The owner of the glassware firm in Wisconsin said the gift was ‘to promote personal safety’.
An American company has given all of its employees handguns for Christmas.
BenShot, a rural Wisconsin company which sells glassware embedded with bullets, announced the gift on social media on Wednesday, creating heated discussion online.
“BenShot gave all employees handguns for Christmas. Cheers!” reads the post on Facebook.
Nineteen people – some gleeful, others indifferent or deadly serious – are pictured posing with handguns, rifles and machine guns.
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“That is the scariest thing I have ever seen,” commented one person on Facebook.
Another wrote: “I am so proud of you for promoting our 2nd Amendment right!
“Despite the backlash you are going to be getting from the left, it shows you care about your employees and their safety! I wish my husband would follow your lead!”
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Co-owner Ben Wolfgram reportedly told local media the decision was made to “promote personal safety and team building”.
He told the local Appleton Post-Crescent that two employees initially declined the gift but were reconsidering after taking a mandatory gun safety course all staff took before receiving the gift.
America has both the highest number of guns per 100 people and the most gun deaths per million people of any peaceful country in the world.
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Nearly 34,000 Americans died from a gun in 2016. Roughly two-thirds involved a handgun and almost two-thirds were suicides.
Wolfgram told the Post-Crescent he was not concerned about violence because his employees all knew each other well.
He said: “For us, now, we have an entire armed staff. I think that’s pretty good.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Not all moms are the same. They like and do different things. Some, gasp, don't love the idea of flowers and chocolates for Mother's Day.
Consider these alternative gifts, many based on testimonials from actual moms.
There’s a zillion ways to pamper mom. There’s breakfast in bed, of course, and homemade coupon books offering to do some of her least favorite chores, or joining her on something she loves but you don't. If you’re looking for a self-care something, this hair tool is pricy but there’s little it can’t do. There are styler-dryer Dyson Airwrap sets for straight to wavy, and curly to coily hair. All avoid extreme heat. So many attachments. So little time. $599.99. Widely available.
Still in the pamper mom search? Gift cards for mani-pedis, a spa day or a spa weekend may be greatly appreciated. How about cleaning out the garage or pantry without complaint? Not happening? Re-pot some plants, clean up the garden or put in a bunch of new annuals to add color. Try a gift card for car detailing, and an offer to go get it done so she doesn’t have to. Better yet, kids, clean mom’s car inside and out for free. Do a good job.
Consider a swing through a garden center or three so mom can pick out whatever she wants. Again, with no grumbling. Alternatively, go yourself and bring home flats full of her favorites. Offer to do her indoor chores for a week so she can spend more time in the garden. Gift her some new outdoor containers or fancy indoor pots.
Whether mom is a runner, hiker or camper, think gear. There’s so much tech in gear and she may not be completely up to date. If that’s not important, there’s plenty of just regular stuff, too. Perhaps a LifeStraw water filter bottle. $44.95. Check out the Altra Lone Peak trail shoes. $140. A fancy tent or camp stove, perhaps. High performance shorts and matching tops. A new bicycle? The possibilities are endless.
Bags of her favorite beans, or anything coffee-related. Coffee pods, a Starbucks card, a new coffee maker, funny coffee-themed signs for the kitchen, a homemade coffee cake to go with mom's cup of Joe. Have at it. You could even turn her on to some new beans. Artisanal java is everywhere.
Mother’s Day is usually about togetherness. What if mom wants to go it alone? Easier said than done for some families. If doable, send her somewhere on the actual day, rather than a future one, where for 24 hours her every need and desire will be anticipate and met. Massage, delicious food, alone time in a calming, private outdoor spot by a creek. No one asking her for a single thing. A slice of heaven.
Sometimes, new moms just want their own moms. That’s not always possible, considering distance and cost. Splurge! Especially if mom is marking her first postpartum Mother’s Day. Fly in her mom if you have to. Plan a nice brunch, either at home or at a restaurant, followed by an afternoon at a botanical garden or a park. Are there grandkids? Daughters who are pregnant or with new babies? Make it happen that everybody is together. It’s what memories are made of.
Does mom collect a specific kind of crystal, china, anything else? You could pick up a piece or come up with a new or expanded display scheme. See if there’s a museum tie-in, either locally or on a trip, that you could take her to. Does the cherished collected thing inspire coffee-table books or books of history? Is she passionate about a specific TV show or movie franchise? Merch is everything. How about a new yoga mat?
Got a backyard? Got a mom who wants a she shed? Seize the day! Buy a garden shed and convert it, or spend more on a higher-end structure. Head to Amazon or Etsy or Lowe's or Wayfair or tons of other places. Choose the perfect wooden she shed at Solidbuildwood.com here. Also try StudioShed. SunVilla via Costco.com has a particularly chic glass and aluminum shed good for all seasons. $4,499.99. Back in stock mid-May. It's worth the wait.
This photo shows the SunVilla Milton outdoor suite. If you’re looking for a Mother’s Day splurge, a she shed fits the bill. (Keith Sutter via AP)
This photo shows the LifeStraw Go Series filter bottle. For the right mom, outdoor gear is a great Mother’s Day gift. (David Weiss via AP)
This photo shows the Altra Lone Peak 8 trail shoe. Reach for tech and gear as gifts for Mother’s Day. (Altra Running via AP)
(AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin)
