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Winner of Gun Store’s Contest for an AR-15 Harassed on Facebook to Point Where They’ve Shut Down Account

Feb. 8, 2013 10:50am Liz Klimas

Since the gun control debate fired up strongly with the shooting of school children and staff at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., in December, one Pittsburgh gun store has been running a Facebook contest giving away AR-15 packages, which has drawn both support and criticism.

Up until this week, Pittsburgh Tactical Firearms published the name of the winner of its AR-15 giveaway Facebook campaign, but it is now revising its policy after one such winner said they were being harassed to the point where they had to shut down their Facebook page.

Pittsburgh Tactical Firearms Gives Away AR 15 Packages in Facebook Contests

(Image: Facebook screenshot)

“So here is something that really pisses us off. Our winner of the [AR] package called us about five minutes ago to tell us this. ‘Thanks for what you guys are doing. Over the past few days people have been harassing me and my family on Facebook. I am closing my account because of this.’ That are not his exact words as he was swearing up and down about the liberal media and how they won’t leave him alone.
We might reconsider how we announce winners from now on. We want to keep your privacy as much as you do,” the firearms store wrote on its Facebook page Thursday.

In another post shortly thereafter, the business wrote that it would be allowing contest winners to have the choice of whether they would want their name publicly announced or not.

Pittsburgh Tactical Firearms logo (Photo: Facebook)

Pittsburgh Tactical Firearms has been receiving local attention for its contest and more recently is making national news. In a radio interview with 1020 KDKA the owner, Eric Lowry, said the giveaway was conceived to drive up business, which it did along with the concern some have over gun regulations. Within 12 hours two days after the December shooting, Lowry said on the radio his store sold out of 95 percent of its inventory. He had to call in friends to help with background checks for those wishing to purchase firearms.

The radio host asked why anyone needs that type of a weapon?

“The number one thing is that it’s your right. It’s your right to own a firearm no matter what type of firearm it is,” Lowry said on the show. “It’s clearly stated that the right to bear arms will not be infringed [...] I don’t think it extends out to tanks and nuclear weapons like a lot of of people are suggesting, but citizens should be armed well enough to defend themselves against a tyrannical government, in which case they should be able to own the same exact firearms that any type of military soldier should be able to own.”

A recent letter signed by 1,100 green berets for the protection of the Second Amendment supported the same sentiment Lowry and others have regarding firearm ownership.

The Huffington Post reported Lowry saying that the contest was not meant to be a form of protest against President Barack Obama’s proposed gun control laws. He added that his store will do another giveaway soon when things quiet down.

TheBlaze contacted Lowry and will be speaking with him. Stay tuned for more information from Pittsburgh Tactical Firearms’ owner.

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Comments (89)

VetMike
Posted on February 9, 2013 at 10:19am
Declaration of Independence: “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and provide new Guards for their future security.”
The Constitution: “Article IV Section 1 Each State to Honor all others ” (the full faith and credit Article)
” Section 4 Republican Government”
” Amendment 1 Free speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and
freedom to petition the Government for redress”
” Amendment 2 Right to bear arms (militia: an army composed of civilians)
” Amendment 3: The quartering act” (very important)
” Amendment 10 Powers of States and People. Reserves powers to the
people and states that are NOT specifically delegated to the Government”

I can understand why Liberals cannot understand the rights imbedded in the Constitution and the Amendments. They are written in plain English.

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Endstatism
Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:28am
I thought harassment was forbidden on Facebook and that anyone involved in that activity would lose their account. Unless you are badgering gun owners and conservatives

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GuruMeditation
Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:24am
Give me an AR15 over a Facebook account any day!

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media-bias-steals-elections
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 9:37pm
Or you could have them fill out a form before they make a post on your page, give us your email address? If you behave yourself, we don’t mind hearing your opinion, if you make us upset, you give us permission to sell your email address and spam your social media accounts with as many affiliate advertising and buddy systems that we can find, who will do this automatically?

More than likely, these Facebook “posts” are nothing more than automated replies anyway? Some blogger might punch in the captcha code and that’s it?

No wonder over 60% of Americans have taken a vacation from using Facebook, and less then 2% of Twitter accounts are read more than once, after one hour of a post? In other words, once you start digging, lots of people sign up for these accounts, but 98% of Twitter accounts are not really active besides the occasional tweet, and the commercialization of Facebook is turning people off?

Phrases like “too big to fail”, it is not hard to imagine the US Government owning either a social network or a search engine in the future?

Dazzle their wits, with the common sense bits,
oh we told you, do not wait,
question the wisdom they fake?
Glenn Beck’s not shifting,
you knew he’d do that so hit the phone app,
we’re coming back,
gonna jam with hits,
for the kids who ain’t tricked,
stay tuned in,
have fun you’ll see,
you can cuss and fuss,
you can pout and plead,
but you can’t stop reading blogs like these?

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AllisonWunderland
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 5:37pm
The radio host asked why anyone needs that type of a weapon?

It’s not the “Bill of Needs” . . . It’s the BILL OF RIGHTS.

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eramthgin
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 4:47pm
We have become such weaklings. Bullied on Facebook…….come on grow a pair. You don’t have to open it and you don’t have to read it. Even if you do what do you care you have a brand new AR-15. Heck I’d make fun of everybody and turn it right back on them.

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Al J Zira
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 4:18pm
You know, I’ve been thinking about which weapons would be affected by this gun ban. Seems to me that even with a 10 round magazine limitation, if your state allows ownership of automatic weapons you could own a Browning .30 Caliber 1919A4. It’s belt fed.

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RIGHT_WHERE_IT_HURTS
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 3:46pm
The ‘tolerant’ left is afraid folks will use the 15s on them, and rightly so.

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RaydocX
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 1:50pm
damn, i wish they’d have contests like that here… i would even put up with the whining pansies if i won… they’ll get bored and move to other targets, soon enough… their incessant cruel damaging attacks are almost enough that we should see if Feinstein or Cuomo won’t propose a bill to limit the first amendment, since clearly it is hurting citizens…

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Farmhand
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 1:36pm
Haha Third apparently didn’t read till the end where it mentioned the Huffpo was doing or did a piece on the contest. I don’t know how you possibly get more “liberal media” than that. Good effort though.

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noslave
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 1:02pm
like a scene from TAXI DRIVER w/de nero if they annoy just tell the p.i.t.arses suck on this as you pull the trigger??they will never annoy you again??

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The_Cabrito_Goat
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:59pm
“provide for their own safety and security”

Phew

That was John Locke’s Second Treastise of Government

http://www.thenagain.info/Classes/Sources/Locke-2ndTreatise.html

If you ask my opinion, there is nothing disagreeable with this stanza.

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The_Cabrito_Goat
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:57pm
“The reason why men enter into society is the preservation of their property, and the end why they choose and authorize a legislative is that there may be laws made, and rules set, as guards and fences to the properties of all the members of the society, to limit the power and moderate the dominion of every part and member of the society. For since it can never be supposed to be the will of the society that the legislative should have a power to destroy that which everyone designs to secure by entering into society, and for which the people submitted themselves to legislators of their own making, whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any farther obedience and are left to the common refuge, which God hath provided for all men, against force and violence. Whensoever therefore the legislative shall transgress this fundamental rule of society, and either by ambition, fear, folly or corruption, endeavor to grasp themselves, or put into the hands of any other, an absolute power over the lives, liberties, and estates of the people; by this breach of trust they forfeit the power the people had put into their hands for quite contrary ends, and it devolves to the people, who have a right to resume their original liberty, and, by the establishment of a new legislative, (such as they shall think fit)

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Whatmeworry-never
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:28pm
Cowards, bullies and out right liars is all the left is. They only are brave when they out number you, one on one they do an Al Roker in their pants.

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rswapp
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:27pm
******** don’t even know what AR means and it’s not Assault Rifle!

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- GuruMeditation
  Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:47am
  ARmalite.
  
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Saff SGT
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:24pm
USA folks need equivilent arms to combat Obama and the police states. we need to stay equal with weapons at all times should we take our eyes off the lefty targets

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9111315
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:22pm
I’m glad the guy won the prize. With all the hate out there for him, I think he needs it.

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Saff SGT
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:20pm
I alway wished I was rich I would arm any citizen in DC, Mass, Ca, ill and all other Communist states. Plus 1000 rounds of ammo, and a list of Communist to watch out for. And see what happens

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termyt
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:19pm
However, we cannot allow the government to demand we demonstrate need in order to exercise rights.

To ask why one needs an AR-15 misses the point of what a right to bear arms is. It’s a right. You show me your need to speak free from government retribution, I’ll show you my need to own an AR-15.

If we allow lack of “need” to revoke rights, then we best start getting ready to demonstrate our need for life itself in order to be able to keep it.

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VanishingFreedom
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:18pm
Just say no to Facebook
Send the AR to me, I will put it in a safe place…

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P4cooler
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:12pm
The Obama presidency has stirred up a hornets nest of anti-American fascists. I just didn’t know we had so many of them walking in our midst. Obama is a magnet for hatred, envy, & violence. You Obama lovers are no more than cockroaches, opposite of us value producing citizens who support prosperity, free enterprise, and freedom.

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Fubared
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:11pm
“All federal gun control acts, all state and municipal gun laws and all their enforcement provisions are illegal on their face. They are non-laws, indefensible and of no standing. Proposing and passing them into law was illegal, their ongoing enforcement is illegal. Legislation to mend parts of them is illegal because it concedes and endorses the illegal laws it seeks to modify. The only legitimate stance is complete repeal, root and branch, to be followed by indictments of those who broadened and extended them, and severance with prejudice for those prosecutors who enforced them, down to and including the Attorney General.” ol Remus at http://woodpilereport.com/
Enough said.

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DEDDROBB
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:11pm
If you have any question of why we need guns watch Mr Bill Stewart’s speach. If you still don’t get it, watch it a couple more times. Personally, I had a serial rapist with his own personal dungeon living around the corner (literally) from me. Do you think the public shouldn’t be allowed to protect themselves from that? I do and I will

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Chuck7884
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:09pm
Assault Weapon means all Weapons that have been used in the commission of an Assault. Spin it any way you want. Replace the word Rifle and you will get the same Definition.

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- FreedomMom
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 1:53pm
  Soooo, someone breaks into your house and is going to harm or kill your family. You have the drop on them and shot them, in your house, where they were going to harm you, IN YOUR HOUSE, and it’s an assault weapon? So you defend yourself in your house and according to you, that person is guilty of assault? I don’t know, but I think I would call that a defensive weapon.
  
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- Kimber_45
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 3:00pm
  FreedomMom – you are playing symantecs. A firearm is a firearm is a firearm, not assault not tootsie not defensive. Regardless, 2nd Amendment states “shall not be infringed”. Secondly, if someone breaks into my home, I would be inclined to believe they are not there to introduce themselves and since I have no idea what their culpable mental state is I can only presume they are there and up to no good.
  
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- N37BU6
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 3:29pm
  Symantec is a company. You mean semantics.
  
  :)
  
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- NinjaJuice
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 4:05pm
  An assault weapon is a pen in those politician’s hand.
  
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- pragmaticpatriot
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 4:45pm
  Letting the media set the language lets them control the narrative. Its a carbine, a single-shot, self-feeding rifle.
  
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- Obama_In_PeePee_Is_Becks_Art
  Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:22am
  THAT DOES IT! No more mercy!! All lame-brained Liberals are going to get a shot of ASSAULT PEEPEE! (Is there a water fountain near by? I’ve got to load up.)
  
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TheFonz
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:08pm
” in which case they should be able to own the same exact firearms that any type of military soldier should be able to own.”
This is what it is all about. We are already outgunned by the military with their tanks, attack helicopters, drones, satellites, etc. The government just wants to take away yet another thing that would allow the people to stand up to them if they ever get the gumption to do so. Hopefully when the balloon goes up enough of the military will be on the people’s side to make things a little more even.

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- Saff SGT
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:27pm
  many black supporters will go for obama too bad they never read the constitution or bill of rights in USA
  
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- Lt_Scrounge
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 4:49pm
  Yes sgt many of them will. Unfortunately for them, they will die for their efforts. Intelligent well educated blacks are probably less likely to support Obamao than their welfare loving cohorts.
  
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- lcuvillier
  Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:51am
  I have been saying the same thing – and people think I am crazy. We need to have the firepower readily available to us to protect us from an oppressive and tyrannical government.
  
  Report this comment

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