airdog714 wrote:Wow, I completely forgot about Target.
I'm sure there are other stores, but I can't name them all. But my hat's off to them.
I prefer Target over WalMart any day if for no other reason than despite being across the street from each other the two stores nearest me tend to attract totally different clientele. However, until Target starts selling ammo there are times I need to make the trip to WM. Has anyone else noticed that they seem to have a very hard time keeping that $6.47/box .223 ammo in stock?
Back on topic, I agree with the point that I'll 100% support someone's right to open carry, but I have to qualify that by saying I also have to 100% support the right of a
private establishment to prohibit you from doing so on their property. Consider two groups, one of which I agree with, the other I don't. The first is an open carry group, the second is a group of rabid anti-war protesters who believe that the US is the source of all that is evil. I will gladly stand up for the right of both groups to do what they do marching down the street, assembling in a local park or simply standing on a street corner. At the same time, I will gladly stand up for the property owner who tells both groups "I don't want you here, you need to leave now."
You can't have it both ways and say that private property is inviolable from those who would try to tell you how you must use your property while also saying that someone has an absolute right to use your property to exercise their first or second amendment rights against your wishes.
Whenever I speak to a CPZ about getting a sign taken down I'm always extremely careful to avoid talking about my rights. Because really the only right I have is to not do business with them. I symbolically get down on my knees and say "I understand that as a private establishment you have the absolute right to decide whether or not to permit concealed carry and I sincerely respect that. However, I respectfully request a reconsideration for the following reasons..." This serves two purposes. First, I'm not coming across as a zealot trying to tell them what they must do with their business (file that one in the circular file), but second (and more interestingly) I've had businesses call me back and say "no we don't have the right to not post.. so and so said we must" and they're surprised and relieved to find out that they are perfectly free to do what they want. It seems that with the smoking ban requiring signs on every building, some are confused into thinking that they must have both signs up. The fact that one sign shop in town makes a combo no smoking no guns sign doesn't help. In 3 of the 4 cases where I've gotten the second response the signs quickly came down. In the fourth they explained how they're going through a legal dispute with the person who told them they must post, but gave me personal permission to carry anyway and said they'd tell any person with a CHL that they're free to do so as well.