Petition urging Walmart to stop selling guns for children

Despite Walmart having an awful record with gun violence, as this blog shows, they nonetheless continue to sell firearms.  

Sadly, one market that they sell firearms to is children.  Yes, children.  No, they don't sell them directly to kids, but rather to the parents for use by the children.  

Sensible people know that guns don't belong in the hands of small children, but that doesn't stop pro-gun extremists from arming their kids, nor does it stop Walmart from selling guns to them for that purpose.

Crickett is a company that makes such guns and directly markets them to children.  See HERE for examples of their marketing, and HERE to see one of their commercials.  The guns come in neato colors, making them look like toys.  There's even pink for little girls.  And Walmart is all too happy to help sell them.  From an article:

On its website, Wal-Mart markets the Crickett as a "youth rifle," while Gander Mountain's site describes it as a "great beginner's gun."

"All are lightweight and easy for youngsters to carry at the range and in the woods," reads the Crickett description on Cabela's site, which describes it as "a fun firearm to get your young shooter started with."

Wal-Mart did not immediately comment on whether their policy on sales of guns for children would change.

2-year old Carolyn Starks and her 5-year old brother

Here's a case where one of those .22-caliber Cricket rifles was used by a 5-year old boy to kill his 2-year old sister, Carolyn Starks.

The Coalition Against Gun Violence has launched a petition urging Walmart to stop this sickening sale of guns for small children.  I urge you to sign it.

From their page:

A new study shows that 20 children and teens are hospitalized every day for gun injuries in the United States.³ Nearly 2,700 children and teens died from gun-related injuries in 2010. U.S. children and teens are 17 times more likely to die from a gun than their peers in 25 other high-income countries combined.⁴

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has made it clear that “the safest home for children is one without a gun.”⁵ According to a past president of the AAP, “Firearm injuries are often fatal—there are few second chances. Young children are curious, and are often unable to remember or follow safety rules. Older children and teens naturally tend to be moody and impulsive. When you combine these traits with access to guns, the consequences can be tragic and permanent.”

Please sign the petition, and let's bring some sense to Walmart.  Otherwise, they will continue to be dealers of death.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.