BOYCOTT Gander Mountain

[Baddog]

I emplore you to read this and cease any further patronage of Gander Mountain let them cater to the hippys and anti-gun minority and see how long they can stay in business, maybe they can convert the gun counter into a coffee shop selling $12.00 lattes.


Dear Wisconsin NRA Member:
Anti-gun activists bombarded Gander Mountain with bullying phone calls and emails regarding this week’s planned NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshops, urging them to cancel. Despite NRA-ILA’s long history of holding Grassroots-Election Workshops at Gander Mountains all over the country, and in Wisconsin, Gander Mountain has caved and canceled NRA-ILA’s Workshops at their Wausau location on Tuesday May 15, and their Eau Claire location on Wednesday May 16.
Despite these efforts to silence NRA-ILA and gun owners in Wisconsin, we have rescheduled these events. It is now MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER to take a stand in support of freedom by attending one of these Workshops. Show our opponents we will not be silenced!
We encourage you to join us at these new locations and prove to these anti-gun activists that gun owners in Wisconsin will not be silenced. Now more than ever it is important that you attend one of our FREE workshops and invite every NRA member that you know to attend!
Here are the details:
Monday May 14, 2012 (NO CHANGE) 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Stadium View Banquet Hall & Conference Center 1963 HOLMGREN WAY GREEN BAY, WI 54304 920-884-3159 The Stadium View Bar & Grille | Green Bay | Sportsbar, Conference Center, Banquet Hall Register: https://nraila.org/workshops/secure/green-bay-2012.aspx
***NEW LOCATION****
Tuesday May 15, 2012 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Cimino's Gun and Archery
N306 Tree Lane
Merrill, Wisconsin 715-536-1021
***NEW LOCATION****
Wednesday May 16, 2012 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. The Plaza Hotel & Suites
1202 W. Clairemont Avenue
Eau Claire, WI 54701
715-834-3181
The Plaza Hotel and Suites Eau Claire - The Plaza Hotel and Suites Eau Claire
At these meetings, NRA-ILA staff will discuss how you can become even more involved with protecting Second Amendment Rights in Wisconsin. You will also get to meet your NRA-ILA Campaign Field Representatives Annette Olson (Eau Claire region) or Hugh Fike (Green Bay region), who will be working in their respective areas.
These meetings are absolutely free and beverages and snacks will be provided. The events will begin at 6:00 p.m., and end at 8:00 pm. Please make plans to attend and encourage your fellow NRA members to attend as well.
To register for one of these free events,
please click one of the links above or call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683).
If you wish to contact your NRA-ILA Grassroots Coordinator Miranda Bond, with questions, please contact her at 703-267-1183 or [email protected].
You may also contact your NRA-ILA Campaign Field Representative Annette Olson (Eau Claire region) at [email protected]/715-760-0665, and Hugh Fike (Green Bay region) at
[email protected]/707-217-2014 to volunteer to assist with our mutual efforts.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our Workshops!
Yours in freedom, NRA-ILA Grassroots Division

 

[RolandW]

I emplore you to read this and cease any further patronage of Gander Mountain let them cater to the hippys and anti-gun minority and see how long they can stay in business, maybe they can convert the gun counter into a coffee shop selling $12.00 lattes.

Considering that the forum rules prohibit political discussion, I suspect that this thread might not be long for this world, but since you brought it up...
All I know about this issue is what I've learned from reading the original post, so maybe I'm missing something, but I'm puzzled as to why you want to punish GM. Decent folks who supply our needs in the marketplace were harassed with "bullying phone calls and emails" from people we don't agree with, and now you want to hurt them too?
Whoever made the decision to cancel I'm sure did so for purely business reasons, and to end the abuse. Anti-gun types, for all their peaceful talk, can be pretty nasty.
I haven't done business with GM, but I gather from this forum that many users have, apparently to their betterment. Boycotting is a tactic that the very anti-gun hippies and latte-slurpers you detest love to employ. Why use it to hurt our friends?

 

[Baddog]

Because if GM doesn't stand up for our rights then it is time to spend our money with someone who will.

 

[RolandW]

Because if GM doesn't stand up for our rights then it is time to spend our money with someone who will.

Wow, don't you think that's a little harsh? There is a huge difference between on the one hand expecting GM not to actively support anti-gun crapola, and on the other hand demanding that they "stand up for our rights" when it might be harmful to them, possibly even leading to physical injury. Let me explain further.
If GM had initiated an anti-gun ad campaign, or supported some anti-second-amendment initiative, then I would say fine. They would be spitting in our faces, not to mention revealing gross hypocrisy, and a boycott would be appropriate.
But that's not what happened. The company was harassed by pathetic, misguided people. Who knows what kinds of threats their management and employees might have received? Under those circumstances, I think you're going off half-cocked (sorry, couldn't resist).
How will it help us if, because of a boycott, GM stops selling guns and supplies, or maybe goes out of business altogether? The more competition there is in the market, the better off we are, so yes, attend a workshop at a new location, but don't add to GM's problems.

 

[Doug B]

Coke is better than Pepsi.

Ford is better than chevy

 

[usm1rifle]

Wow, don't you think that's a little harsh? There is a huge difference between on the one hand expecting GM not to actively support anti-gun crapola, and on the other hand demanding that they "stand up for our rights" when it might be harmful to them, possibly even leading to physical injury. Let me explain further.
If GM had initiated an anti-gun ad campaign, or supported some anti-second-amendment initiative, then I would say fine. They would be spitting in our faces, not to mention revealing gross hypocrisy, and a boycott would be appropriate.
But that's not what happened. The company was harassed by pathetic, misguided people. Who knows what kinds of threats their management and employees might have received? Under those circumstances, I think you're going off half-cocked (sorry, couldn't resist).
How will it help us if, because of a boycott, GM stops selling guns and supplies, or maybe goes out of business altogether? The more competition there is in the market, the better off we are, so yes, attend a workshop at a new location, but don't add to GM's problems.

I for one do not think it is harsh. If there were threats, they should have been dealt with using the full power of law, not knee jerk reaction!

A gun store that does not support the premier gun rights organization? Come on...

 

[RolandW]

With respect, I submit that from what I know this was not a "knee jerk reaction" by GM. But a boycott that plays right into the hand of our opponents certainly is.
We all know that "the full power of the law" cannot always protect us. Isn't that why we choose to be self-reliant when it comes to defending our families and ourselves?
I'll bet GM has done plenty to support gun rights, most notably supplying good products at reasonable prices.
Nobody has an obligation to be a martyr for my cause.

 

[RolandW]

My wife would warn you guys: "Don't get him started!"

 

[McBear]

Gander Mountain sells to both folks who support gun rights and folks who don't, those who shoot and those who camp and hike only. As a business decision they [GM] don't need to take a political stand. They are in business for ALL residents, not for one political side or another.

 

[RolandW]

Yep, central planning sucks, and capitalism rocks.
Lacking a market pricing mechanism, and without the threat of going out of business hanging over its head, the state can never do as well at providing products and services as entrepreneurs in pursuit of profit.
All the more reason not to punish a private company that just wants to mind its own business and please us.
Yes, we can all choose whether we will voluntarily pay Gander Mountain in exchange for its products. Next April, just try telling the IRS, "No thank you; I've decided not to do business with you this year."

 

[Penmon]

Coke is better and Gander should not have caved.
Think about it, a store that I assume sells guns, not supporting there own customers but instead supporting a pressure campaign.Simple solution push back with your pen, email and phone calls. A Boycott may work if a goal is set and meet, that way the company knows you will come back if certain conditions are meet.
Penmon

 

[Baddog]

Well I have purchased 4 weapons from them in the last year, my son purchased 3 weapons, so a large portion of their business is guns and ammo, to the point they are having a hard time keeping them in stock. One would think they would try and keep the core customer base happy.

I don't want this thread to turn into a political debate which I am sure some will try very hard to do.

I will never enter a GM again so my money will go to a LGS from now on.

 

[Fat B]

I had a long response written out but decided against posting it as it will not change opinions and out of respect for forum rules.

I will say however, since it is politically neutral... For years people have been "outraged" at what the other side is doing and it's been a "win at all cost" attitude. Compromise is dead and if you do, you're weak. It comes as no surprise that people are outraged that Gander Mountain might hold an NRA meeting.

Gander Mountain is a company that wants to make money. It doesn't want a bunch of bad press and it doesn't want angry phone calls. People who want to boycott Gander Mountain because Gander Mountain didn't take a stand either didn't really shop there much or doesn't understand how the system works. Remember, the other half of the store caters to hippie conversationalists. Gander Mountain really wants to stay out of that fight.

I don't shop there because their prices are ridiculous. I wouldn't care if they were run by communists or ex-marines. I go where the prices are low. Isn't that how capitalism works?

 

[McBear]

I had a long response written out but decided against posting it as it will not change opinions and out of respect for forum rules.

I will say however, since it is politically neutral... For years people have been "outraged" at what the other side is doing and it's been a "win at all cost" attitude. Compromise is dead and if you do, you're weak. It comes as no surprise that people are outraged that Gander Mountain might hold an NRA meeting.

Gander Mountain is a company that wants to make money. It doesn't want a bunch of bad press and it doesn't want angry phone calls. People who want to boycott Gander Mountain because Gander Mountain didn't take a stand either didn't really shop there much or doesn't understand how the system works. Remember, the other half of the store caters to hippie conversationalists. Gander Mountain really wants to stay out of that fight.

I don't shop there because their prices are ridiculous. I wouldn't care if they were run by communists or ex-marines. I go where the prices are low. Isn't that how capitalism works?

That's "hippie conservationists".

And some of us shop on both sides of the store - when convenience or need overcomes price.

 

[Fat B]

That's "hippie conservationists".

And some of us shop on both sides of the store - when convenience or need overcomes price.

Lol, My touchpad has auto correct. Maybe they are good conversationalists too.

 

[Lock&Load53]

I don't shop GM because of there prices and poor selection of many items I want.
With that said, What do you think Bass Pro Shop would have done in the same instance, which also caters to everyone ? I have a pretty good ideal what they would have done.
Remember our fallen soldiers Memorial Day and what they gave up everything for.

 

[badge]

Cowards. They sell guns. We buy 'em. I reckon THEIR money is better than MY money huh? I will not patronize them again if they feel the anti's are better customers.

 

[McBear]

Cowards. They sell guns. We buy 'em. I reckon THEIR money is better than MY money huh? I will not patronize them again if they feel the anti's are better customers.

I don't get the impression from either the OP or the other articles on the subject that GM believes the "anti's" are better, just that all buyers are equal in their business model and they don't want to set political sides...either side.

That's a really good business model.

 

[Nico Testosteros]

I agree with McBear.

 

[Nico Testosteros]

Grant Cunningham has a good take on this situation on his blog.