Gun Shop Banned From Popular Store's Contest: 'Entry Contains Content That Promotes...Firearms

Maple Creek Gunsmithing, a firearms store in Fremont, Nebraska, is claiming that Staples, the popular office supply chain, rejected a recent contest application from the shop -- because Maple Creek sells guns.

The store, which is owned by Travis Vonseggern and Bill Jackson, recently applied for Staples' PUSH It Forward Contest, an opportunity for small businesses to win cash to help pay for online marketing efforts. But Vonseggern and Jackson were purportedly sent a message explaining that they are ineligible.

Credit: AP

The alleged rejection e-mail that was sent by Staples and subsequently published on the Maple Creek Gunsmithing Facebook page reads:

We’re sorry, but your small business entry into the Staples PUSH It Forward Contest has been rejected* for the following reason(s):

Entry contains content that promotes alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing); promotes any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous; promotes any particular political agenda or message; is obscene or offensive; or endorses any form of hate or hate group.

Please visit the Staples PUSH It Forward Contest if you wish to submit a new entry for your small business.

In a separate message, the gun shop owners described the disqualification and noted their dissatisfaction with Staples' decision. In addition to decrying the rejection, Maple Creek Gunsmithing pledged to not do business with the chain again -- and encouraged others to join in on the boycott.

The owners even put out a call to the community, asking for fans to suggest local office supply stores that they can do business with in the future.

"They went as far to say that they lump us in with illegal drug use. Wow we spent a ton of money with them and this is the support we get," the post reads. "We are never spending a dime in that store again and would encourage you to do the same."

A screen shot from the gun shop's Facebook page (Photo Credit: Facebook)

Vonseggern and Jackson wasted no time in using the opportunity to encourage others to come into their gun shop and make purchases.

"Just in time for anyone that is boycotting [S]taples... Come in and get some 22lr, .40cal, .308, 9mm and 22lr shotshell!! We will be here all day but this ammo may not be," yet another post reads.

In an interview with Todd Starnes, Jackson shared his frustration over the situation.

"I was blown away. I couldn’t believe what I was reading," he said. "They lumped us in with criminals."

Both owners are Army veterans.

According to Starnes, Staples confirmed its policy not to award firearms companies. TheBlaze reached out to a company representative to speak further about this situation and to better understand the policy at hand; we have not yet heard back from the office supply chain.

(H/T: Todd Starnes)

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