Last one out, please turn out the lights.
High Bridge Arms, San Francisco's last remaining gun store has announced they are
closing up shop:
Dear friends and family, it's with tremendous sadness and regret that I have to announce we are closing our shop. For many reasons I cannot get into at this moment, it appears our final days will be through to the end of October of 2015. We will clearance out what ever inventory we have in the shop and offer sale prices for anything you would like us to order. This is not a joke. For any of you Vultures, (you know who you are) please don't bother us. For if you do, I give you my solemn promise that we will make it a very unpleasant experience for you. For all our true friends and followers, I would like to sincerely thank you for all your support, likes, positive feedback and best of all, your friendship. Hopefully, we'll see you soon. It has been a long and difficult ride, but a great pleasure to be you're last San Francisco Gun shop. Our warm regards, High Bridge Arms.
High Bridge Arms manager Steve Alcairo said political opposition and a proposed new law
are to blame:
Alcairo said the breaking point came this summer when a local politician proposed a law that would require High Bridge Arms to video record every gun sale and submit a weekly report of ammunition sales to the police. If passed, the law would join several local gun control ordinances on the books in a city still scarred by the 1993 murder of eight in a downtown high-rise and the 1978 assassination of Mayor George Moscone and gay rights activist Harvey Milk.
"I'm not doing that to our customers. Enough is enough," Alcairo said. "Buying a gun is a constitutionally protected right. Our customers shouldn't be treated like they're doing something wrong."
Recording every sale was the deal breaker? Interesting. Not sure if he knows this, but even his local convenience store likely records every single cash register transaction on video.
San Francisco officials are balking at Alcairo's claims that the proposed law, which hasn't even taken effect, are to blame for slugging sales:
Supervisor Mark Farrell said he introduced the latest bill to help police combat violent crime in the city. "Anything that makes San Francisco safer, I support," he said.
Farrell said the bill hasn't been voted on, and he doesn't understand why the store is closing now. He said it was "comical" that the High Bridge is blaming its closure on a proposed law still months away from taking effect.
Of course, High Bridge and Alcairo have been hailed as right-wing heroes for keeping the last gun store open. And like most who fail, they now want to play the victim:
"This is the city that defended gay marriage and fights for unpopular causes like medical marijuana," he said. "Where's my support?"
Can there be any doubt a GoFundMe campaign is far behind?