Video: Michigan Teen Sues Dick’s Sporting Goods for Age Discrimination
OutdoorHub Reporters 03.07.18
A teenager in Michigan is now hauling Dick’s Sporting Goods to court for refusing to sell him a rifle after the company autonomously changed its policy in the aftermath of the Parkland school shooting massacre.
The retail chain announced last week that it would be increasing the age limit from 18 to 21-years-old to buy firearms at any of its stores, and is now beginning to see push-back from legal gun buyers.
The latest legislation to be filed, came after a 18-year-old high school senior from Battle Creek, Michigan, Triston Fulton, walked into a DSG store at Oakland Mall in Troy, and was refused to even look at a rifle. According to Fox 2 Detroit, a Dick’s employee told Triston that was the new policy.
“Dick’s corporate policy is not to sell to anyone under 21 years of age, even though Michigan allows for anyone over 18 to purchase a firearm,” said Fulton’s attorney James Makowski.
“Stores should be able to violate people’s civil rights? Are we going to stop allowing black people firearms? Are we going to stop allowing Mexicans to buy firearms? No,” Makowski continued.
Triston Fulton is protected under Michigan’s Elliot Larson law, which states is “an act to define civil rights; to prohibit discriminatory practices, policies, and customs in the exercise of those rights based upon religion, race, color, national origin, AGE, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status”
Dick’s is under serious legal fire right now. It will be interesting to see their next move, and whether or not they will continue to fight to keep their current policy. Stay tuned for more updates.
