Is Starbucks next? Anyone hear about this?

[derringer]

Originally Posted by fitzgood

Its no doubt that the pressure to ban guns at these coffee houses is being spurred on by the Open Carry folks showing up in numbers to make a visible demonstration of their 2A rights.

I know this is NOT an open carry forum but is it fair to ask if anyone else is concerned that Open Carry demonstrations will have the unintended consequence of helping the Gun Control lobby to achieve laws that effect CCW laws? I am very worried that this is already happening.

Exactly my thought. Too much of a good thing can ruin it for everyone.

When I was 15 or 16 I sometimes wanted to take my cap-and-ball revolver over to my friend's house. My bicycle was my only means of transportation at the time, so I strapped the holstered piece on my belt and off I pedaled. I knew a concealed weapon was illegal, so I just wore it out in the open like a good citizen. I had to ride right past the Atherton Police Department to get to my friend's house, and so I did. I wasn't a part of a "movement"- some strength in numbers hogwash. I did it because it was the practical thing to do (though I wouldn't recommend any whipper-snappers try it nowadays at that age). That is what open carry is supposed to be for.

I seriously doubt the number of open carriers are sufficient to really impress anyone into thinking that they represent a majority to be reckoned with. I think it's kind of childish to purposely get together and open carry just to make a point. Obviously they know it will cause a stir, and that is what they intend to do. But, all these "demonstrations" (They probably don't call them that, but that is what they are) will do is provoke the silent anti-gunners into new action, as well as turn some more of the average laissez faire citizens to the anti-gun side.
JMO

[OIS]

Seems to me to be a waste of time. Coffee is good at my workplace. The Missus brews her own at home and puts it in a thermos for the road. As for me, I don't drink coffee.

[fitzgood]

Originally Posted by OIS

Seems to me to be a waste of time. Coffee is good at my workplace. The Missus brews her own at home and puts it in a thermos for the road. As for me, I don't drink coffee.

This really has nothing to do with coffee. It has to do with an overall strategy by the gun control lobby to take your right to carry away. They have not been able to get the government to completely take our 2A rights so they are looking to the private sector to finish the job by systematically putting pressure on businesses to impose gun control on thier properties.

[IAmASensFan]

Originally Posted by zinfull

A unload gun is a paper weight and a police report of a crime is paper. The paper weight can become a usable weapon in a couple seconds. I will take the paper weight.

I do appreciate Starbucks on the stance on that if it is not illegal then they are OK with the situation.

jerry

and I prefer the loaded gun I keep inside my waistband to a paperweight.

The long held point we've had here is that we are better off going for shall issue CCW than sullying and dividing our fight with OC issues.

Theoretically, If I really wanted to, I could just throw on a company shirt and open carry to my hearts content, but it makes no sense when i can carry concealed, and have that tactical advantage.

That being said, I can't wait to go to Tombstone Arizona for vaction so I can open carry to my hearts content.

I support Open Carry, but You have to learn how to stand, before you can skate, and as others have already pointed out, OC is probably doing more harm than good in California right now.

[EM2]

A right not exercised is a right forfeited.

I agree these OC guys may spark something we all would rather avoid but I also see their point in exercising their/our rights.

[rudigan]

I looked at OC a bit, thought about doing it because I never thought a normal Joe could get a CCW. But that was before finding this site and learning I could likely get one here. It seems like a lot of the OC guys are doing it because they are in areas they can't get CCW.

[RECON]

Well maybe if enough people complain, and the sheriffs office gets to many calls for yahoo's with guns, maybe they will lighten up on their ccw issuance, and get them concealed instead of exposed. Maybe it could turn out for the better. Just a thought.

[rudigan]

That same point was brought up on another thread recently.

[derringer]

Originally Posted by RECON

Well maybe if enough people complain, and the sheriffs office gets to many calls for yahoo's with guns, maybe they will lighten up on their ccw issuance, and get them concealed instead of exposed. Maybe it could turn out for the better. Just a thought.

Yep. This could happen from the Law Enforcement end of it, but from the legislative end....well, by and large they appease the public in a far different way

[RECON]

Originally Posted by derringer

Yep. This could happen from the Law Enforcement end of it, but from the legislative end....well, by and large they appease the public in a far different way

Very true.

[Tex601]

For the most part I agree with all of you about the risks of OC both politically and tactically, but this is about OC at Starbucks and Starbucks decision to not react. Lets face it, they will likely face much more pressure from anti-gun folks for this than they would ever have experienced from pro-gun folks had they gone the other way. For that reason I will be letting Starbucks know I appreciate them for not getting caught up in the hysteria and just going on with their business.

One other thing to consider; if they buckle and post no-guns do you really think they will bother to make the distinction between OC and concealed carry. Now whether you drink coffee or not I think we would all agree that a major international franchise throwing even passive support to the anti-gun movement is not the direction we want to go.

[fitzgood]

Originally Posted by Tex601

For the most part I agree with all of you about the risks of OC both politically and tactically, but this is about OC at Starbucks and Starbucks decision to not react. Lets face it, they will likely face much more pressure from anti-gun folks for this than they would ever have experienced from pro-gun folks had they gone the other way. For that reason I will be letting Starbucks know I appreciate them for not getting caught up in the hysteria and just going on with their business.

One other thing to consider; if they buckle and post no-guns do you really think they will bother to make the distinction between OC and concealed carry. Now whether you drink coffee or not I think we would all agree that a major international franchise throwing even passive support to the anti-gun movement is not the direction we want to go.

+1 and well said!

This is a slippery slope.

[Glock32]

Starbucks released an official statement. I will keep on drinking their excellent espresso drinks.

[rudigan]

Just like the coffee, "damn good coffee"

[swdr]

Longenecker has a good take.

--> I don’t like gun violence anymore than Starbucks does

When it comes to gun control, the issue has been intentionally misframed by the left. Not surprising, since the left misframes gun control in every country it touches. When we see the anti-gun activist articles, speeches, press releases and interviews, they seem to consistently talk about gun violence. Every day, I scan the news items and I see the same old cliches: ‘gun violence’. ...

You’d better believe that 90 million gun owners are not only against violence, but also against so-called gun violence. For 90 million gun owners, gun violence – the idea of having to shoot – is the very last resort. We dislike the idea of robbery, rape, mayhem and murder so much that we are willing to bring lethal force to bear on the situation. We choose to have that force at hand and battery ready. ... ...

90 million Americans have likely thought this through, and have concluded – they have resolved – that it is better to live with stopping a crime than to live with the scarring of a crime you did not try to stop, and that includes not only yourself, but loved ones. Sometimes, on behalf of the life of a stranger.

As one Chief Of Police put it once, stopping a robbery doesn’t mean you believe that possessions are worth killing for, it’s up to the robber to weigh whether committing a robbery is worth dying for. ...

Starbucks has taken a very brave position on their customer’s wearing sidearms in their coffee houses. The Brady Campaign has obnoxiously tried to pressure Starbucks into kicking second amendment customers out of its outlets. Starbucks took the position that it will respect the state and local laws, which, for many of its outlets, are in right-to-carry states, and that means armed citizens are within the law. It’s a very patriotic move which affirms the dignity and safety and sovereignty of everyone who might visit a Starbucks. In a time when corporations are playing left-sided politics, Starbucks takes up the patriotic position in support of the United States, not against it. ...