In the recent political climate surrounding gun control, Dick’s Sporting Goods decided to remove assault rifles from their stores last February. More recently, the company unveiled their newest effort in the fight for gun control by removing all hunting gear from their stores. They decided to have 10 trial stores remove all hunting gear and replace them with other outerwear.I believe the removal of hunting gear is a step in the right direction for Dick’s Sporting Goods. If Dick’s removes all of their hunting gear, they would be working too diminish the vast casualties resulting from gun violence. Without proper safety protocol, the weapons that were sold in Dick’s could have become incredibly dangerous for people. While it is very likely the people who buy guns from sporting stores are using it for sport, there is still a possibility that someone would use the guns to inflict harm on others.

It is unacceptable that a store like Dick’s ever sold something as dangerous as guns in the first place. A store that sells kids’ cleats, should not be allowed to sell dangerous weapons as well. The trials seem completely appropriate because the point of Dick’s is not to buy guns or rifles, but to buy fun equipment for outdoor activities. The efforts from gun control petitioners are not meant to block hunters from participating in their hobby, but only to have stricter safety protocols for those who want to purchase guns. By Dick’s contemplating taking away their dangerous weapons and other gear, they are doing their part in fighting for greater gun safety.

The action that Dick’s is taking is great for our country because it will allow guns to be more safely purchased by the consumer from establishments that have stricter safety rules and require higher clearance. However, it’s ridiculous that these decisions are up to private businesses in the first place and are not already mandated by the Federal Government. The gun control in this country is laughable compared to other developed nations and in order to protect the public, stricter laws should have been made years ago. We are not taking necessary action when it comes to protecting Americans who are at risk of gun violence at school, at work and at home, even after having so many mass shootings.

Since the government isn’t taking sufficient action, companies like Dick’s Sporting Goods needs to take necessary action. Companies like Dick’s perpetuate guns and using guns for sport, so by taking away the harmful weapons, they are doing their part in diminishing the accessibility of guns.