news
by Jeff Hoser
Newport, RI 2/14/01
City councilors, backed by strong anti-gun pressure, have forced the retail giant Wal-Mart to agree to reconfigure its Newport store so guns are not visible from the toy section. Wal-Marts nationwide follow an identical layout.
Despite Wal-Mart's agreement to the change, the tyranny continues.
In a move that could threaten all state sporting goods retailers, RI Sen. M. Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport has filed a bill giving municipalities the authority to restrict the storage and location of guns in retail stores. While so-called 'superstores' have sufficient floor space to accomodate these changes, it is possible small retail outlets could be forced to choose between guns and other sporting goods lines.
Meanshile echos of this conflict have reached as far as Washington and the desk of U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy. Kennedy, while brokering the deal, informed Wal-Mart execs, "Whatever money they budgeted for PR for... Rhode Island, they could just flush down the toilet...If they didn't act it would open a Pandora's box for Wal-Mart."
Uploaded: 2/16/2001
Uploaded: 2/16/2001