https://Twitter.com/FLGunSupply/status/641702739769229312
A central Florida gun shop, Florida Gun Supply, is taking a stab at the title of worst store in America. Two days before September 11, it tweeted the above, marking one of the most violent days in American history with a discount on new weapons. As if that isn’t offensive enough, to get the discount, customers need to use the coupon code “muslim.”
Then, of course, if you’re in town today, there’s the car wash party.
The store appears to be playing for controversy as a way of bringing in customers. Here are two recent examples:
- In July, after suspected shooter Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez opened fire on a naval reserve base in Chattanooga, Tennessee, owner Andy Hallinan released a video on YouTube declaring his shop a Muslim-free zone. He also said the store would offer concealed carry classes at cost and make the firing range free and open to the public.
- In August, he invited George Zimmerman, of the Trayvon Martin shooting, to come into his store and make a painting of a Confederate flag, prints of which were sold to store supporters for $50 each, with a chance to win the actual painting.
In his video following the shooting in Chattanooga, Mr. Hallinan sits in front of a Confederate flag and says, “The leaders of our country want you to believe this flag represents white supremacy, hatred and intolerance. That’s not true.” Yet, later, he says, “Don’t listen to the lies of the leaders of our country who tell you Islam is not evil.”
Throughout the video, he invokes the images of patriots at war. For context, here’s a screenshot from Google Street View from Inverness, to give readers some sense of the hellish war zone he has the courage to step outside in every day. Looks pretty bad. It makes sense that he’s so exercised. If only we had leaders who could bring some peace to this hellscape.
