. . . ’cause the headline pretty much says it all. Happened this past Monday.
Restaurant with ‘No Weapons, No Concealed Firearms’ Sign Robbed at Gunpoint
No comment necessary other than, “Predictable.”
Category: Guns
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Open Carry Texas doesn’t represent American gun owners
These two fellows were part of a gathering of Open Carry Texas in a Dallas franchise restaurant called Chipotle. For some reason, the folks from Open Carry Texas made an appearance there to wave their rights in the faces of the folks who were there to enjoy a meal – you know, the reason that people normally go to restaurants.
Well, the incident prompted Chipotle to issue a statement asking customers to refrain from carrying guns in their places of business;
“The issue of gun ownership or gun rights has become one of the most contentious debates in the country. Chipotle has never taken a position on this issue, as we focus instead on our mission to change the way people think about and eat fast food.
“Recently participants from an “open carry” demonstration in Texas brought guns (including military-style assault rifles) into one of our restaurants, causing many of our customers anxiety and discomfort. Because of this, we are respectfully asking that customers not bring guns into our restaurants, unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel.
“Historically, we felt it enough to simply comply with local laws regarding the open or concealed carrying of firearms, because we believe that it is not fair to put our team members in the uncomfortable position of asking that customers refrain from bringing guns into our restaurants. However, because the display of firearms in our restaurants has now created an environment that is potentially intimidating or uncomfortable for many of our customers, we think it is time to make this request.”
Now, you’re free to boycott Chipotle if you want, but, they are a private business and they don’t have to tolerate you and your scary black gun at all, since they’re not bound by the Second Amendment. If they want to stay out of the whole gun debate, I understand that.
Open Carry Texas founder C.J. Grisham told Forbes that this past weekend’s activity was not a demonstration, but simply a meal following an event.
“We don’t go there just to carry guns into a restaurant,” he said. “We always let the manager know we’re coming. We try very hard to make people feel comfortable.”
Grisham said his group’s policy is to send an unarmed person into a restaurant to seek permission to dine and to warn staff and customers in advance.
“We’re peaceful, we’re looking for a place to eat, but we have guns,” he said. “If we’re not welcome, we’re not going to spend money there.”
Then don’t. To me this bullying and “in-your-face” tactics is no different than what we’ve seen over the past few years from gays and transsexuals who want to cram their flamboyant lifestyle choices down our throats, so to speak. Those tactics worked against their movement and it will work against law abiding gun owners who conceal our weapons and keep our mouths shut about it. In fact when I see someone open carrying, I wonder why they couldn’t get a concealed weapon permit.
If I saw those two dinguses in the picture above enter a place of business like that, my gun hand would probably rest on the butt of my concealed weapon until I was able to get out of that business safely. There’s no reason to open carry a long gun when you’re out on the town, and certainly not in a restaurant.
You’re not doing the gun rights folks any favors, in fact, you’re doing us more harm than good. I stayed out of the whole Open Carry Texas thing until now. But, this is really beyond the limits of responsible behavior.
I’ve never been to a Chipotle joint, but this won’t be one of the reasons that I stay out of one. Not after seeing the complete retards that they’re asking to come into their places unarmed. There are things that you *can* do, but you really probably shouldn’t.
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Scary black guns stolen in Chicago
Ex-PH2 sends us a link to NBC News which reports that more than a dozen Smith & Wesson M&P15 rifles were stolen from an unguarded freight train car in Chicago last week;
Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent Thomas Ahern said Friday that 13 semi-automatic rifles were stolen from the rail yard near 61st Street and Lafayette Avenue in Englewood sometime between the Sunday morning and Tuesday morning.
“Hopefully they’re not used in a crime and we can recover them before something happens,” Ahern said.
Yeah, well, wish in one hand…. I mean, they stole the weapons so why would we think that they’d commit another crime with the rifles. They were stolen along with some 30-round magazines. Those are deadly enough even without the rifles, if what I read in the news is true.
This never would have happened if we had a better background check system and tightened that gun show loophole.
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Jeh Johnson: We must DO SOMETHING
The Washington Times quotes, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson today on that George Stephanopoulos show, whatever it’s called, singing the song of his (liberal) people;
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Sunday that he was “devastated” by the recent shooting at Fort Hood and will work to do more to prevent mass shootings.
“I was devastated. It’s Army bases, it’s Navy installations, it’s schools,” he said on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.” “I think we need to do more. I want solutions before I leave office.”
The title of that song is, of course, “do something!” First, I’d point out to the secretary that the latest shooting at Fort Hood doesn’t qualify as a “mass shooting” as defined by the liberal media. It takes more than three victims in order for the media to count it as a “mass shooting” so they can discount incidences where “a good guy with a gun” actually stopped the shooter. Oh, by the way, Ivan Lopez was stopped by a good gal with a gun.
But, I wonder what, exactly, Mr Johnson plans on doing. Military bases are already “gun free zones”, not that people with ill-intentions care much about those laws. The military doesn’t allow open or concealed carry on posts. So, what is left to do? Disarm all military people? Ban guns everywhere?
I’m sure Mr. Johnson felt better about himself after he said those words, and the Liberal Bobbleheads at home all nodded approvingly. They felt better that someone said they’d “do something” without even knowing what Johnson had in mind. Mostly, because “do something” usually means taking away rights from folks who aren’t liberals – especially when it comes to guns.
Across town, Rick Santorum addressed the issue at “Face the Nation” says the Washington Times;
“If we are a country where the criminal doesn’t know if someone has a gun or not, they’re going to think twice,” he said on “Face the Nation.” “I think people do analyze the situation and if they want to accomplish something, they want to kill a lot of people, they’re not going to go someplace where someone will shoot back.”
Mr Johnson’s side wants “guns no where”, while Mr Santorum’s side wants “guns everywhere”. The “guns no where” side has had their way for decades and it’s not working, so it’s time to give “guns every where” a chance.
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NRA; universal concealed carry leads agenda
The National Rifle Association opened it’s meeting this week with a call for universal concealed carry legislation to make permits from one state legal in all states that have concealed carry permits. Of course, all 50 states have concealed carry permits these days, now that Illinois has joined the 21st Century. Of course, there’s opposition from the hand-wringing hippies, reports the Washington Times;
Opponents fear the measure would allow more lenient gun regulations to trump stricter ones when permit holders travel across state lines.
“It’s a race to the bottom,” said Brian Malte, senior national policy director for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. “It’s taking the lowest standards.”
The push for reciprocity comes as the gun rights lobby is arguably stronger than ever before, with more than 5 million dues-paying members.
My permit allows me to carry a concealed weapon in 36 other states, but 13 states are scared of me. Of course, I do my best to spend no money in those states.
My Senator Joe Manchin introduced a bill for universal concealed carry to the Senate in 2012, an election year. I don’t why he hasn’t in the last two years – maybe because he doesn’t have to run for office again until 2018.
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Our Right to Choose
I am not particularly fond of participating in the “Gun debate” not for lack of passion but on the grounds of the almost insurmountable communication barrier. A barrier built of irrational fear (on both sides), failures of logic, and judgment clouded by emotion. Both sides are convinced those participants on the other side are either crazy or cowards to the point of excess, and communication has become nigh impossible. However, I found this comic and I thought it so clearly highlighted the ignorance of both debates I would throw in my two cents, for what it is worth.
The NRA gentlemen is talking about armed guards, the idea of this would be there are designated professionals who are there to protect us citizenry from those who would do us harm.
The gentleman with the newspaper is using a military base as an example of how guns can’t protect people. This is based on the flawed idea that every service member on these bases is armed. When in fact, there are more casually armed individuals walking around Wal-Mart than your average military base. Only MPs are allowed to carry, and only while on duty. Much like Campus police.
The flawed logic on both sides is ultimately a failure of thought that sweeps America as a culture. It is the failure to accept personal responsibility, and the willingness to have someone else solves our problems for us, while firmly believing that we are the only ones who could do it right.
The most extreme of those on the left, believe that widespread confiscation of guns would reduce gun violence, because we PUBLIC can’t be trusted and someone else should be responsible for our safety.
The most extreme on the right believe that every citizen should be armed at all times.
At least these are the perceptions perpetuated by the media. Which doesn’t help to bridge the communication gaps in this debate, but why would they MEDIA want to support the end of this debate, they make their money on the conflict.
What the 2nd Amendment, which is at the core of this debate offered, was every citizen the right to defend themselves from any threat. This is a right, I purposely stress that word, it means it is a choice, if a citizen does not want to carry–that is their choice. If they do, it is again their choice as well. But few talk about the responsibility associated with that right. Military personnel are rigorously trained on weapons safety, before they are trained on how to properly employ their weapon. Does this prevent all problems, no, but it reduces them. No solution is 100%. That is a fact of life. The CCW (Concealed Weapons Permit) programs are an excellent step in the right direction, they are optional and offer the average person a base of knowledge to make good decisions.
One other thing that CCW programs offer is the option of defense, in a concealed weapon state an attacker never knows who in the area may be armed. That question is a preventative measure. Everyone, regardless of their stability level conducts a cost/benefit analysis before they act. Will they choose to hold up a gun store or a liquor store? But again, no answer is 100% and there are always outliers.
There is a great power in the question of who may or may not be armed and that provides greater security than an armed guard. An armed guard is an advertised defensive position, they are a target. But an average citizen carrying concealed hides in plain sight. Schools, government buildings, and military bases don’t have that option.
What us advocates of the 2nd Amendment debate are asking for is the option to defend ourselves through the ability to carry. Just the option, let us decide where we can conceal carry. We don’t want armed guards. We understand that there is responsibility associated with that right. But by denying us that option, by pretending that outlier behavior is the norm the conversation only gets more convoluted.
What really needs to happen, is either the end of this conversation, just simply stop talking about it as if the guns are the problem, not the operators. Or establish what our goals are and establish rational policies to support those goals, ignoring outliers and focusing on the macro impacts of a simple logical policy.
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Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke: The armed citizen will keep this country free
Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference yesterday, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Apparently, he’s a strong supporter of the 2d Amendment;
“The armed citizen made this country free, and the armed citizen will keep this country free,” he said.
In response, panelist Emily Miller, Washington Times Senior Opinion Editor, said she wanted to vote for Clarke for president.
Clarke also said that government-mandated gun-free zones “get people killed” and that the only person safe in a gun-free zone is the criminal with the gun.
“Somebody has to be there to stop the threat,” he said. “That’s why I believe the armed citizen, the law-abiding armed citizen, is what makes our community safe.”
I guess he could join in with Detroit Police Chief James Craig in his call for armed citizens. Another of the good guys.
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Emily Miller on Fox discussing guns in DC
Emily Miller was on Fox News talking about why she spent four months and a couple of hundred dollars navigating the DC bureaucracy to own a gun in that city as a result of her walking in on a burglary.
If you’re low on blood pressure medicine, you should probably stay out of the comments on YouTube. Like the one “Maynard” writes; “I wish those home invaders shot her.” Because criminals have a right to life while people who want to protect themselves and be safe don’t. But, we’ve seen that here at TAH, too, where the trolls criticize us for our “feel good stories” because the criminals are supposed to guarantee the results of their poor decisions, while the victims are slaves to those decisions and situations not of their making.
Early one morning, while living in DC, I took my dog outside for a walk and found the parking lot full of cops and a dead body in the middle of the lot (a drug-related crime). Someone in DC has guns, but it’s not not law abiding citizens. So I left a few weeks later.
Today, on the 66th day of this year, there have been 26 homicides so far this year in DC. The MPD doesn’t tell us how many were gun crimes, but we can guess. In a city where guns have been generally illegal since 1974, 2008 guns were recovered by police in 2012 (the last complete year of the police statistics). So criminals have the choices. Law abiding citizens not so much – well, except do like I did and move.
