Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) called on retailers like Walmart to “stop selling guns,” arguing that they have a responsibility to their communities and are shirking their duties by putting profits over “safety.”
Warren, who changed her Twitter profile picture to an orange image reading, “End Gun Violence” tweeted on Friday that companies need to “do the right thing” and “stop selling guns.”
She wrote:
Sometimes, companies recognize that they have an obligation to the lives, health, and safety of their communities. In 2014, for example, CVS voluntarily stopped selling tobacco products. Cigarette sales went down, and more smokers tried to quit. That’s progress.
Companies that sell guns have a responsibility to the safety of their communities. @Walmart is one of the largest gun retailers in the world. The weapons they sell are killing their own customers and employees.
“No profit is worth those lives,” she added. “Do the right thing—stop selling guns”:
Warren added that she will be “standing” with the activists who are gathering in Coral Springs, FL, Saturday morning to protest Walmart’s decision to sell guns. The protest is hosted by Guns Down America and AFT – American Federation of Teachers.
“We’re calling on Walmart to stop selling guns, stop donating to NRA-backed politicians, and reinvest in the communities they serve,” the event’s Facebook page reads.
“This rally will be held on the sidewalk in front of the Walmart in Coral Springs where many students sought shelter in the aftermath of the Parkland shooting,” it adds.