Walmart: a place to get all your back-to-school shopping done… if you’re the protagonist of a post-apocalyptic YA novel.
The retail giant is under fire after someone snapped a photo of a gun display in one of its stores underneath a sign that reads, “Own the school year like a hero.”
Since the photo went viral this week, the company has been scrambling to find out which of its stores put up the sign that many are calling offensive.
Photo: Walmart’s Website Described Product As ‘N-Word Brown’
After investigating the matter, Walmart reports that the sign seems to have been taken from a separate store campaign — one unrelated to firearms — and that corporate is trying to find out if a worker or shopper is responsible for making the switch.
Online reaction has been heated, needless to say, with many responders referencing school shootings and Besty DeVos‘ prophesied grizzly bear attacks:
…what are you suggesting? @Walmart pic.twitter.com/Ng0LbtnAnf
— ZijZ (@ItsZijZ) August 9, 2017
@NRA I thought this was the launch of the new NRA campaign.
— Escape Room Tourism (@escapetourism) August 10, 2017
Why not leave the sign and remove the guns? You are contributing to violence on a massive scale.
— Mark Wallace (@jmarkwallace) August 10, 2017
Is this real? Literally… HOW tone deaf can a corp be?
— kathleen sg (@kathleensiwikgo) August 9, 2017
Must be grizzly bear season in the schools again. Right, #BetsyDevos?
— {{{SubwayWall}}} (@TheSubwayWall) August 9, 2017
@fmanjoo @ismailkidd Good job – might give people the idea that the deadly weapons you sell are only for seasonal use.
— 🐺 (@jaytay777) August 9, 2017
The company was swift to apologize for the “horrible” mishap and locate the store in question (it was reportedly taken at a location in Evansville, Indiana), tweeting:
We hear you. 😞 This was horrible and we removed the sign as soon as we found out. -Vik
— Walmart (@Walmart) August 9, 2017
Just to clarify, the manager at the location reported to us confirmed that no such sign is near this display. Again, so sorry. -Dean
— Walmart (@Walmart) August 9, 2017
[Image via Twitter.]
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