Reverse Gears: Walmart Changes Its Mind, Features Firearms Despite Looting That May Loom

On Thursday, I covered a stunning story: Via a letter to its locations, Walmart had announced it would be pulling from display all firearms.

The reason was rousing: Presumably due in part to the upcoming election, the world’s largest retailer feared mobs would storm stores and grab the guns, using them to commit violence as part of our new normal of aspiring anarchy.

I asked at the time: Did you ever think you’d see such a day?

We’re indeed living at a time when the concern isn’t crazy.

As noted by Fox News, company spokesperson Kory Lundberg told NBC all firearms had been set to be secured in back rooms, as part of an “abundance of caution.” And it wasn’t the first time, according to Kory:

“After civil unrest earlier this week resulted in damage to several of our stores, consistent with actions we took over the summer, we asked stores to move firearms and ammunition from the sales floor to a secure location in the back of the store in an abundance of caution.”

The referenced recent riotousness took place in Port Richmond, Philadelphia, following the officer-involved shooting death of Walter Wallace Jr.:

BREAKING: Wal-Mart is being looted for a 2nd time by BLM rioters in Philadelphia

They are looting 15+ stores over a 4 block radius. Police have not been able to get the situation under control

Chaos is ensuing to the point where it’s not safe anymorepic.twitter.com/U34olfZ835

— ELIJAH SCHAFFER (@ElijahSchaffer) October 28, 2020

But there’s been an update to the retailer’s removal: On Friday, the chain reversed gears.

Kory put it to the Peacock thusly:

“As the current incidents have remained geographically isolated, we have made the decision to begin returning these products to the sales floor today.”

UPDATE: Walmart has reversed its decision to take guns and ammunition from store displays in response to concerns about "isolated civil unrest." https://t.co/PyAP53kbJS

— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 30, 2020

Walmart’s no stranger to being trigger shy where weapons are concerned.

Little more than a year ago — following mass shootings in El Paso and elsewhere — the retail giant said it would no longer sell handgun or short-barrel rifle ammo.

CEO Doug McMillon spoke of the retail revolution:

“It’s clear to us that the status quo is unacceptable. 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.”

But now — at least for the firearms still being sold — you’ll see such shooters back on the shelves.

And — for the same reasons as Wednesday’s communiqué — you’ll likely to see them flying off.

It remains to be seen whether further disarray will descend, but record numbers of firearms purchases make one thing clear: Many Americans are preparing for the worst.

Hopefully, the nation remains frenzy-free.

And November sees a canning of the chaos.

Will it? Let us all know in the Comments section.

-ALEX

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