Wounded Warrior Project faces fallout after snubbing ‘Gun Talk’

NOVEMBER 14, 2012


BY: DAVID CODREAIn a development that shocked veteran talk show host Tom Gresham of the nationally-syndicated Gun Talk Radio program, theWounded Warrior Project “declined an interview request on Gun Talk Radio because it's a firearms-related show,” the program reported yesterday on its Facebook page.


“I'm stunned at your email saying that the WWP doesn't participate in an interview or activity related to firearms,” Gresham emailed the charity’s public relations director, Leslie A. Coleman. “Inasmuch as there are 90 million gun owners and most of them support wounded veterans, I think they would be shocked to hear that they are, by way of their hobbies, somehow not worthy of helping with the Wounded Warriors Project.”

Video: Interviews at Charity Event at Playboy Manson for Wounded Warrior Project

“WWP does not co-brand, create cause marketing campaigns or receive a percentage or a portion of proceeds from companies in which the product or message is sexual, political or religious in nature, or from alcohol or firearms companies,” Coleman replied. “Our position regarding firearms and alcohol is in response to the struggles that many injured service members face with substance abuse and suicide and the roles those items often play in those issues.”

“Your policy does, in fact, brand firearms and the companies which make them as undesirables, and by association, you are saying that those who own and use firearms for recreation, hunting, self protection, and other safe and legal uses are to be avoided,” Gresham responded. “I cannot fully express how much I feel you are doing a disservice to our wounded veterans, and how disappointed I am to discover this bias at the Wounded Warriors Project.”

He’s not the only one. Critical comments on the WWP Facebook page as previously-supportive gun owners discover its anti-gun policy are growing, and the negative sentiment will endanger the good work their organization does if that continues.

“I am distancing myself from WWP due to their stand on firearms,” supporter Rick Bandy wrote. “The magnet you sent me has been removed from my car!”

“Why all of a sudden do you distance yourself from gun owners?” wrote Frank Newingham, formerly of the United States Air Force. “You had no problem from taking money from the Playboy mansion, Ranger Proof and GPI Custom Gunworks, and several hundred thousand from other various major gun manufacturers. If you are running from our rights then you are running from America! I will never give your organization another dime! Everything you get pays your CEO his $300k annual salary anyways. This message is sent by a veteran!!”

“I see your canned response doesn't bother explaining why having an event at the Playboy mansion is exempt from your endorsement/affiliation guidelines, but an interview with a firearms-related radio show is not,” potential donor Zach Bauman weighed in. “I'm glad I found this out about WWP before I made the memorial donation I was planning to make.”

“I am a wounded warrior being medically retired in December,” veteran Marc Toomey told the organization. “It was brought to my attention from associates and friends that your organization pretty much told ‘Gun Talk Radio’ to take a flying leap (tactfully) when they offered the WWP the opportunity for public exposure. I listen to the program and the biggest thing promote is gun safety and core family values. Many veterans have contributed to the contents broadcasted or published. They also promote veterans who are in need of help to seek it out and provide points of contact to do so.”

Such sentiments continue to be posted, with several more added while this article was being written, and that’s essentially through people learning through the grapevine. If and when more gun owners become aware of the sentiments of some in the WWP leadership, it could end up damaging the organization and hurting those who deserve our help.

No one is expecting to hijack the mission of the Wounded Warriors Project by demanding statements of fealty. But some misguided politically correct managers in the organization are making a grave mistake if they think ostracizing people naturally inclined to be their staunchest friends, including those from among the ranks of current and former military, will best serve those they are trying to help.

Hopefully an amicable solution of mutual respect will be reached, and soon, before things get out of hand. After all, if all their spokesperson did was talk about the organization and the work they do without getting into endorsing non-core mission issues dear to the host, WWP ought to be able to appear on any program without controversy or objection, even a nationally-syndicated broadcast revolving around “gun control” -- except there evidently isn’t any market demand for one.

Wounded Warrior Project faces fallout after snubbing