GRNC Alert 09-16-10: Toys R Us Plays With Your Rights

Grass Roots North Carolina, P.O. Box 10684, Raleigh, NC 27605
919-664-8565, www.grnc.org, GRNC Alert Hotline: (919) 562-4137

GRNC Alert 09-16-10:
Toys R Us Plays With Your Rights

Like the Grinch stealing Christmas, Toys R Us wishes to do so with your Constitutional rights. Like so too many others before, Toys R Us wants you to surrender your rights before handing over your money. In the popular vein of catering to liberal sensitivities rather than cold hard reality, the popular toy store is making you less safe by prohibiting concealed carry in their stores.

Will you allow this without protest, or will you let Toys R Us know they can celebrate this Christmas without your money?

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED

Contact the following company officials:

Gerald L. Storch, CEO
Toys "R" US, Inc.
One Geoffrey Way
Wayne, New Jersey 07470
Phone: 973-617-3500
Fax: 201-845-0973

Jennifer Albano
Sr. Manager, Corporate Communications
973-617-5632
Jennifer.Albano@toysrus.com

Make them aware of your displeasure.

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You may find your NC STATE representative by going here:
http://www.grnc.org/contact_reps.htm

You may write your FEDERAL congressman by going here:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

You may write your FEDERAL senators by going here:
http://www.senate.gov/

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Support these PRO RKBA merchants who, as GRNC sponsors, are supporting your Second Amendment rights:

Hyatt Gun Shop, 3332 Wilkinson Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28208, 704-394-0387, www.hyattguns.com
Duncan Gun & Pawn, 414 Second St., North Wilkesboro, NC 28659, 336-667-6303, www.duncangun.com
Shooter's Express, 2 Caldwell Dr., Belmont, NC 28012, 800-358-GUNS, www.shootersexpress.com
The Aisle Pawn Shop, 216 N. Main St., Mooresville, NC 28115, 704-663-5656
Gunner's Alley, LLC, 203 N. Harrison Ave., Ste. 130, Cary, NC 27513, www.gunnersalley.com, 919-388-1991, contact: Ed Guerriero, ed@gunnersalley.com
C & E Gun Shows, 4225 Fortress Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060; Phone 540-953-0016 or 888-715-0606; http://www.cegunshows.com/
Ryan & Nina Leonard, Down South Ammo, Home of "SOUTHERN THUNDER" Exploding Targets, http://downsouthammo.com/
Lake Norman Firearms, Inc., 20823 N. Main Street, Cornelius, NC 28031, www.lknfirearms.com, 704-892-7839
Vanguard Security Consulting, LLC, 19135 W. Catawba Ave, Cornelius, NC 28031

I copied this from chiefjason from another site and sent it to TRU... I added a few lines to it

Dear Sir or Madame,

As a Toys R Us shopper and law abiding firearms carrier, I was very disappointed to see that your NC stores are posted against lawfully carrying a firearm. NC lawfully allows both open and concealed carry of handguns and your store is currently posted "No firearms." I mention lawful carry of firearms because no sign stuck to an entrance door has ever stopped a criminal from carrying a firearm. Not at banks, schools, shopping mall, or toy stores. That's why I have chosen to lawfully carry a handgun myself. To protect myself and my family from criminals that do not obey the law, or signs. I'm sure that you feel you are doing your customers a service by "protecting them" in the store. So my question to you is this. Who will protect them if something happens in the store? Who will protect them walking to and from the store? I would assume that most incidents of crime against customers occur in the parking lots. Are you prepared to secure the parking areas of your stores to protect your customers? I'm sure you are neither prepared or willing to armed patrol your parking lots to protect your customers. And that is why my wife and I have taken this step to provide protection for our family.

I am also a law abiding citizen of NC. I have to be, so that I can carry a concealed handgun. Since I lawfully carry a concealed handgun, and also obey the laws of NC, I am writing to tell you that I will no longer shop at Toys R Us. I do not shop with stores that do not respect my right to bear arms and my right to protect my family. I have 2 young children that I used to shop for in your stores. However, all of the toys that we have purchased for them at Toys R Us can easily be purchased elsewhere. And unless your store changes it's stance on the lawful carry of firearms, we will be shopping elsewhere. The NRA, and Grass Roots North Carolina also has this information and will likely let all for its 2+ million members know also to shop elsewhere. Times are tough right now, I just hope you can stand to loose that much business for this holiday season.


Sincerely,

Emailed that contact, please others do the same and they might just bend

the reply I received from Toys R Us

Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support
center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.

If this issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may reopen it
within the next 7 days.

Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you.

Subject
---------------------------------------------------------------
FW:


Discussion Thread
---------------------------------------------------------------
Response (Brian Fisher) - 09/22/2010 10:53 PM
Dear (Me):

Thank you for contacting our corporate office regarding your views. We value your opinion and appreciate the time you took out of your busy schedule to let us hear from you.

We continue to respect your right as a citizen to carry firearms in public areas under certain state laws, however, our company policy does prohibit customers from doing so in any of our stores. While it is never our intent to inconvenience or dissatisfy any of our guests, we understand that this policy may oppose the views of some. Our decision to implement this policy was done with careful and deliberate evaluation of our customer’s needs and safety. It is unfortunate that you disagree with our decision, however, we appreciate your respect of our company policy. Please be assured that your comments have been formally documented.

Thank you once again, (ME), for contacting Toys “R” Us and allowing us the opportunity to learn of your personal opinion.

Regards,

Looks like a form letter to me. I'd have actually been impressed if they gave the information they used to conclude that disallowing legal carry is beneficial to customer safety.

Here's the reply I got, your's is a bit different. My letter is making the rounds, lol.

Thank you for contacting Toys"R"Us. At Toys“R”Us, Inc., the safety and security of our customers and our employees is, and always has been, our highest priority. As a retailer that welcomes millions of kids and families into our stores across the country each year, we take our responsibility to create only the safest shopping environment very seriously. While we respect citizens’ rights to carry firearms in public areas according to certain state laws, our company policy prohibits customers from doing so in any of our stores out of an abundance of caution for the safety and protection of the children and families shopping with us. Thank you for shopping Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us.

Sincerely,

The "R"Us Team

Still basic rhetoric without any real substance, as expected.

I guess that means I can't OC in my local Babies R Us store anymore

Does anyone know if this is just "their policy" or if all stores are posted? I would not ever want to spend money there anymore until they change their policy, but if you were going there (perhaps to buy something off a baby registry) and wasn't posted I still might carry concealed and keep myself and the store safe. OCing at this point would probably prompt stores that are not posted to post, so I wouldn't push that aspect.

farkles said:

Does anyone know if this is just "their policy" or if all stores are posted? I would not ever want to spend money there anymore until they change their policy, but if you were going there (perhaps to buy something off a baby registry) and wasn't posted I still might carry concealed and keep myself and the store safe. OCing at this point would probably prompt stores that are not posted to post, so I wouldn't push that aspect.

Click to expand...

Both TRU and BRU in Hickory are now posted no firearms with circle slash. It's the same sign on both stores, and I have seen pics of it from other stores. The response I got above, plus all the other folks reporting the same thing, tells me it's a corporate decision.

Toy guns still available?

My kids are all grown so I haven't been in their stores for quite some time.
Do they sell toy guns still?

I'll be sending my email either tonight or sunday when i get a free minute, has anyone emailed them back after their response? I'll be taking their responses into my email when i send it to them. Also will provide a few facts for them to consider. Will post all emails here when i do.

I learned a week ago that I will become a grandfather for the first time. I'll be letting them know I won't be be spoiling my grandchild with any items purchased from their store.
Look out Wal-Mart, here I come!



Below is a copy of the e-mail I just sent. I will update with any reply I may get.




Ms. Albano,
As a father of two, I have spent many dollars with your company over the years. The selection has been good and the prices fair.
In the past week I have learned two things. First and foremost, my daughter tells me I will become a grandfather for the first time. As any responsible grandfather can understand, I am so looking forward to spoiling my new grandchild! Girl or boy, it does not matter to me.
Secondly and sadly, I've also learned on the www.opencarry.org website that your company does not respect my 2nd Amendment rights. It seems that your company has banned legal concealed carry of handguns in your stores.
As an upstanding, law-abiding citizen of North Carolina, I am disappointed that your company has adapted such a policy. Those of us who exercise the right to carry a concealed weapon have gone to great lengths and expense to be proven trustworthy to do so.
Because of this corporate policy, and because my family shares my views, our daughter will not be registering with your stores for upcoming baby showers.
And I can assure you, Wal-Mart and other local stores will benefit from this anti 2nd Amendment policy your store has adapted.
As long as this policy is in effect, my family will not spend a dollar with your stores.

Sincerely, "my name"

78 Camaro said:

My kids are all grown so I haven't been in their stores for quite some time.
Do they sell toy guns still?

Click to expand...

Of course they do. There is money to be made in toy guns.

If I did not value my time so much I would go down there and load up a cart with toy guns. Then find the manager and ask them why toy guns are acceptable but a responsible LAC with a gun is not acceptable. Then walk off.

chiefjason said:

Of course they do. There is money to be made in toy guns.

If I did not value my time so much I would go down there and load up a cart with toy guns. Then find the manager and ask them why toy guns are acceptable but a responsible LAC with a gun is not acceptable. Then walk off.

Click to expand...

That woud be comical to watch happen.

Congratulations on the grandkid-to be!

Also, good letter.

Its heart-breaking to know how ignorant people can be. I was shopping at my local gun-friendly Walmart and overheard a lady say she worked at TRU. I asked if I could have a minute of her time and she agree'd. I asked if knew about the policy change how TRU would no longer allow CHP holders to carry in their stores and she said she had heard something about it. I asked if she felt safer or more endangered. She said that she was happy about the change, she didn't like the feeling of knowing that someone could carry a gun into the stores around her. I went on to say "you do know that now LAC will mostly follow the change by either not carrying or not shopping in that store, and that criminals will pass the word that TRU is a more easy target now". She just kind of stared at me with a dumbfounded look on her face and said the cops would protect them. I said I understand and thanked her for her time. I guess Ignorance is Bliss.

smlawrence said:

SNIP
I went on to say "you do know that now LAC will mostly follow the change by either not carrying or not shopping in that store, and that criminals will pass the word that TRU is a more easy target now". She just kind of stared at me with a dumbfounded look on her face and said the cops would protect them. I said I understand and thanked her for her time. I guess Ignorance is Bliss.

Click to expand...

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I don't understand how this can be anything but willful ignorance, or how anyone who claims to actually think using logic can think that a sign makes them safer.

Ok here is my email, i stole a bit of it from some other's emails and added my own pieces as well:

As a Toys R Us shopper and law abiding firearms carrier, I was very disappointed to see that your NC stores are posted against lawfully carrying a firearm. NC lawfully allows both open and concealed carry of handguns and your store is currently posted "No firearms." I mention lawful carry of firearms because no sign stuck to an entrance door has ever stopped a criminal from carrying a firearm. Not at banks, schools, shopping mall, or toy stores. That's why I have chosen to lawfully carry a handgun myself. To protect myself and my family from criminals that do not obey the law, or signs. I'm sure that you feel you are doing your customers a service by "protecting them" in the store. So my question to you is this. Who will protect them if something happens in the store? Who will protect them walking to and from the store? I would assume that most incidents of crime against customers occur in the parking lots. Are you prepared to secure the parking areas of your stores to protect your customers? I'm sure you are neither prepared or willing to armed patrol your parking lots to protect your customers. And that is why I have taken this step to provide protection for my family.

I am also a law abiding citizen of NC. I have to be, so that I can carry a handgun. Since I lawfully carry a handgun, and also obey the laws of NC, I am writing to tell you that I will no longer shop at Toys R Us. I do not shop with stores that do not respect my right to bear arms and my right to protect my family, all of the toys that we have purchased for them at Toys R Us can easily be purchased elsewhere. Unless your store changes it's stance on the lawful carry of firearms, we will be shopping elsewhere. The NRA, and Grass Roots North Carolina also has this information and will likely let all of its 2+ million members know also to shop elsewhere. Times are tough right now, I just hope you can stand to loose that much business for this holiday season. This policy is now being widely expressed over discussion boards across the country.

Please do not insult my integrity as a citizen of this country in sending me a form type email response that is automated. I realize that you feel that you have done research and have thought out this policy. In doing so you you believe that properly evaluated your customers needs and safety. However, i challenge you to provide any evidence that posting a sign prohibiting firearms to law abiding citizens has or ever will take any measure in furthering that safety. If you honestly do believe that you are taking the safety and well being of your employees and customers into consideration i urge you to look at the real facts and how many lives have been saved in more situations then can be counted by citizens protecting themselves.
In this email i have also copied my state Representatives and urge them to take immediate action against such actions prohibiting me from providing legal protection for myself, my family and those around me. If you have any questions or concerns, i urge you to contact me at the information below.

Sincerely,
Me

Email sent. Also got this email addy. Katie.Reczek@toysrus.com