Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Imagine if each person who has posted something about gun control in the past 6 days were to make one purchase – large or small – from Dick’s Sporting Goods? As you may know, Dick’s has suspended the sale of certain semiautomatic weapons in all of its stores and pulled all guns from the store closest to Newtown, CT.

While it is unclear how long this will remain in place, now is a good time to step up & flex our economic muscles to show that this *is* a good business decision. Gun zealots around the nation are rushing out to stockpile in a delusional fear that  … socialism might be on the horizon? I don’t know. I don’t know if this is a marketing ploy or if Dick’s can be persuaded to make more responsible choices with their hunting equipment. 

But I know we can weigh in now and try.

Do it this week. Shop online or in the store.They are getting a lot of flack (some of it vicious and ugly) – this is a way to show support AND demonstrate that gun control advocates are not just posting on Facebook. We have economic power, too.

Consider this – you can purchase an item and donate to a local youth program to honor the children. A basketball, a warm hat, a pair of sneakers or more. I bought two winter hats from the clearance section of the website and sent them directly to the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh – the GLCC works with homeless LGBTQ youth and it seems a hat might help keep these kids a little safer? A win/win. It cost me $9.00 and took me five minutes. And then I tweeted about it and I posted on Facebook about it so the company gets a few more encouraging messages.

And now? I’ll keep paying attention. I’ve shopped at Dick’s in the past – everything from tennis shoes to sports bras to git items. Their next step – permanent ban or rescinding the ban – will determine my next step.

So I invite you to join us

Go to their website and make a purchase. You don’t have to spend a fortune. Ship it directly to the charity of your choice. Hats, socks and gloves are welcome by almost all organizations.

Like Dick’s Facebook page and post a message

Send a tweet to Dick’s and follow them @Dicks 

If you’d like to see what’s happening with our efforts, register for our “event” …

Is this going to solve all the problems? No, of course not. But putting our money where our meme/mouth has been for days is a constructive way to keep actual children safer by supporting the programs that work with them daily. It also sends a clear economic message and that’s what matters in the business community.