Sterling Burnett works for the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA), a conservative think tank. Sterling is a hunting friend of mine and gave me permission to post his letter here on the forum.
My name is Sterling Burnett. I have been a loyal Wal-Mart customer, but no more. When Wal-Mart's merchandise became dominated by Chinese goods, I continued shopping there. When they removed firearms from most of my local stores I still shopped there -- ammo and outdoor clothes were still cheaper or at least competitive and Wal-Mart was convenient. My wife and I have shopped at Wal-Mart for toys, hardware, groceries and auto repair but no more. Your decision to treat lawful gun purchasers as criminals -- taping them, holding information on traces even when you don't, indeed can't, know whether the purchaser is involved in any crime (much less convicted by a jury of his/her peers) and then the audacity to decide on your own whether or not to sell firearms to people who have purchased in the past, but whose guns resulted in a trace (not necessarily a crime but a trace). Teaming up with the most abusive Mayor in the country -- a man who shows no respect for the law or the constitution -- and who has been no friend of Wal-Mart in the past (he and his ilk regularly fight the siting of new Wal-Mart stores in their metropolitan areas) is outrageous and shows a total lack of respect for the views and rights of your core customer base. Neither I, nor my wife, nor my children will ever shop at a Wal-Mart store again.
I can buy my firearms, ammunition and outdoor sports gear and clothing at sporting goods shops and I can certainly by my other goods (groceries, hardware, gardening supplies) elsewhere. I may or may not pay more for these goods but at least I will not be supporting a store that treats me as if I were under suspicion of a crime or, simply because I wish to purchase a gun, a criminal in waiting. I won't be providing money to a corporation actively working to undermine my freedoms, under the guise of working with the government to enhance collective security -- a claim that has always been the cloak for tyranny, but which the founders of this country warned us about.
This policy crosses a line. Sam Walton is turning over in his grave.
Sincerely,

