Walmart Refuses to Print Engagement Photo with Shotgun, Couple Takes the High Ground
Bill Miller 01.12.15
Mitch Strobl is a passionate man. He loves his God, he loves his fiancé, and he loves hunting and the shooting sports. His career is dedicated to producing curricula that teach millions of folks how to hunt, shoot, and handle firearms safely.
So when Mitch met Stephanie Wehner, it was only natural their dating included sharing the passion for hunting and the shooting sports. When the couple decided to get married, they took engagement photos which included these passions. One in particular shows Mitch with a Ruger Red Label shotgun broken over his shoulder—it’s the first gun he bought on his own with his own money. It’s a treasure he plans to hang on to all his life, just like his beautiful, soon-to-be new bride.
As a news clip from Dallas’ WFAA TV shows (embedded below), sharing those passions and those photos with the guests at Mitch and Stephanie’s wedding reception was the plan. Then came a bump in the road.
Stephanie took the digital photos to a local Walmart to have them printed for the display she was creating, but an associate at the store refused to print the image with the shotgun in it because in her mind and interpretation of store policy, “It promoted gang culture.”
Gang culture? Look at these two people in the photographs. What about them says “gang culture” to you?
Being intelligent, level-headed people, it didn’t take long for them to figure out what to do. As Mitch concludes in his interview, “we’re just going to print it elsewhere.” Practical, reasonable, get it done, and move on.
However, it’s important Mitch and Stephanie brought this affront to public attention through this news story. The calm, respectful way they did it shows them to be thinking, clean-cut, passionate, fun-loving people leading everyday lives. It shows the world that these are the kind of people the shooting sports world is mostly made of.
No protesting with signs outside the Walmart store. No ranting and raving. No language that had to be bleeped from the interview. Simply expressing a passion for the shooting sports and the real facts about who its participants are.
While to many pro-gun supporters and rabid anti-gunners this kind of statement may be too milquetoast, it’s exactly the kind of message that plays very well with the largest group in the middle—the ones whose votes ultimately determine our future.
Mitch and Stephanie—thank you for being part of the shooting sports world. Thank you for your passion. Thank you for sharing your story. Here’s to wishing for a wonderful life together.
Editor’s note: Walmart later announced that the associate who refused to print Mitch and Stephanie’s photos was misinformed, and that Walmart has no policy against printing photos with guns.
Tip of the Week
Hey! Is there an outdoor wedding in your future—even as an invited guest? ThermaCELL can and should play a big role. When I go to any outdoor function these days, a ThermaCELL comes with me. I can be comfortable and bug-free, even if all those around me are swatting. And ThermaCELL units make a great wedding gift for couples with an outdoor passion. They will thank you and think of you every time they light up a ThermaCELL—which will be often!
These insights brought to you by Federal Premium Ammunition, ThermaCELL, Camp Chef, and the Quebec Outfitters Federation.
Bill Miller’s least favorite question is, “What is your favorite kind of hunting?”
He dislikes it so much because any answer may hint he’s willing to give up one or more of the lesser favorites. But if you press him really hard, his answer will be, “I really like anything I can hunt with a shotgun and over good dogs.”
At an early age, Bill became shotgunning addicted. Instead of an allowance in cash money, Bill earned shotgun shells for his chores around the family home. Then on Sunday afternoon’s he would haul an old Trius Trap out to the field behind the house on to the make shift “trap range” he’d mowed into the tall grass with the push mower. Then his dad would join him to supervise the shooting of the shells earned during the week.
About the same time, at age 11, Bill figured out he wanted to make his living experiencing outdoor adventures and sharing them with others. He wanted to be an outdoor writer. In the decades since, he has lived and continues living his dream.
He travels widely enjoying adventures close to home as well as on five continents. He shared his adventures on national networks hosing and producing shows for NBC Sports, Versus, Outdoor Channel, Wild TV, Sportsman Channel and others. He appeared on ESPN for 13 season on "Shoot More, Shoot More Often." During the production of “The Shooting Sports” for ESPN, Bill was honored to shoot frequently in the company of members and coaches of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team.
In 2012, participated in the Armed Forces Entertainment Outdoor Legends Tour to Afghanistan to entertain men and women serving in the military -- in his words, "...it was the greatest honor in my career and a life changing experience. His latest venture is a new book, "Reflections Under the Big Pine" he co-authored and published with K.J. Houtman.
