Starbucks was approached by an anti gun organization know as the Brady campaign and asked to voluntarily ban customers from Legally carrying a concealed firearm in there stores. they chose to deny this request for the following reasons:
1.) Customers that are carrying concealed have a right to do so (it's the very second amendment of our constitution).
2.) The customers that are carrying concealed in there stores have been doing so LEGALLY for years with no incident.
3.) the people that carry a concealed hand gun are licensed to do so by the state.
4.) These are the same customers that you see everyday at the bank, the grocery store, the barber shop, etc.
5.) There are more people that carry concealed for personal protection that you think.
Keep in mind in most locations it is only legal to carry concealed (with the proper permit), this means that no one else should even know that you are doing so. You will not be seeing a bunch of yahoos walking into Starbucks or any other retail establishment with a sidearm strapped to there hip for everyone to see.
Why would anyone need to carry a concealed handgun?
Here is a simple scenario that illustrates why one would want do this:
Say it's 10:00 pm and you are walking from Starbucks to your car in a dark and deserted parking lot. As you approach your car you are confronted by an assailant that demands you turn over your money. You reach into your pocket and comply with the demands, but your assailant believes you are holding out, becomes increasing violent and turns a weapon on you in an attempt to do harm.
In this situation you can:
A. draw your concealed firearm in self defense... Hopefully sending your assailant running without a shot fired.
Or
B. Be rendered completely helpless and at the mercy of one very bad person.
Here is a real life example of how legally carrying a firearm can save lives.
In an area of the country where it IS legal to carry openly (meaning in plan view) two men sat down for dinner at the local Waffle House. As they are eating a young man enters the establishment and walks nervously about the store, then quickly turns and walks out. Shortly after a police officer drives in and notices two cars suspiciously parked around the back of the Waffle house. When the officer goes to investigate he finds that both cars are full of would be burglars that are very well armed.
When asked why the were waiting outside they replayed that they were waiting for the two Legally armed citizens that were enjoying there meal to leave before they robbed the Waffle House (it should be noted that they thought they were cops). All of the suspects were taken into custody without incident and not a single shot was fired.
This is a true story that depicts the benefit of allowing citizens who are legally allowed to carry a concealed firearm to do so in ANY public place.
Now I am not advocating that everyone go out and buy a gun tomorrow, it is your RIGHT to choose to carry a firearm. If you don't feel comfortable having a firearm you are absolutely not required to do so. But please don't try to take away our second amendment rights in the process.
I hope this gives a little insight into why Starbucks would not choose to illegally ban customers who are well within there rights as American citizens from carrying concealed in there stores.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask, I would be more than happy to help in any way.
I will get off my soap box now
Scott.
by zin1953 on Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:06 pm 
