Gun free dining!

[BJJ]

This is disappointing.

http://www.gunfreediningtennessee.org/

I have a really hard time picturing how to counteract an effort like that.

[YVK]

This is disappointing.

http://www.gunfreediningtennessee.org/

I have a really hard time picturing how to counteract an effort like that.

Have local pro-gun organizations, shooting clubs etc inform their patrons and members of this link. Type up a nice thank you letter to gunfreedining, but more importantly, to participating restaurants. It is kind of hard to change dining plans when you already got to the restaurant and only then you see a no guns sign. Having this info beforehand would help tremendously in avoiding gun free eateries.

[RoyGBiv]

This isn't about the Second Amendment. It's just a group of restaurants that doesn't want to give any more freebies to LE.

They do plan to ban cops with guns, right? http://texaschlforum.com/images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif

[LOKNLOD]

Have local pro-gun organizations, shooting clubs etc inform their patrons and members of this link. Type up a nice thank you letter to gunfreedining, but more importantly, to participating restaurants. It is kind of hard to change dining plans when you already got to the restaurant and only then you see a no guns sign. Having this info beforehand would help tremendously in avoiding gun free eateries.

Bingo. For every 1 weenie might go out of their way to patronize a "gun free" restaurant, there are 10 more that will boycott it.

[BaiHu]

At least the bad guys know where to eat for free and get paid for dessert :-P

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[jetfire]

This is disappointing.

http://www.gunfreediningtennessee.org/

I have a really hard time picturing how to counteract an effort like that.

The most effective thing to do is simply ignore it. They're looking for PR, not to actually make any kind of actual change.

[Kyle Reese]

Gun free dining establishments don't want my money, and I'm happy to not eat there.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

[sammage]

Locally we have the opposite...establishments are getting savvy and placing "un-buster" CCW welcome signs.

[hufnagel]

how to counter...
for the next month, keep and make copies of all dining receipts at places that are either pro-gun or are NOT anti-gun. take said copies and either mail or hand deliver to the manager of the store and calmly explain this is how much revenue you've lost from me... I'm sure there's lots of other like me who will not be patronizing your establishment due to your 2A position.

other than that... leave it alone and let them die a slow death.

[SamAdams]

Last time I ran into that it was at a Thai restaurant that we found through the search function on the car GPS. I was looking forward to my Thai food fix, but when I saw the No Guns sign in the window, we did an about face and went somewhere else. This is in a small rural city with lots of hunters and outdoors types. I think the restaurant is new and the owners are from out of the area. Dumb move.

As for 'dealing with it' . . . a lot of antis have an emotional & irrational reaction to guns. They freak out if they even see a firearm. I've seen this & I'm sure many of you have too. Reason doesn't reach them, and the clear logic that bad guys with guns will ignore signs.

[RoyGBiv]

Stores too....


Dear Sprouts,
I stopped by your store last weekend, hoping to pick up some vitamins and tea for my wife, who was recovering from a cold. She likes a particular Lemon Tea that you carry. It was the first time in quite a while that I had reason to shop in one of your stores. Unfortunately, someone at your company got the crazy idea that putting up a "no guns" sign is a good way to prevent "bad things" from happening in your stores. Seriously? Who in their right mind would think that a criminal would would be deterred by your sign? If I was looking to rob your store, I would think a "no guns" sign is an insurance policy for my illegal acts, a "criminal safety zone"! The only thing that sign accomplishes is chasing away law abiding citizens who, like me, have taken training, demonstrated knowledge of the law and submitted to a Federal background check.

Thankfully, Central Market is just down the street. My wife liked their Lemon Tea just fine. And with Trader Joe's opening a few blocks away later this year, and a Kroeger Marketplace opening even closer to home, it'll be pretty easy to skip shopping at your stores entirely.

Regards

[JeffJ]

Here's an interesting tidbit to consider ie. the mindset of those business owners/operators who choose to post gun-buster signs:

When I took my CHL class there was an owner/operator of a small liquor store who was attending the class along with 2 of his employees. He had been robbed at gunpoint at least twice IIRC, and felt that arming himself and his employees was a good idea. He was taking the step to pay for the CHL class and (I think) firearms for his 2 key employees. At this point we're all nodding and cheering, right? Early into the class we got into the different signage and how it applies to CHL carriers. In Texas, stores that sell alcohol have certain signage that basically says that crimes involving firearms in that store are considered bad and you shouldn't do it (unlicensed carry of a firearm). Establishments that derive more than 1/2 of their revenue from alcohol sales for consumption on site (bars) post a red 51% sign and it is illegal for CHL carriers to carry there. Any establishment may post the "30.06" sign which is a specific sign that quotes Texas law in order to disallow CHL. That's pretty brief, but for you non-Texans it's sufficient for the rest of the story.

At this point, the liquor store owner exclaimed, "Wait, you mean people can carry guns in my store! Where do I get the 30.06 sign?"

The instructor did a very slight double take, and told the guy where he'd gotten the one that he had in the class. He then proceeded to ask the guy a few questions, such as "you've already got the unlicensed gun sign, right? Did that stop anyone from robbing you with a gun? And, would you mind if I carried my gun in your store?" The owner answered with a yes, no, no not really - just like you'd expect a rational person to. And, I think, ended up deciding not to post his store (I haven't been there so I don't know for sure, but that was his statement at lunch)

Point of this being that: here's a guy who believes in firearms for self defense, is actively seeking training and ability to carry and use said firearms (he was also planning on getting some private instruction for himself and employees from the range training staff) who's knee-jerk reaction is to put up a sign to keep guns out of his store. In other words, what we take for granted as rational thought is not always so. So good on you guys who are sending letters and emails, you never know if you'll change someone's mind.

[JodyH]

My take is that any business owner who mixes politics with business is too stupid to deal with on any level and I'll take my money elsewhere.
If the politics aren't directly related to the business you're a fool to interject yourself into them, especially polarizing issues like gun control and abortion.

[RoyGBiv]

Stores too....

Received a reply from Sprouts today...

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about our decision to prohibit firearms in our stores. Please understand that we recognize and respect our customers’ rights under the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a right that prohibits the government (but not private retailers) from infringing on citizens’ right to bear arms. That right, however, must be balanced with our need as a retailer to provide a safe and comfortable environment for our customers and team members. That's why, after careful and thoughtful analysis, we have decided to prohibit our customers and our team members from bringing firearms onto our store premises. While this decision may disappoint some of our valued customers, such as yourself, we stand by our decision and have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our communities about it.

We hope that you will continue to be a part of the Sprouts family notwithstanding our decision on this issue. We value your patronage and hope to see you again soon.

Sincerely,


Susan Cameron
Customer Relations Manager

To which I replied....

Susan,
Thanks very much for your reply. I have only two brief comments as follow up..

1. I respect your right to prohibit guns in your stores. Absolutely. However, I will no longer shop with you, until the signs come down.

2. I wonder, by what broken logic do you conclude that prohibiting honest citizens from carrying defensive weapons in your stores, as allowed by State law, somehow creates a safer environment for anyone? I imagine there is some thought process that connects .... "Putting up a paper sign" .... to... "Bad guys will leave their guns in the car too"..?? This logic fails even the most basic definition of "Commonsense". Your employees and customers may honestly "feel" safer, but reality is exactly the opposite. The failure of such a large portion of our population to differentiate between "reality" and "hope" continues to baffle me.

Regards
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