• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The K-Var ArmoryThe K-Var Armory

The Largest Supplier of Firearms, Gun Parts, & Accessories Online

  • Shop K-Var
  • News
    • Industry
    • Politics
    • Second Amendment
    • Self Defense
    • Comics
  • Reviews
    • Anything AK
    • Anything AR
    • Gear
    • Pistols
    • Rifles
    • Shotguns
  • Newsletter

Do Anti-gun Sales Restrictions Violate Anti-Discrimination Laws?

March 5, 2018 by Dave Workman 1 Comment

Many of us have been thinking it, but an Oregon newspaper recently raised an interesting question. Are retailers that decide to arbitrarily raise the age for gun sales violating anti-discrimination laws? According to Willamette Week, a Portland-based alternative weekly, there are 17 Fred Meyer stores in the Beaver State that sell firearms. Bi-Mart also announced the change in policy. However, a retired Lane County judge, Jim Hargreaves, says the decision by retailers might slam head on into Oregon state law. Oregon law states that any person over 18 can purchase a gun, and that the anti-discrimination law says anybody of legal age can’t be denied something available to others.

Man holding a Savage Model 10 BA Stealth rifle for Anti-Discrimination laws
Where does it end? Savage’s Model 10 BA Stealth is far from an AR-15, but some would say it is black and scary. Will it be next to be arbitrarily banned?

According to Willamette Week, a Portland-based alternative weekly, there are 17 Fred Meyer stores in the Beaver State that sell firearms. Bi-Mart also announced the change in policy. However, a retired Lane County judge, Jim Hargreaves, says the decision by retailers might slam head on into Oregon state law. Oregon law states that any person over 18 can purchase a gun, and that the anti-discrimination law says anybody of legal age can’t be denied something available to others.

Coincidentally, a column appearing in the Boston Globe Monday takes a more detailed look at this firearms sales controversy. Jeff Jacoby, writing in the column “Arguable,” has some interesting observations.

“In many states, 18 is the minimum age to purchase a rifle and certain other guns,” Jacoby writes, “The companies’ new policy amounts to discrimination on the basis of age. But that didn’t seem to disturb many people who, in other circumstances, would be outspoken in denouncing discrimination on the basis of innate or personal traits. The New York Times reported that Twitter messages referring to Dick’s skyrocketed after the company’s announcement, and ‘about 79% of the tweets had a positive sentiment … including supportive messages from Hollywood actors and actresses.’

“Would the responses have been so supportive,” Jacoby then asks, “had Dick’s, Walmart, and L.L. Bean announced — in the wake, say, of a jihadist terror attack — that they would no longer sell weapons to Muslims? Not from Hollywood and the left, it wouldn’t. But it doubtless would have drawn cheers from plenty of other Americans, presumably including many of those who were outraged by the companies’ new decision to deny guns to customers under 21.”

Depending upon how a state’s law is written, Oregon may not be the only jurisdiction where political correctness collides with the law.

Since the policy announcements last week, Second Amendment activists have raised other red flags, including the alleged hypocrisy of allowing young adults age 18 and over to enlist in the military – where they are issued weapons and ammunition and sent around the world to defend this nation and its constitution – but can’t buy a gun at home.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has also released a fast facts page detailing the Age Discrimination Laws: What FFLs Need to Know.

The situation could be the makings of interesting legal arguments. You be the judge. How would you rule on the legality of arbitrarily raising the age to buy a firearm or any other product. Are they protected or in violation of anti-Discrimination laws? Share your answers in the comment section.


Sign up for K-Var’s weekly newsletter and discounts here.

Filed Under: Politics, Second Amendment Tagged With: AR-15, Gun Control, National Shooting Sports Foundation, NSSF

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. dg1android says

    April 13, 2018 at 10:53 pm

    Indirect discrimination or direct discrimination. Restricting People who are going to an NRA Show from getting a discount on their flight (Delta) just because they don’t support it is indirect but the age factor may be direct, so I support raising the age to Vote and Join the Military to 21 if congress thinks 18 is to young to own a firearm to protect themselves and their family…So they should be protected and should be able to file suit and that the threat of a suit is “imminent.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to the Muzzle Flash – The K-Var Armory Official Newsletter!

* Required field
Marketing permission: I give my consent to to be in touch with me via email using the information I have provided in this form for the purpose of news, updates and marketing.

Recent Posts

  • Long Range Shooting 3
  • K-Var’s 180-Day Layaway Program: Own Your Dream Firearm, Interest-Free!
  • Inside FAIR: Why Arsenal Inc. Supports the Trade Group That Keeps Our Industry on Track
  • Bug Out Bag!
  • The Clock is Ticking: Why Imported Rifles Deserve Your Attention Now
Gun Broker Auctions

Archives

  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017

Categories

  • 1911
  • Accessories
  • Ammunition
  • Anything AK
  • Anything AR
  • Arex
  • Arsenal
  • Blades
  • Browning
  • Cartridges
  • Charter Arms
  • Colt
  • Comics
  • Conservation
  • Dan Wesson
  • Deer
  • Derringer
  • Gear
  • Glock
  • Hearing Protection
  • Holsters
  • How To
  • How-To
  • Hunting
  • Industry
  • Kahr
  • Kel-Tec
  • Lasers
  • News
  • NFA
  • Night Vision
  • North American Arms
  • Op-ed
  • Optics
  • Optics
  • Pistols
  • Politics
  • Predator
  • Product Recall Notice
  • Red Dot
  • Reloading
  • Reviews
  • Revolvers
  • Rifles
  • Rimfire
  • Rock Island Armory
  • Rossi
  • Ruger
  • Ruger
  • Savage
  • Second Amendment
  • Self Defense
  • Shotguns
  • SIG Sauer
  • Small Game
  • Smith and Wesson
  • Springfield
  • Tactics
  • Taurus
  • Thermal
  • Turkey
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Walther
  • Waterfowling
  • Comics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • About
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2025 · K-Var Corp · Log in