I've always been confused by Starbucks, the great American institution and symbol of yuppies and carefree consumerism. This is the place where the smallest cup of coffee is called a "Tall." What's the biggest called, a "Giganto?" Depending on what you order, you can easily spend two or three dollars for a cup. They offer cappuccinos, tea, and scones. In other words, it's the sort of place with the kinds of products mocked by right wing opponents of vegetarians, elitism, and free-range chicken pot pies. That's why I was surprised to learn that some gun-toting, 2nd Amendment-loving customers were sitting in Starbucks, sipping green tea. So much for stereotypes.
At least 38 states allow people to walk around with unconcealed weapons. For the most part, those people I'm talking about have not qualified to get licenses to carry concealed weapons. These are people who actually have their guns visible in their holsters at some Starbucks, reminiscent of cowboys in Western movies sashaying into the town saloon.
Stop right there. Gun lovers don't need to send me angry emails. I'm not suggesting that those who walk into Starbucks, or other places of business, with their weapons in view don't have a right to do so. As I have asked before, I'm just wondering why anyone would want to do so. It's hard for me to imagine a conversation between two friends like this: "Hey, Joe, you want to go to Starbucks and get a cup of coffee?" "Sounds good, Mike. Just let me grab my gun."
There's a bit of a rift between those gun advocates who want to walk around with their firearms visible, and the more traditional NRA-ers who feel weapons can be carried more discreetly. The latter fear that if many people walk around with their guns so everyone can see them, people might get frightened. Uh, yeah. I don't even feel safe being next to someone who has had a triple espresso and is unarmed.
In many states, people who carry their guns openly don't need a permit or any sort of training. That's right. No gun safety training at all. In other words, if you happen to be sitting next to someone who is wearing a gun while he spoons the whipped cream from his drink, you might want to move to another table.
So why does Starbucks allow customers to come in armed? Starbucks has said that they aren't going to get involved in the politics of guns, and they will comply with the local laws. In other words, they don't want to turn away any customers as long as they're carrying cash as well as their weapons. Other restaurants and coffee places have simply banned guns. But not Starbucks.
Why have those who like to have a gun in their belts chosen Starbucks as a place to hang out? It could just be that after a hard day of target practice, they have a hankerin' for decaf venti lattes. Or maybe the idea is to wear their guns in a place they know is filled with anti-gun people. That way, they can show that life coach and her yoga teacher who are stopping off for cappuccinos that it's not really dangerous to be in the same room with someone carrying a weapon that could blow a hole in your chest.
Some of these gun-carrying people say they hope what they're doing will put pressure on the states to make it easier for a person to get a license to carry a concealed weapon. In other words, "the only reason we're carrying our guns in public like this is because you make it so hard for us to walk around, hiding our guns."
It just seems weird to think of Starbucks being a hangout for urban cowboys and cowgirls. You've got to admit that it's odd to think of someone who spent the last few hours cleaning his gun standing in line patiently so he can say, "I'd like a decaf grande' cappuccino, with a biscotti on the side." Being a fan of legend, I hope he'll add something from the tough cowboys of the Old West like, "And barista, you make that soy instead of milk... or else."
Lloyd Garver has written for many television shows, ranging from "Sesame Street" to "Family Ties" to "Home Improvement" to "Frasier." He has also read many books, some of them in hardcover. He can be reached at lloydgarver@gmail.com. Check out his website at lloydgarver.com and his podcasts on iTunes.
For states like California, where many of these open carry events take place, that is a very good point. It's almost impossible for citizens who are not rich and well connected to get CCW permits, so carrying in that manner is pretty much the only way.
This tempest in a coffeecup isn't really about open carry; the Brady Campaign is trying to intimidate Starbucks into banning licensed concealed carry, using open carry as a hook.
This tempest in a coffeecup isn't really about open carry; the Brady Campaign is trying to intimidate Starbucks into banning licensed concealed carry, using open carry as a hook."
You are absolutely correct. When the BC first started this scare-campaign, they tried to make it sound like they were only concerned about 'open' carry. But we all knew it wouldn't be long before their true 'no guns for anyone, anywhere, any time' colors came shining through.
Because those in the anti-gun camp really have no credible statistics or evidence showing a correlation between open carry/CCW and increases in crime/gun accidents, they have to rely on character attacks, stereotyping, emotionalism. We've heard cries of "Blood In The Streets!(tm)" and "Wild West Shootouts!(tm)" since aggressive carry reform in the 90's, neither of which has come to fruition. We hear "More Guns = More Crime!(tm)", yet cities with gun bans (Chicago, DC, ...) have the highest murder rates in the Country, and gun free zones have been a shooting gallery for criminals.
Now that the core arguments for gun control have been debunked, it's time rise up and rally the tree-huggers and latte-drinkers en masse against those pesky gun-toters. I mean, c'mon now...can we really have those child-killing gun lovers infringe upon our zen temple, Starbucks, and destroy our chi?
The problem is the anti-gunners don't yet realize, or are in denial of the fact that many of us gun-toters ARE hippies, tree-huggers, moms, blacks, hispanics, gays, professionals, blue-collar, rich, poor, middle-class, etc... Personal protection and personal freedoms are ideals which transcends demographics and socio-economics.
Their inability to recognize this key fact will be the reason why they keep losing.
I can't speak for other states, but in California, it's because it'simpossible to get a concealed carry permit unless you're wealthy, a celebrity, the right skin color, or a generous "contributor" to your local sheriff.
"Or maybe the idea is to wear their guns in a place they know is filled with anti-gun people."
Quite the contrary. Most of the people in Starbucks don't care. That's why Starbucks has found it so easy to simply take a neutral position in the matter.
Having been denied a concealed carry permit in California because the Sheriff did not like hispanics, I'll back you up on that fact.
Well, the reason they have chosen Starbucks is because the other places they have been gathering have been having knee-je.rk reactions and turning them away.
The reasons they are carrying openly are myriad, but the most common is simply to show people that folks can and do routinely carry firearms and be quite safe about it -- the folks you really have to be scared of are the ones illegally carrying and those criminals usually carry concealed.
When I was a kid, we lived in a pretty liberal state, but it allowed open carry and it was not uncommon back then (less than 50 years ago, actually less than 40) to see people carrying firearms in town. They would even carry into banks. And you know what? We never had a successful bank robbery in that town during that time. But not long after the town prohibited open carry, two banks got robbed.
As a cop, I don't see anything wrong with open carry. Just keep the firearm plainly visible and holstered. I am more worried about the gal with a .32 or .25 pocket pistol illegally shoved in their purse or guy with one tucked in his elastic waistband. If the firearm is holstered with an appropriate retention system, the chances of a mishap are very slim.
Carry concealed, and practice drawing from deep cover...also, having a concealed carry permit DOES NOT make you a police officer. Mind your own business.
Moreover, the author has failed to mention that the absence of a policy prohibiting the possession of firearms by patrons who are violating no local regulation relating to the possession of deadly weapons is in fact the case for the majority of multi-state customer-service based businesses in the United States. That many advocates of civilian disarmament advocates have made mention of the absence of such a policy enacted by the management of the Starbucks corporation have entirely failed to mention that other businesses, such as McDonalds, Burger King, Arby's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Long John Silver's, Rally's (also known as Checkers), Target, Meijer, Kroger, Bed Bath & Beyond and many other customer-service based businesses have also not prohibited the possession of firearms by patrons, suggests to me that those individuals are attempting to dishonestly imply that the Starbucks corporation has behaved, with respect to firearms, in a fashion different than the majority of businesses in the United States.