Gun salesman' anti-gun message

[divemedic]

This story, from Idaho Falls has gun salesman Gerald McGary making statements like this:

We're averaging anywhere between 12 to sometimes 20 guns a day going out of here...Five to six people that come in and want a gun, my gut feeling says, don't sell them a gun...I think they need to have stricter regulations. I really do...As long as we call in and they do a background check on them and they're approved, we have to sell them that gun

He claims it is too easy to get a gun- background check, and out with the gun in 20 minutes.

Here is the gunstore where McGary works, in case you want to express your opinion:


C-A-L Ranch Store
665 East Anderson Street
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
208-523-3431

email is [email protected]

[pendennis]

Following is the text of a message I sent to the CAL Ranch Store -

I was made aware of the comments by your Mr. Gerald McGary on KIDK. Mr. McGary made several comments concerning his opinion on selling guns to certain individuals he feels should not own them.

If Mr. McGary honestly believes that the person attempting to buy a gun, is not qualified, he should not make the sale. Just because an individual correctly answers all the questions on the BATFE Form 4473, doesn’t mean you have to sell that person a gun. You are the final arbiter of the sale. For instance, if the person was obviously upset, drunk, or on drugs, he would be completely within his rights to not complete the sale. As management, you should back him in his decision. However, unless Mr. McGary is aware of specific instances where a person should not have a gun, he should refrain from the comments he made, his First Amendment rights notwithstanding.

I do not live in Idaho, so I don’t have a local stake in your business. I’m writing this because your employee has made comments about the potential intention of others, and contrary any proof, those opinions should be held a little closer to the vest.

[JWT]

The link to the story also has a place where you can send comments to the station (KDIK) that ran the story. Just sent mine...

[44capnball]

"What do you think can be done as far as gun laws to keep these mass shootings from happening?" asks Taghi.

I was going to say, "wait for it..." but there it is already, the question you knew they'd ask.

Reporters are always objective... just ask them.

[Al Norris]

Here's the email I sent to C-A-L Ranch Stores:

I live in Rupert, just a couple of measly miles from C-A-L Ranch in Burley. I buy most of my reloading powder, bullets and primers from that store. Along with the other odds and ends, I spend several hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars each year with your store.

I've introduced many individuals to the sport of target shooting and reloading, over the years. I almost always refer them to your store, as the place to buy from.

Imagine my surprise to hear an employee tell me that the gun laws in Idaho are too lax. While that may indeed be his opinion, it is not shared by the majority of Idahoans.

I was further surprised to hear this employee state that, "we have to sell them that gun," when his "gut feeling" was that something was off with the particular transaction. Bull! If something "smells" with the transaction, it is your duty (performing as the FFL) not to complete the transaction, regardless of what comes back on the NICS check or how the Form 4473 is filled out.

There is no "must" when it comes to firearms, other than the 4 rules of safety.

If Mr. McGary truly feels that our firearms laws are too lax, he is free to move to another State that imposes Draconian restrictions upon the fundamental right to keep and bear arms for lawful purposes.

I will no longer recommend C-A-L Ranch Stores, nor will I continue to shop there.

Al Norris
[street addy redacted]
Rupert, ID. 83350

[Trooper Tyree]

Unfortunately in this day and age there are many people who should never have a gun and should not be allowed to buy, hold, caress, or otherwise tarnish a good weapon that has absolutely no evil intentions in and of itself. People just aren't made of what they used to be. It's the sad truth.

Another sad truth is however, that gun laws wouldn't help the problem the clerk described about his "gut feelings" not liking selling them a gun. If they pass what laws are in place now, harsher laws wouldn't help any, laws can't tell what a persons intentions are. There are always going to be those people that you get the feeling are a lug nut or two shy of running a full set. Most are probably no crazier than your average Joe, a few are going to be, but so are a few of the patrons that look and act like model citizens. The problem isn't laws or the lack of them, it's society, society is screwed up.

I think the clerk has a conscious, and isn't happy selling guns to people he is worried might do something bad with them, and a part of this concern is no doubt how it will effect law abiding gun owners if they do go nuts with a gun. It's good that the clerk has a conscious, I don't know about you but I prefer my gun shop owners care.

What is not good is that he unfortunately said what he said to the news and hurt the law abiding gun owners as much as if one of his said worrisome patrons had went nuts and killed some people.

That said, I don't agree with posting peoples or businesses contact information on the internet with the said intention of people calling and harassing them.

If you insist on contacting them, please at least keep it as constructive and civil as the poster below did.

Following is the text of a message I sent to the CAL Ranch Store -

Quote:
I was made aware of the comments by your Mr. Gerald McGary on KIDK. Mr. McGary made several comments concerning his opinion on selling guns to certain individuals he feels should not own them.

If Mr. McGary honestly believes that the person attempting to buy a gun, is not qualified, he should not make the sale. Just because an individual correctly answers all the questions on the BATFE Form 4473, doesn’t mean you have to sell that person a gun. You are the final arbiter of the sale. For instance, if the person was obviously upset, drunk, or on drugs, he would be completely within his rights to not complete the sale. As management, you should back him in his decision. However, unless Mr. McGary is aware of specific instances where a person should not have a gun, he should refrain from the comments he made, his First Amendment rights notwithstanding.

I do not live in Idaho, so I don’t have a local stake in your business. I’m writing this because your employee has made comments about the potential intention of others, and contrary any proof, those opinions should be held a little closer to the vest.

[pendennis]

I received a response from C-AL Ranch management today. It's heartening to see that people do take action when an employee takes actions not consistent with the management. This works both ways:

To our valued customers,
It has come to our attention that an unfortunate event happened in our Idaho Falls store. One of our employees was asked by a local TV station to allow them to visit our store and speak with someone in our sporting goods department concerning the current status of our guns and ammunition sales.
With any situation such as this it is imperative to us as owners that we converse with the media ourselves because of the risks of improper information and interpretation concerning the issue at hand.

We feel that we can be objective and represent the thoughts and feelings of our company and not the personal views of an employee, such as happened in this situation. It is very obvious and very, very disturbing that one of our employees did express his personal feelings and spoke of issues concerning some of the rules and regulations relating to the sale of firearms and ammunition that was not true. This employee is an avid sportsman and enjoys the freedom of owning and shooting guns. There are some facts that he stated which are not true and he has been spoken to about them. He has also been reprimanded and is not allowed to work behind our gun counter for some time. C-A-L Ranch Stores has been in business for 50 years and has sold firearms for approximately 15 years. We feel and firmly believe as American citizens literally, in the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. We not only feel this way personally but the culture of company is based on integrity and support for the freedoms that we all deserve and appreciate.
Please know and understand that we recognize that many of the comments made by our employee were not properly reported and accurate and that we as a company do not support tighter restrictions concerning the selling or purchasing of firearms. We also know that if we feel our “Gut” is telling us to be cautious in a firearm transaction that we will refuse to sell the customer a firearm. We have had numerous occasions where firearms were not allowed to be sold to individuals for various reasons that made us uncomfortable and feared for the safety of the customer, employee and other community citizens.

As owners of C-A-L Ranch Stores we hope that you understand our feelings and emotions on this issue would ask for your forgiveness if we have offended you as an American citizen and the rights that you are entitled to.


Respectfully,
Jerry Ward
Bruce J Sharp
Bill Wallace

[Bud Helms]

Outstanding. That leaves little room for doubt as to the position of the owner(s).

[Rich Miranda]

...would ask for your forgiveness if we have offended you as an American citizen and the rights that you are entitled to.

Aww, now I feel kind of bad for them. The owners don't have control over every action of their employees. Now they have to try to quickly defuse the backlash that they didn't cause and probably don't deserve.

[B.N.Real]

He enjoys the commission on the sales and then complains about selling the guns.

Dude,sell something else.

[IDAHO83501]

If this idiot doesn't like selling guns then QUIT.

[roy reali]

Where I used to live, a friend of mine had his FFL. I used him for transfers. We talked about this very issue of weather he had to sell a firearm to anyone in particular. When he first got his FFL, the Fed that was handling his paperwork told him he could refuse a gun sale to anyone, background check or not.

[IZinterrogator]

When he first got his FFL, the Fed that was handling his paperwork told him he could refuse a gun sale to anyone, background check or not.

Very true. And also the reason I don't wear my "drunk" t-shirt when I go gun shopping. Don't want to give dealers the wrong idea.

Seriously, I don't know why I still even have that t-shirt, I haven't been drunk since 2004. Oh yeah, I'm cheap and it's serviceable.

[Al Norris]

pendennis, I received the same email, today. Additionally, my wife said that our local store called and the manager personally apologized.

What most here don't know, is that we both know the individual who was interviewed. He used to work at the Burley store until 2 years ago, when he moved and transferred to the I.F. store. Gerry had always made a big deal of denying a sale to anyone who got his hackles up.

I was therefore rather incredulous, when I watched the video. This, Trooper Tyree, is why I wrote my email with the wording I used.