family is a no go but then again, his mouth wrote a check his rear end can't cash. He should also take a history class on what veterans have done for our country and other countries.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Dec 27 at 2014 1:47 AM

2014-12-27T01:47:33-05:00

I have a good friend who owns a speed shop for vehicles and a video game store in Temple, TX. He once told me the point of a business is not to make money for that will come for sure if you conduct business correctly and treat people right, but he said the point of a business is to serve the community, to be a pillar of the community, and to help use his position as a successful business owner to help the community and others in need and he does just that. The owner of the gun store is doing the opposite and its causing his business to hurt.

Response by Sgt John H. made Dec 27 at 2014 10:13 AM

2014-12-27T10:13:07-05:00

Being both a veteran and a retired police officer, I can say this guy is out of his tree. I am all for freedom of speech but any kind of hate speech is absolutely uncalled for and anti-American. Our country is seeing hard times and we don't need fools and idiots posting their poorly thought out poison

Response by SSG John Erny made Dec 29 at 2014 2:56 PM

2014-12-29T14:56:58-05:00

Well Folks this is what the far right looks like.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 30 at 2014 1:11 PM

2014-12-30T13:11:41-05:00

Boycott? Absolutely. Death threats? Line crossed. I'm really not sure what he was thinking would happen with this. Pretty much everyone here has nailed it on one form or another with their posts. I do agree that his apology was driven by dollars more than sense. It sounds like SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member has had a run in with him and it's been unpleasant.

Yes, his right to make that comment was paid for in blood, but it's our right and responsibility to ensure he knows he messed up.

Response by SSG Christopher Parrish made Dec 30 at 2014 3:51 PM

2014-12-30T15:51:03-05:00

It is the military that ensures he has the freedom to make stupid comments like that. Move on and spend elsewhere. Just don't be surprised if no one comes to help if he is attacked.

Response by MSG Scott McBride made Dec 30 at 2014 3:56 PM

2014-12-30T15:56:19-05:00

This guy is totally FUBAR.

Response by PO3 John Jeter made Jan 1 at 2015 3:08 PM

2015-01-01T15:08:59-05:00

This popped up a while back and the last I heard, his business is in the toilet and his wife's isn't doing too well either. I never cease to be amazed by people who leap in front of a speeding truck and are surprised when they get run down! Regardless of the reason, at least he was man enough to stand up and take the "incoming" for his family........(Maybe now he understands a little bit of what it's like to be a vet now?) Isn't THAT ironic as hell? *grin*

Response by PO3 John Jeter made Jan 1 at 2015 3:20 PM

2015-01-01T15:20:21-05:00

He should have read this article before he opened his mouth. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/20/lindsey-stone-facebook-photo-arlington-national-cemetery-unpaid-leave_n_2166842.html
This woman ended up getting fired and a whole world of SH*t descended upon her head. Her friend who took the photo was also fired. There was a page titled "Fire Lindsey Stone" created and if I recall correctly it had over 4,000 joins the first day. She ended up going into seclusion at her parents home while she waited for the firestorm to die down. Never heard anything more from her......

Woman's Outrageous Photo At Arlington National Cemetery Sparks Facebook Fury

Two women have been placed on unpaid leave from their jobs after a Facebook photo taken at Arlington National Cemetery angered thousands online and led to a petition for their resignation. Lindsey