Gander Mountain, Dave Henderson, and the Binghamton Shootings

Out local paper, the inept and - quite frankly - shitty Press and Sun-Bulletin posted an article today about the Gander Mountain employee - Dave Henderson - who was fired for running his mouth to the press about the Binghamton shootings.

In a nutshell, Henderson called the paper and told them that he recognized the suspect as a former customer. Gander Mountain proceeded to suspend and then fire him for talking to the press. Corporate policy at any place I have ever worked or been aware of is that only designated PR folks at the corporation are allowed to speak to the media. Every employee handbook I have ever read states that quite clearly, and implies dire consequences for those breaking this policy. Henderson was surprised by the move, which clearly implies he was ignorant.

Now, the reason I am agitated has nothing to do with the article, but rather with the completely ignorant mass of humanity that lives in Binghamton that decided to crawl out of the woodwork to add their commentary.

MsCommonSense83 wrote:
The First Amendment doesn't give him the right to shoot off his mouth duing a police investigation. His interview could have hurt the families.

Actually, yes it does, you ignorant bitch.

repairman wrote:

Well anyone knows that if you want a good gun you can get one from one of the other retailers who "care" about their employees and their reputations enough to check out the loose canons wanting to buy a gun. Whereas it seems here it is all about corporate image and this guy had the gall to tell the truth. Well if they had such a good corporate policy maybe they should have set in place some red flags about customers that posed potential problems.

Gander uses the NICS check, just like every single other fucking FFL dealer in the state. The guy had no flags raised on his paperwork, so Gander legally sold him firearms. I have no idea how you think they can "tell" he is a "loose cannon". Perhaps you're just such a fucking genius that you know by looking at people, but the rest of us are not as mentally well-endowed as you.

Bingoland wrote:

Nevertheless, I'm grateful for the information he gave about how easy it was for Jiverly to buy and trade guns when everyone knew he was a loose nut. This sounds like a place that would sell guns to Charles Manson so his information was valuable, even though he had to "take a bullet" himself.

If Manson had bought before his criminal acts, then yes, they would have legally sold him firearms. Just like you, or me, or anybody else that has not been proven guilty of a crime. So many of you dumb fucks are crying about the 1st Amendment while ignoring our right to be innocent until proven guilty.

musepd wrote:
So Gander Mountain is sensitive in issues like this. Too bad--then they shouldn't be in the business in the first place. Mr. Henderson was honest and straightforward. Now that's a terrible combination to have in an employee, isn't it?! Well, good luck Gander, you are going to need it. And Mr. Henderson, if I were an employer I would hire you on the spot!!

And because you are such an ignorant fuckbag, your business wouldn't last very long. IN this day and age of sue first, ask questions later, companies are damn well going to be paranoid about their image. Any company that lets its employees do whatever they wish isn't going to be a company very long.

my3boysmylife wrote:
Ii ususaly don't comment on these things but when I read this article I thought "HOW could somebody be fired because they spoke about this to ssomebody?" I am sick and tired of people getting fired for nonsense. This is America. It is still the place of free speech. I don't care what anybody said, he should not be fired for that. I don't know these people but I am tired of it all. This world is losing thier minds. And gander Mountain has lost more customers.

You're right. This is America. Perhaps you haven't lived here very long. Let me spell it out for you: The almighty dollar rules. Fuck you, fuck your rights. It's been proven over and over that politicians mouth reverence for the constitution while fucking your rights up the ass. Open your eyes. Until that shit changes, your freedoms mean just about nothing in the face of money.

So many people bitching about how this isn't right, and yet when it comes time for elections, 50% of Americans sit on their ass and trust others to do what is best for them. Ignorant dumbasses.

I write letters, I get involved, I try to get the word out about what is going on so that we don't all lose our rights to an increasingly facist government. Sometimes, however, just seeing how fucking stupid most of my fellow Americans seem to be makes me think you all deserve to be trampled on.