On Tuesday, Walmart announced it will stop selling popular ammunition rounds and stop selling handguns in Alaska. The retailer is also asking customers not to open carry their firearm in their stores. Walmart said those with permits to conceal a firearm can continue to do so.
“We believe the opportunity for someone to misinterpret a situation, even in open carry states, could lead to tragic results,” CEO Doug McMillon said in a memo distributed to employees. “We hope that everyone will understand the circumstances that led to this new policy and will respect the concerns of their fellow shoppers and our associates.”
“We’ve also been listening to a lot of people inside and outside our company as we think about the role we can play in helping to make the country safer,” the CEO added. “It’s clear to us that the status quo is unacceptable.”
In addition, Walmart will ask the White House and congressional leaders to enact some “common sense measures” and “strengthen background checks and to remove weapons from those who have been determined to pose an imminent danger.”
What exactly is involved with “common sense measures” and “strengthening background checks” they corporation doesn’t say.
The NRA pushed back on Walmart’s decision, predicting “lines at Walmart will soon be replaced by lines at other retailers who are more supportive of America’s fundamental freedoms.”
CNBC reports that Walmart has faced a backlash from some employees for not pulling firearms from their shelves after a maniac shot up a Walmart in El Paso, Texas and in Mississippi. But why? Is Walmart feeding firearms to the criminals responsible for America’s gun violence?
Walmart says it had 20 percent of the ammunition market. Now those consumers can purchase their ammunition from another outlet, one that respects their right to keep and bear arms.