A Business Card With a Red Flag
As Mark Iannicelli walked into the Florence gun shop, he wasn’t expecting anything more than the ordinary routines of gun transfer. Oregon is one of the relatively gun-friendly states where the Second Amendment is respected.
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But things took an unusual turn when the store attendant scanned his business card and found a link to Antifa. That was enough reason for the attendant to deny him his purchase.
Mark Couldn't Believe His Ears
Mark couldn’t come to terms with the reason the store denied him their service. So, the visibly annoyed customer took his complaint to the local media.
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Mark narrated to newsmen how he was forced to explain his links with the left-wing group and the reason for his involvement with the organization. “I explained to him it’s more like a movement,” he said.
Why Is Antifa a Worry?
Even though Antifa prides itself as an anti-fascist and political movement with noble objectives, it is widely regarded as a militant group. The group is known for using violence and harassment to promote its campaigns.
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Antifa has also been at the forefront of many demonstrations involving the destruction of property and physical assault. This includes throwing Molotov Cocktails at cops.
Mark Had Bought the Gun From an Online Store
Online gun stores are an easy way for people to find the guns they like and make a purchase. However, the gun store has to ship the firearm to a nearby dealer who will hand over the gun to its owner after conducting a necessary background check.
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Until the background check and a few paperwork are done, it is illegal to transfer the custody of the item. But gun stores could have extra screening protocols.
A Second Amendment Violation?
Mark believes that the action of the gun store infringed on his constitutional right to bear arms. He also questioned why a gun shop should scrutinize a customer’s political leanings.
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“The guy’s job is to sell guns,” Mark complained. “You give a name card you know and it has some type of political group he doesn’t like … he can simply throw the card away,” he added.
The Gun Owner Noticed Some Other Things
Mark tried to explain that his involvement with the group was limited. “You know I have never actually gone up there and marched with Antifa, but he was adamant he wasn’t going to sell me the firearm,” he said to newsmen.
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But other items on his business card spooked the gun store owner. Two things stood out. The card referred to two controversial terms: “gangstalking” and “targeted individuals.”
What Is Gangstalking?
Gangstalking refers to a belief by certain individuals that they are being followed and harassed by a significant number of people. These individuals meet to share their fears on social media forums such as Facebook, sub Reddit, and blogs.
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Many people, including the Florence gun store owner, believe that many of these self-described gangstalking victims suffer from mental health challenges.
A Tragic Gangstalking Case
In 2017, the tragic story of Jenny, a lady who was a victim of gangstalking, hit the news. Jenny had jumped off a parking garage’s tenth floor at the Tampa International Airport, losing her life in the process.
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Her brother, determined to get to the root of the matter, discovered that his sister belonged to hundreds of gangstalking groups on Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter.
Mark's Business Card Also Showed Support for "Targeted Individuals"
The gun store owner also noticed the term “targeted individuals,” mostly used by leftist conspiracy theorists to describe an elaborate scheme used by the government and powerful organizations to monitor individuals.
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Targeted individuals believe that many day-to-day people, such as teachers, delivery men, neighbors, doctors, and sometimes dogs, have been trained and paid to watch them. These thoughts are also believed to be symptoms of mental illness.
The Store Owner Speaks
The owner of the gun shop, Nathan Graham, has defended the shop’s action. That’s after emphasizing the shop’s commitment to protecting the Second Amendment.
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“We are constantly in support of individuals and their 2A right and will continue to support SAFE and lawful firearm transfers,” he said. But “In the event that an individual makes us uncomfortable in the shop we will continue to act accordingly,” he explained.
Right or Wrong?
Opinions are divided about whether or not the store owner was right. But gun store owners are allowed to deny their services to any customer if there is a justifiable reason.
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For many commenters, Graham’s actions were on point. One Reddit user, @cynical_enchilada’s comment, summed up the supporting views. It read, “Forget the antifa part, he’s got like five websites on there referencing “gangstalking” and “targeted individuals”. That’s not someone I would be comfortable transferring a gun to.”