Starbucks

I see a lot of hoohah about Starbucks on FaceBook, among other places, and I am wondering just what folks are thinking....

Starbucks has not yet banned guns - although it might.  Starbucks became upset about becoming a rallying point for folks who carry openly.

I have never really thought that carrying openly did anything but identify a person as the first to be shot if a crazy comes into the area to shoot people. The only place I ever carry open is on the range.  I have had a concealed carry permit, and for many years did carry concealed - everywhere.  Done correctly, nobody would ever know unless the carrier develops a bad case of either the clumsies or the stupids.

I don't know why an ordinary civilian would want to carry openly.  The only reason to carry is for protection against Bad People, and while Bad People can be stupid, they aren't suicidal - and if the think you might be able to counter their desires with superior force and there's another victim near you who they believe cannot counter their efforts, well, guess what - they'll take the easy target.

I find it hard to comprehend that so many people have failed to note how well the gun-free zones are working - working, that is, to assure a miscreant a goodly supply of defenseless targets. Have you ever noticed that where there are likely to be folks that can make life hard when you try to hurt them or take their stuff there are not many attempts to Do Bad Things?  Can it be that the Bad People cal tell a hostie environment and avoid it?

The reasons to carry concealed are many, to wit:

• Keep people who might do you harm from knowing that you can do them harm right back
• Keep people who are afraid of guns from becoming afraid and doing something stupid
• Keep children from becoming curious enough to be a distraction to you.
• Keep from embarrassing your spouse.
• Keep from upsetting the neighbors (although if you shoot in your basement they will probably figure something out....)

I can't think of that many reasons to carry openly - 

• It won't impress your girlfriend (at least not if she's worth the effort)
• It will warn evildoers to leave you alone and while this could be a positive, it will also point you out as the first person to be shut down if it gets ugly.
• It will frighten anyone around that is ignorant or fearful
• It will further polarize Joe Citizen against you and by extension other folks who have guns.

Where I live, carrying concealed is the only way to get a permit for a regular person, and it isn't easy to get.  I know there are places where they don't care about open or concealed carry - Vermont has the right idea - carry open, carry concealed, they don't care - but shoot someone not in immediate need of being shot and they'll have yr arse right now!

It remains an inconvenient fact for gun grabbers that the overall crime  rate is decreasing as the number of guns in private hands increases.  It is also an inconvenient at that if the cities in the US that are large with laws that make it impossible for a citizen to own a gun are removed, the US is close to the bottom of the list of places where violence is the norm.

I wish folks had not decided to use Starbucks for a gathering place to show off their expensive guns, but had simply carried concealed.  Since Starbucks has said they will not ban them (not yet anyhow) presumably someone carrying concealed would not be questioned or thought of as anything but a customer, and not a customer with a gun that might scare other customers away.

If I am carrying it will be concealed, and you will not be able to tell that I am carrying, at least not if I have done my job right. If you ask if I am carrying, I will probably deny it because I don't think it is any of anyone's business what I own or choose to take with me when I go somewhere. Unless we are in someone's private home, even if you know I might be carrying, I won't show it to you - again to avoid frightening folks who don't know me.  Concealed is the way that avoids most of the headaches.

Starbucks has done what they feel to be necessary, and in many ways their handling of the situation is as good as it will get.

I'll still get a coffee there once in a while when I am traveling, along with a scone or something.  I just won't advertise what I have with me, or where whatever it is may be located.

That's all I have to say - for now....