With the whole talk going on in Texas about open carry gun
rights, it’s starting to bring up the question if private owned businesses can
restrict the public to bring a gun into their building. On the Texas Department
of Public Safety website, you can find a pictogram that shows, on a white
background, a handgun drawn in black ink within a red circle and diagonal red
line across the handgun that private businesses can print out and hang it on
their front door. These printable signs are required to be no bigger than the
size of 8.5 by 11 inches and include text from that provision in English and
Spanish, with block letters at least one inch in height.
Some incidents that have occurred involved a business having
a sign up showing a red circle and diagonal red line across a picture of a
handgun that was clearly restricting no guns allowed. But the sign did not meet
state requirements. Gun owners are trying to expose businesses like this and
trying to bloat about how they have the right to still bring their concealed
handgun into the building because the sign again, didn't meet state
requirements.
The debate over “no guns” signs revolves around competing
Second Amendment and private property rights. I believe that a private business
should be able to freely hang their “No Guns” sign on the entrance of the
building. Gun owners have the right to carry their concealed hand guns out in
public, but if anything if they see the sign hanging as they are pulling in
into the parking lot, they can just easily leave their gun in the car and lock
it. Once they exit the building they can carry on with their day.
. In my previous article I also discussed the same topic, however our views appear to be diametrically opposed. I do not think businesses should be able to ban concealed weapon carry. Texans are legally able to conceal carry with the proper permit. It is not the function for individual business to regulate Texas law. I do not believe that citizens who legally carry concealed weapons should be liable for the possibility of their weapon being stolen out of their locked vehicle, just for the gun ban compliance of a business. However, if a business were to hang a ban sign, I think it should only be a suggestion of the company’s preference, as well as the concealed weapon carrier’s decision whether or not he or she feels comfortable leaving their weapon in their vehicle.
ReplyDeleteThe gun control legislation has really caught my attention just because of how much controversy it has brought upon us. I do agree with the fact that businesses should be able to have the deciding factor about open carry, but I don't think they should have a say when it comes to concealed carry. I wrote a blog about what I felt about opened carry on school grounds and specifically said how having a CHL only certifies you to handle a firearm but not how to handle your own emotions in extenuating circumstances. I think there are two different arguments that you have brought up in your post. One is whether businesses should be allowed to regulate open carry, and the other is whether CHL holders are allowed to bring in their concealed weapons. We honestly can't tell what people are hiding under their clothing for the most part. Therefore, I don't see a problem with people bringing in their concealed weapons as long as they don't show it to the customers in the business. It would shatter my nerves if I saw a person walk into a business that I was in with an assault rifle strapped on his back. People take our rights a little too literal in my opinion. Just because we have the freedom of speech doesn't mean we can say anything we want, whenever we want, and however we want. There are consequences for your actions in every situation. For example, shouting "BOMB!" while you're on an airplane wouldn't set very well with authorities or the other passengers. Gun control is a very "touchy" subject to talk about with many different points of view. I am always willing to hear other people's opinions about the matter and compare them to my own.
ReplyDeleteThe gun control legislation has really caught my attention just because of how much controversy it has brought upon us. I do agree with the fact that businesses should be able to have the deciding factor about open carry, but I don't think they should have a say when it comes to concealed carry. I wrote a blog about what I felt about opened carry on school grounds and specifically said how having a CHL only certifies you to handle a firearm but not how to handle your own emotions in extenuating circumstances. I think there are two different arguments that you have brought up in your post. One is whether businesses should be allowed to regulate open carry, and the other is whether CHL holders are allowed to bring in their concealed weapons. We honestly can't tell what people are hiding under their clothing for the most part. Therefore, I don't see a problem with people bringing in their concealed weapons as long as they don't show it to the customers in the business. It would shatter my nerves if I saw a person walk into a business that I was in with an assault rifle strapped on his back. People take our rights a little too literal in my opinion. Just because we have the freedom of speech doesn't mean we can say anything we want, whenever we want, and however we want. There are consequences for your actions in every situation. For example, shouting "BOMB!" while you're on an airplane wouldn't set very well with authorities or the other passengers. Gun control is a very "touchy" subject to talk about with many different points of view. I am always willing to hear other people's opinions about the matter and compare them to my own.
ReplyDelete