I'm taking a sidestep today, and commenting on a post from Famergeek over at OPN regarding concealed carry.
Since Ohio passed the concealed carry law, these signs have popped up more often then dandelions in the yard. I've seen very few places without them...they're everywhere. Now I'm not sure who all knows, but I spent 11 years in the gun business before I went to turning pipe wrenches. I'm not afraid to express my opinion on gun issues, and I can get pretty defensive about it. It's something dear to me that I believe in 100%, as did our forefathers. We all have issues that we stand for, and this is mine.
These signs are just rediculous. They are nothing but fear propogated by the anti-gun crowd, whether that is a group, a person, or the general media. Take a good look at it and tell me what it says. Take a really good look. Do you see it? It says "Welcome Criminals!", it says "Please rob us!", it says "Armed Robbers Welcome!", and lastly, it says "We don't care about your rights, but have the cheeseburger and fries anyway". We are letting places of business choose whether we can exercise a right given to us by the state. (and don't forget that silly constitution thing)
I remember seeing the tv and newspaper all over this one when it was up for vote. Reporter after reporter interviewed countless morons that have no rational thoughts whatsoever. I heard one person say that she would be afraid to go to the grocery store....why? Because she thought someone in the express lane with 13 items instead of 12 would get in an OK Corral type of gunfight right there in the supermegamart. Has the media ever ran a pro-gun story? Ever seen anything about someone stopping a home invasion with their .38? What about someone who held a knife weilding attacker at bay with his .45 while he called 911? You won't. It's this same exact kind of thinking that causes places of business to put up the signs. Someone might not like the way another guy cut in front of them at the buffet line, and lookout, it's a duel right there in the resturant. (can you count heat lamps as a high noon sun???) Honestly, people need to stop watching television and movies....These are the same people supporting the assault weapons ban because they actually think that your SKS or Ar15 are fully automatic. Turn off the mob & gang shows on HBO folks, read a book and learn the truth.
Tell me, will someone ILLEGALLY carrying a weapon care what the sign says? Will that guy carrying that stolen 9mm in his coat suddenly say "dammit, guess I can't rob this place, they have a sign"????? Has ANY criminal paid attention to any signs or laws? Ever? NOOOOOOOO...thats why they're called criminals! Are there signs on the roads saying "you must be licensed and insured to drive here"? Of course not, it's common sense. Then why isn't it also common sense that someone carrying a firearm LEGALLY has had proper training, a background check, and is doing so under full permission of the state?
OK...now that I've let off a little steam, how about looking at a way to tell these people how you feel. Go inside, talk to the manager and tell them that you will not shop/ eat at a place that obviously does not care about your rights. Write a letter, make a call, contact their coorperate offices and express your opinion. Tell your friends to do the same. Tell anyone you know that OWNS a firearm, whether they carry or not. Do something whether YOU carry or not. On your next trip anywhere, make a note of all the places with such signs, then think about how often you go there. If you had a permit, would you just leave your weapon in the car and go in anyway? If you can't carry anything in all the places you regularly go, then whats the point of carrying anyway? We support the rights to get such things. We wrote to congressman to voice our views on getting this passed. Now we need to voice even more to these businesses or our votes, views, and rights are worthless.
9 comments:
Chris-
This is one of my issues as well. Thankfully, most places in Utah allow concealed carry by permit holders. The right to self protection (life) is a God given right that is supposed to be protected by our constitution, and instead is being legislated by people who think guns are the bad guys. Yep, this is one I can really get going on. I've sent the following video to more than one liberal friend. It points out exactly what you said about what the sign really says.
You may have seen it before, but here is the Gun Free Zone video.
Enjoy, and keep sticking up for your rights. Maybe educating shop owners could bring down a few of the signs, although you know there will be those who don't be persuaded by logic. :)
Excellent post, I agree 100%!!
Good post and good points. I make a point of going and telling the store managers why I won't be spending my money with them. I aslo tell, whoever I do give that money to why they got it and not the other guy.
And frankly, if I have to just go in and pay for gas or something, I carry anyway. Screw their sign.
A minor but crucial correction, no rights, including the right to bear arms, are granted by the government. All rights exist prior to government as the founders knew. Government can at best recognize a right, and at worst (and more commonly) limit the exercising of a right (though it cannot do so legitimately).
The bill of rights was a set of limitations on the Feds, which was supposed to maximize the liberty that we have lost. The Anti-Federalists (pro-liberty side in the ratification debates) fought for liberty and for explicitly limiting government via the bill of rights..
Otherwise, dead on..
Oh those signs are just as precious as the signs I see on some homes that say "This is a gun free zone".
Engraved invitations to the bad guys.
Great post and it is good to let off steam!
Thanks for the correction Storm....guess I got a little ahead of myself while typing away. Thats what I get for writing while angry!
Amen
From a strictly objective point of view, just as you have the right to defend yourself, a private entity has the right to make its own rules to some extent. And while I think ChristyACB is accurate in signs on houses being an invitation to some extent, a homeowner (especially one with small children)has the right to ask guests to leave their firearms in the car.
The second ammendment is great, but the founding fathers put free speech first for a reason, so like grumpyunk said, let those businesses know how you feel. Vote with your dollars.
Storm hit the nail on the head, govt doesn't grant rights, they are implicit. There were two schools of thought, one started by Hobbes, that people are basically bad and that a few moral elect should be in charge, and somewhere Calvinism got mixed up in it and we ended up equating some things with righteousness which had no place. And then the other side (which most of the founding fathers subscribed to) was the writings of Locke, who insisted that deep down, the majority desires equality and justice, and that governing authority should be limited to protecting the commons (both tangible and intangible).
So to paraphrase Jefferson who paraphrased Locke, go exercise the right you have been given by your creator to speak your mind and spend your resources where you choose, but remember your fellow man's right to do the same.
I had no idea of businesses were doing this, thank you for bringing that to my attention.
So many businesses are doing this in the southern part of our State as well Chris.... The place that you can carry is just about down to your vechile cause once you get out to go in so place it's most often posted! Good post have a great weekend....
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