HOUSTON, Texas–A gun range owner that had his Facebook page blocked after he advertised a free concealed handgun license class for the LGBT community has had the page restored after an article published by Breitbart Texas. The page was restored the afternoon the article exposing the problem was published.
The owner of the gun range, Jeff Sanford told Breitbart Texas, “I find it hard to believe, that after having our pages inaccessible for the last sixteen days, our pages would miraculously reappear without the help of Breitbart bringing attention to our predicament. We were lucky to have that assistance.”
The Houston gun range owner added, “I feel for firearms businesses whose pages are shut down that didn’t get help from Breitbart and the NRA.”
As reported by Breitbart Texas on July 5, Sanford said his Facebook page was taken down by 9:30 p.m. after a local evening television broadcast about his free handgun classes for gays. He said, “You can see it, but you cannot do anything with it.” He started having trouble with the social media giant after he advertised a free concealed handgun license class for the LGBT community after the Orlando Islamic terrorist attack. He said he was surprised that Facebook would take down a page that was trying to help the LGBT community.
Sanford had another Facebook page, “Shiloh Indoor Shooting Range and Archery,” but this page has only 1,654 “Likes.” The page that was taken down – “Shiloh Shooting” – had over 4,000 “Likes.” The latter Facebook page has now been restored. It was reinstated between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. CT on the day the Breitbart Texas article was published in the early a.m.
The gun range and arms business owner told Breitbart Texas, “I never saw Facebook take down pages that were pro-gay marriage, but here they have taken down a page that helps gay people exercise their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms and be protected.”
When Sanford communicated with a Facebook representative and asked why the Facebook page was taken down, he was told that it was “because the page was not an actual person.” Sanford provided his identification, mail, state identification, a Sam’s Club card and other information, and they reinstated the Facebook page only to take it down a few days later. His page was still down when Breitbart Texas published the article about his Facebook page.
The Sanford family has generously offered classes to teachers, pastors, and church leaders after attacks in schools and churches. Shiloh Gun Range and 3D Archery has also provided classes for veterans, active duty military, law enforcement officers, and animal rescue advocates.
The family business sells firearms, ammunition, and other gun supplies in addition to providing gun and archery ranges and concealed handgun license classes.
Sanford told Breitbart Texas that Cameron Gray, producer of the Cam Edwards Show, began tweeting about Facebook banning them on July 2nd. Sanford also appeared on his radio show on July 5th after the Breitbart Texas article aired. The gun range owner said, “Coincidence that our pages came back mere hours after the Breitbart and NRA News report on the story? I think not.”
Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. She has served as a prosecutor and associate judge in Texas. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2.
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