Those whacky Moms Demanding Action for Gun Sense in America (or the complete opposite thereof). They’re running a #offtarget campaign to bully Target into banning firearms in their stores. To that end, members are posting pics to prove they didn’t spend their money at Target. Is it me or are the action-demanding Moms telling Target to f#ck off? Anyway, as well-intentioned as their efforts may be, they’re deeply and completely misguided. Their demand – that Target become a “gun-free” zone like Costco – would leave customers defenseless against armed predators. Two things about that. First there is no such thing as a “gun-free” zone . . .
Authorities in Florida charged two prison inmates on Tuesday with shooting themselves with a smuggled pistol in a foiled scheme to sue the state for their injuries in hopes of reducing their sentences.
Need I say any more? If [as wtaq.com reports] a prison can’t be a gun-free zone, what facility can? Answer: none. And that means that banning firearms from Target is nothing more than one-sided disarmament. The wrong side. As a quick search of “target armed robbery” reveals. Here’s one from April [via philadelphia.cbs.local.com]:
Police have released surveillance video of three suspects wanted in connection with the brazen robbery of a Target in Northeast Philadelphia this past weekend.
The armed suspects made off with as much as $30,000 in cash.
The incident happened at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the Target located at 11000 Roosevelt Boulevard.
Here’s another incident in Highpoint, NC [via myfox8.com]:
Officers responded to the robbery at Target around 6:58 p.m., but the suspect had fled the area in a red Honda CRV.
A short time later, the CRV was spotted on Eastchester Drive and a traffic stop was conducted.
As Moore was taken into custody, officers noticed a possible explosive device in the vehicle and the area was cleared and traffic re-routed.
Armed robbers have attacked Targets in New Jersey, Minnesota, Georgia and California (to name a few). The last link takes you to a story about an armed robbery in a Target parking lot. Speaking of parking lots, click here for a story about a woman kidnapped from a Florida Target parking lot, raped and held captive there for three hours.
Not that she was lucky – the victim managed to break free – but she lucked out. Remember the Kelsey Smith murder case? Wikipedia:
Surveillance video from Target showed Smith purchasing a present for her boyfriend to celebrate six months together. She then left the store before she disappeared. Approximately two hours later, her car was found abandoned outside of Macy’s in Oak Park Mall’s parking lot across the street. Her purse and wallet were left in the car.
Target stores use a large number of video cameras, and these can often be enhanced internally through their Target Forensic Services division. [ED: Yes, Target has their own crime lab.] There was strong evidence that Smith had been abducted; surveillance video from Target appeared to show someone forcing Smith into her car. Target video evidence identified a suspicious 1970s-era Chevrolet truck.
There’s more. Lots more. From all over the country. None of it good. All of it indicating that any sensible American would take sensible precautions when entering, shopping at and leaving a Target. Such as carrying a firearm for personal protection. Especially if you’re a woman.
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America would disarm law-abiding Americans who frequent Target to prevent what? Negligent discharges? Armed customers run amok? The discomfort that some non-armed Americans feel when they see openly carried firearms, or even suspect that fellow shoppers are exercising their natural, civil and Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms?
Yeah that. Oh and if you Google “costco armed robbery” or “rape costco parking lot” what do you think you’ll find? I wonder if Shannon Watts or any of her anti-gun acolytes have ever done that search . . .