Here's what I wrote -
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Mr. Dell:
A number of large American businesses have, over the last few years, found out the hard way that angering American firearms owners is Not A Good Thing. I rather imagine that you're now pretty well convinced of it yourself.
I have used Dell computers for years, both at home and at work, and I've recommended Dell to about a bazillion people, both privately and professionally.
But your "from the desk of" message is far from being sufficient in assuaging the damage caused by the cancellation of Mr. Weigand's order. He has nothing in his business' name that suggests that he exports anything, or that he's a terrorist or supports terrorists. He is a pistolsmith, i.e., he works on guns, specifically combat-oriented handguns. And there is nothing in that which should suggest anything about "terrorism" or "staying within the law for exports" such as you've suggested, any more than if he repaired refrigerators instead of firearms. In my opinion, both Dell's initial act of cancelling his legitimate order and your subsequent lame apology and explanation constitute what a very large number of us consider to be a very serious error in judgement.
I've been to a number of websites today where gun owners and non gun owners alike are saying that they will NOT buy or recommend Dell ever again, unless and until you issue a much more specific notice of policy change. I'm sorry to see that happen, because as I said, I've used Dell for years and would like to continue to.
Mr. Dell, there is NOTHING "terrorist" or even potentially illegal about being a gunsmith, and to think that your policy is to actually cancel an order just because a customer is a gunsmith, while you pursue checking out whether the customer might be a terrorist or be exporting illegal firearms is ludicrous at best. And to require him to sign a special waiver because he works on firearms is preposterous.
Remember K-Mart?
They made some major blunders when it came to firearms owners too, and they're filing bankruptcy. A number of very large financial institutions have been forced, due to the cancellation of so many business deals by so many firearms owners, to change their policies in regards to loans, etc., to gun owners and gun oriented businesses.
Please do the right thing and keep Dell going. Your computers are the best on the market, in my opinion. But neither I nor several million other firearms owners will continue to support Dell unless you change your policies and unless you make it plain that you have done so. I'm sorry, but offering a free laptop to Mr. Weigand just isn't going to cut it.
Sincerely,
Jefferson Adams
They didn't even do *that*. Read it again, they offered "free shipping".