The liberal media were jubilant when news broke Wednesday morning that Dick’s Sporting Goods planned to stop selling AR-15’s at all their stores and would impose age restrictions on those looking to purchase a weapon. But what they were championing as growing momentum for their gun control cause may just be a case of political opportunism because Dick’s made the same announcement in 2012 after Sandy Hook, but neither ABC nor NBC cared to mention that key tidbit that evening.
“In what could be a tipping point in a growing corporate response to the Florida school shooting, one of the country's biggest sporting goods retailers announced today that it will stop selling assault-style rifles along with the sale of any guns to those under 21,” announced anchor Lester Holt enthusiastically during NBC Nightly News.
The story was boosted by reporter Kate Snow who sat down with the company’s CEO, Ed Stack as he explained his contrived reasoning. Stack told Snow that they were pulling the guns because the shooter had purchased a SHOTGUN from one of their stores, even though it wasn’t used in the shooting. “The company is no longer selling assault-style rifles or high-capacity magazines. And will not sell any firearms to anyone under 21,” Snow touted.
“At Dick's Sporting Goods stores today, the decision welcomed by some gun owners,” Snow noted before playing a clip of one man ridiculously proclaiming, “What's an ar-15 for? It’s to kill people.”
And on ABC’s World News Tonight, sensationalist anchor David Muir boasted about how Stack originally made the announcement on his network. “But a major announcement today from the CEO of Dick's Sporting Goods on Good Morning America, that the company will no longer sell assault-style rifles,” he said.
While both networks were glorifying Dick’s, they were keeping a key piece of information hidden from their viewers: Dick’s had made that promise once before.
As CNN reported in December 2012, the company had stopped selling AR’s. “Dick's Sporting Goods, one of the largest sporting goods retailers in the world, says it has removed all guns from its store nearest to Newtown, Connecticut, and is suspending the sale of certain kinds of semi-automatic rifles from its chains nationwide,” they wrote.
But according to a Forbes article from August the following year, “The outdoor giant (2012 revenues: $5.89 billion) is, however, selling these modern sporting rifles at its brand new offshoot, Field & Stream.” And at the time, Dick’s did not respond to Forbes’ request for comment. So, Dick’s seems to have effectively swooped in to get the spotlight in 2012, just to sneakily sell them again when everything cooled down.
And while those outlets refused to report Dick’s Sporting Goods entire saga with ARs, they did find time to tout Walmart for imposing age restrictions as well. “In light of recent events we've taken an opportunity to review our policy on firearms sales going forward. We are raising the age restriction for purchase of firearms and ammunition to 21 years of age. We will update our processes as quickly as possible to implement this change,” Snow read from their statement.
“Today's announcement comes after more than a dozen companies ranging from hotel operators to insurance providers have cut ties with the NRA. And we just got word minutes ago that Walmart will also be raising the age limit to purchase guns to 21,” concluded ABC’s Victor Oquendo at the end of his segment.
The truth didn’t appear to matter for these networks when the liberal anti-gun agenda was on the line and need of a good promotion. Although, it’s worth noting that CBS Evening News was the only network news program to note Dick’s apparent reversal in 2013.
The relevant portions of the transcript are below, click expand to read:
NBC Nightly News
February 28, 2018
7:06:43 PM Eastern [2 minutes 44 seconds]LESTER HOLT: In what could be a tipping point in a growing corporate response to the Florida school shooting, one of the country's biggest sporting goods retailers announced today that it will stop selling assault-style rifles along with the sale of any guns to those under 21. Dick's Sporting Goods essentially adopting self-imposed gun restrictions. Our Kate Snow has more.
[Cuts to video]
KATE SNOW: After the horror in Parkland, Florida, Dick's Sporting Goods CEO Ed Stack says they found out the alleged gunman bought a shotgun last November at one of their stores. Though not a weapon used in the killings that day, enough was enough.
ED STACK: We don't want to be part of the story any longer.
SNOW: The company is no longer selling assault-style rifles or high-capacity magazines. And will not sell any firearms to anyone under 21.
SNOW: It's a big decision to make as a corporation. Why?
STACK: When we looked at those kids, and we saw what -- the grief that they were going through and how these kids organized to really have their voices heard, we talked amongst ourselves and said, if these kids can be brave enough to do this, then we should be brave enough to make a stand, ourself.
SNOW: Assault-style weapons have been used in many mass shootings from Newtown, to San Bernardino, to Las Vegas. And Stack says once again, Congress is paralyzed.
STACK: They really have no intent, in my opinion, I don't believe they have any intent to solve the problem.
(…)
SNOW: At Dick's Sporting Goods stores today, the decision welcomed by some gun owners.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN 1: What's an ar-15 for? It’s to kill people. And we've had enough of that.
SNOW: And dismissed by others.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN 2: Bad guys are going to get guns whether Dick's sells them to them or not.
SNOW: No direct response today from the NRA, but after more than a dozen companies recently ended special deals for NRA members, the organization called it a “shameful display of political and civic cowardice.” Georgia's lieutenant governor said he would kill any tax legislation that benefits Delta Air Lines unless the company changes its position. Are you worried that there could be backlash from the NRA?
STACK: We expect there will be.
[Cuts back to live]
SNOW: And Lester, as we've been on the air, a new statement out from Walmart just now. Walmart saying "In light of recent events we've taken an opportunity to review our policy on firearms sales going forward. We are raising the age restriction for purchase of firearms and ammunition to 21 years of age. We will update our processes as quickly as possible to implement this change." So, they're following Dick's on limiting on age.
HOLT: This move continuing to get traction. Kate Snow, thank you.
ABC
World News Tonight
February 28, 2018
6:41:33 PM Eastern [42 seconds](…)
DAVID MUIR: But a major announcement today from the CEO of Dick's Sporting Goods on Good Morning America, that the company will no longer sell assault-style rifles. Take a listen.
EDWARD STACK: We're staunch supporters of the Second Amendment. I’m a gun owner myself. But we've just decided that based on what's happened, and with these guns, we don't want to be a part of this story. And we've eliminated these guns permit innocently.
MUIR: Victor, this follows action from a long list of companies?
VICTOR OQUENDO: That's right, David. Today's announcement comes after more than a dozen companies ranging from hotel operators to insurance providers have cut ties with the NRA. And we just got word minutes ago that Walmart will also be raising the age limit to purchase guns to 21. David?
MUIR: Victor Oquendo with us again tonight.
