A St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin gun shop, F-Bomb Ordnance, is under fire… for it’s name. Locals are not happy with, and even offended by, the euphemism and feel it tarnishes the image of their town. At a recent city council meeting the mayor summarized:
“Residents have expressed that our nuisance ordinance contains language that this graphic violates.”
But “f-bomb” isn’t foul language. It’s a substitute for foul language. So does that still make it foul by association? I guess that’s going to depend on how the city ordinance is written.
Co-owner Dr. Geoff Gorres said:
“we don’t control how other people are offended… There are a lot of things that offend me in America, and I just have to deal with them.”
He’s got a point. That first amendment makes no guarantee that you won’t be offended. Sometimes you do have to just look away.
Gorres and his partners are standing behind their business name and not backing away from this fight. Of course, who would expect them to? These guys are former military and law enforcement. They’ve fought for us and know their Constitutional rights.
The mayor and some citizens don’t like the “perception” this business name projects for their city.
“What perception do we want visitors to our community to have and to leave with?”
Um, how about the perception that your community supports businesses, free enterprise, free speech, the Constitution, and the 2nd Amendment?
HEY! St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, this is your wake up call! You might want to check your elected officials. When they start exerting this level of “control” in the affairs a local businesses, it can hurt growth. Would you REALLY want to have to get their approval for the choice of your business name? If you like your freedoms, you better get out there and voice some support for this small business.
H/T BB4SP and more info at TwinCities
Photo credit F-Bomb Ordnance
