UPI Report Links Kmart Money Woes To Pro-Gun Boycott

United Press International (UPI) has not exactly been friendly to gun rights over the years, but on the heels of Kmart’s announced bankruptcy filing in January, UPI carried a news item that seemed a bit surprising.

The UPI report suggested that a boycott of the department store chain by “Pro-Second Amendment activists . . . because of the vocal anti-gun activity of Kmart spokesman (sic) Rosie O’Donnell” had an impact on Kmart’s collapse.

UPI failed to also mention Kmart’s equally foolish moves in pulling handguns and ammunition off the shelves, which was also seen by gunowners as a bigoted slap in the face toward firearm civil rights and the hunting tradition. Gun Week heard from countless gunowners and hunters who, in the wake of the announced firearms and ammo sales policy changes, simply said they would shop elsewhere.

The bigger impact, of course, apparently was in reaction to O’Donnell’s appearance as a Kmart spokeswoman. After O’Donnell used her afternoon television program to attack actor Tom Selleck for appearing in an “I’m the NRA” advertisement, Kmart was flooded with angry calls and mail, and gunowners mounted a boycott.

O’Donnell eventually parted ways with Kmart (or vice versa), with both the ultra-liberal talk host and the store claiming it had nothing to do with the boycott.

UPI noted: “Outraged firearms owners have been encouraging people to shop at WalMart instead.”

That may change, too, apparently because some WalMart stores are also now pulling some guns and ammunition from their inventories.