Gun Store Has "Not Guilty" Sale Following Rittenhouse Verdict

AP Photo/Lisa Marie Pane

While the Second Amendment shouldn’t be a partisan issue–and it’s not–there are some things you can generally assume about people who like guns. One of those is that they were more likely to side with Kyle Rittenhouse to some degree than those who generally oppose private firearm ownership.

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As such, those who appreciate firearms to any appreciable degree are also pretty stoked that Rittenhouse was found not guilty. That includes a gun store that decided to have a sale to commemorate the event.

A Texas gun store and shooting range is facing criticism following a text message to customers announcing a “not guilty” sale after Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted.

The Saddle River Range sent a text to customers early Saturday morning saying the large holiday sale would start later that day and last until Thanksgiving. The sale includes deals on firearms, optics, bags and gun parts, among other items.

The decision to promote the sale using an image of Rittenhouse was met with mixed emotions. The 18-year-old was acquitted Friday on charges stemming from killing two men and wounding another during the unrest that followed the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white police officer last year.

“We celebrated the acquittal from a Second Amendment standpoint and a right to defend yourself point,” said Saddle River Range owner Thomas Bolsch. “We did not celebrate and do not celebrate the loss of life.”

Longtime customer Austin Mack says he doesn’t understand why people were offended.

I do.

People are offended generally because they don’t understand what the hell actually happened and only had the media’s slanted reporting. A surprising number of media outlets apparently thought Rittenhouse shot black people, thus providing some kind of racial slant that simply didn’t exist, as just one example.

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Because of that biased reporting, a lot of people were offended because they didn’t know there was nothing to be offended about.

Now, was the sale a good idea? Damned if I know. I don’t run a gun store. I never have and I don’t suspect I ever will, so far be it from me to say if it’s a good idea or not. I suspect most of the people bent out of shape about it, regardless of what they claim, weren’t going to be customers of the store anyway.

So, if it makes them some money, then so be it.

I really don’t see much of a downside for them. Reportedly, some customers were bothered, but I suspect they either weren’t really customers or will get over it.

Especially if they bother to actually watch the video of Rittenhouse being forced to defend his own life against a rampaging mob that seemed intent on killing him. If not, well, it’s not like there’s a shortage of customers looking to buy firearms in this day and age. It would take work to turn away customers to the point that a gun store couldn’t stay open. It’s possible, but it won’t be because of a sale.

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