This is good, but I'm still not going there for coffee.

Gun Fans Cheer Starbucks' Policy
Updated: 10 hours 19 minutes ago

Greg Bluestein
AP
(Feb. 28) - Dale Welch recently walked into a Starbucks in Virginia, handgun strapped to his waist, and ordered a banana Frappuccino with a cinnamon bun. He says the firearm drew a double-take from at least one customer, but not a peep from the baristas.

Welch's foray into the coffeehouse was part of an effort by some gun owners to exercise and advertise their rights in states that allow people to openly carry firearms.

The rest of the story is here:

http://www.aolnews...ks-policy/19377082

I just see it as a bunch of adults acting like a bunch of idiots on both sides.

I absolutely love this statement.

"If you want to dress up and go out and make a little political theater by frightening children in the local Starbucks, if that's what you want to spend your energy on, go right ahead," said Peter Hamm, a spokesman for the Brady campaign. "But going out and wearing a gun on your belt to show the world you're allowed to is a little juvenile."

To my understanding, the guns these people are carrying are not loaded, which makes it all for show and for the sole purpose of rubbing rights in peoples faces. I enjoy guns, i support relaxed gun laws, but im not gonna act like a showboating moron while doing it.

Big Dave, it's often the only option. In many areas in California, it is illegal to carry a concealed deadly weapon, and there are no permits to allow it. This means that the only option is open carry, and even then the firearm must be unloaded. You are, however, allowed to have ammunition next to it, it just can't be in the gun. If I were a regular concealed carrier, and that right was taken from me, I would fight to get it back, and I would exercise what little right they allowed me to keep.

As far as frightening children go, why are they frightened? They shouldn't be. They should understand and respect firearms. Fear is nothing more than a sign of being fed false information and being improperly taught. I would say that I blame the parents, but the parents are probably only relaying the bullsh*t they hear.

If you didn't carry openly, people would forget there were any firearms laws in the US at all. Without it being in the public eye, it's much easier to restrict it even further, and many would be none-the-wiser.

Discretion is key too.
"When in Rome."
While I CAN carry in Northern Virginia, outside DC, practically I never would.
It tells people things about you you don't necessarily want them to know.
In Western VA, I will open carry and think nothing of it . . .
Discretion, discretion, discretion.

There's an update on this:

Facing Gun Issue, Starbucks Throws Up Its Hands

Edit: Also a story direct from Seattle, with a short video included:

Starbucks sticks to its guns

There isn't anything Starbucks can do.
Unless the state has a merchant preemption statute on the books, they can no more tell you to take off your pants as your handgun.

Actually DevilC that's not true,

As mentioned int he fox Red Eye video on youtube, Starbucks property is "private property", and as such they retain the right to disallow their customers from carrying firearms within the premises.

They've chosen not to do so though, to keep from starting confrontation, and because they beleive that whatever a state's current laws are, they'll uphold as stated.
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I just see it as a bunch of adults acting like a bunch of idiots on both sides.

Even in the Fox Red Eye report, they are openly clowning the people who "open carry" saying that they're "unnecessarily calling attention to themselves and trying to get people to tell them not to do something". (not a verbatim quote)

Think about it though. How is this any different from other public demonstrations of people's rights?

If there's a gay rights parade, and you see all these people walking around flaunting the fact that they're either gay, or that they support people's rights to be gay; anyone who criticizes that is immediately catagorized as a hatefull person for stereotyping people and for supressing people's rights to be gay, and so on.

But to the same people who won't criticize a gay rights parade, they're still more than willing to openly ridicule and downtalk a seperate group of people who choose to openly express THEIR rights to a different subject. To me that's just plain hypocrasy.

The topic is different, but the means of going about the expression is on a relative parrallel; the only thing that *isnt* on that parrallel is the public's response to the two activities.

If you're free and lawfully able to do something, and you choose to show openly and PROUDLY that its your right... do so by all means. That decision is up to you, and shouldnt be harassed by anyone, no matter what the topic is.

I should have been more specific.
This depends upon your own state law.
In Cali, COPS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY @ sports venues. No shit.
In some states, some establishments are allowed to bar firearms.
In other states, one may not bar CCW holders.
We have 50 states and 50 different laws on the matter.

Posted by Therrin Actually DevilC that's not true, As mentioned int he fox Red Eye video on youtube, Starbucks property is "private property", and as such they retain the right to disallow their customers from carrying firearms within the premises. They've chosen not to do so though, to keep from starting confrontation, and because they beleive that whatever a state's current laws are, they'll uphold as stated. _____________________________________________________________________________