'This is the most Florida thing you can do. Let’s do it,’ president of roofing company said of gun giveaway
A Florida roofing company is making a holiday offer to customers: Buy a roof, and receive a turkey for Thanksgiving and an AR-15 to "protect your family."
"The world’s a crazy place right now and they can get a roof and an AR-15 for protection on both ends, why not?" Roof EZ president Jason Polly told Local 10 News.
Roof EZ, located in Cape Coral, described on its Facebook page that the company is offering a free AR-15 and turkey to customers who purchase new roofs under a November promotion dubbed the "Roof & Gobble."
"I actually saw this idea, a company actually did it in Alabama. I figured, hey, we’re in Florida. This is the most Florida thing you can do. Let’s do it," Polly told the outlet.
AR-15 rifles are displayed for sale at a gun show in 2017. (REUTERS/Joshua Roberts)
Any homeowner who wants to participate in the deal has to follow the same rules as if they were buying a gun themselves, Polly said. He said that customers must pass a background check, and can then pick up the gun roughly three days later.
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Roof EZ is described as a "proud veteran-owned and operated company," according to its website.
Roof EZ, located in Cape Coral, Florida, is offering a free AR-15 and turkey to customers who purchase new roofs under a November promotion dubbed the "Roof & Gobble." (Tom McCorkle/Washington Post via Getty; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky/Washington Post via Getty)
"Everybody needs an AR-15," Polly added, according to Wink News. "Every homeowner needs to have an AR-15 to protect their family, and everybody thinks it stands for assault rifle. It doesn’t. It’s [an] Armalite rifle, so I know we’re gonna get some kickback on, ‘Hey, you’re giving away AR-15 guns?’ Well, we’d like to promote gun safety for your entire family."
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Roof EZ location in Florida. (Google Maps )
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Some locals expressed shock over the promotion, arguing AR-15s are dangerous weapons used in mass shootings, Wink News reported. Others, however, said they support the promotion, with one man telling Local 10 News, "Everybody should have one."
Polly said that if a homeowner does not want the free gun, $500 will be deducted from their roofing bill.
Other companies have made similar offer in recent years, including a Ford dealership in South Carolina giving out guns and Bibles to attract customers in 2019, and a Wisconsin glassmaking company in 2018 that gave all of their employees a gun of their choice.