Tugging on Supermans Cape.

There are a a couple of stories that surfaced this week. That illustrate what seems to be a trend with  gun control movements and their lack of understang of the folks they are trying to effect.

Starbucks Boycott

It was about 2 years ago, that Californians decided to make a statement by making use  of California’s open carry law. The were allowed to open carry their handguns as long as they were unloaded. Folks started taking their exposed guns into all sorts of restaurants and meeting places.

The fight for retailers heated up in early January when gun enthusiasts in northern California began walking into Starbucks and other businesses to test state laws that allow gun owners to carry weapons openly in public places. As it spread to other states, gun control groups quickly complained about the parade of firearms in local stores.

Some were spontaneous, with just one or two gun owners walking into a store. Others were organized parades of dozens of gun owners walking into restaurants with their firearms proudly at their sides.

The panty wetting gun banners got all upset at seeing guns just dangling of folks hips right out there in the open.  The gunbanners complained and one by one many of the establishments adopted a “No Guns Allowed” policy.  Starbucks stood their ground to continued their policy to allow folks who were legally carrying to exercise their right under the law.

While we deeply respect the views of all our customers, Starbucks long-standing approach to this issue remains unchanged.  We comply with local laws and statutes in all the communities we serve.  That means we abide by the laws that permit open carry in 43 U.S. states.  Where these laws don’t exist, openly carrying weapons in our stores is prohibited.  The political, policy and legal debates around these issues belong in the legislatures and courts, not in our stores.

Now Starbucks is a Hippie West Coast company that is supportive of some leftist type of causes such as the environment. The gungrabbers of course were outraged.  There are lots of gun friendly companies, but Starbucks was supposed to be one of their side. A boycott is in order!! On Febuary 14th, Valantines Day,   The National Gun Victims Action Council (NGAC) is calling for a boycott.

WHY STARBUCKS?  Currently, Starbucks allows guns and assault weapons to be openly carried in its stores (in 43 states) and concealed and carried in its stores (in 49 states) (See Photos). Starbucks’ compliance with the National Rifle Association’s Pro-Gun Agenda was exposed in 2010 when members of the “open carry” movement began meeting in popular chains, such as California Pizza Kitchen, Peets, IKEA, Disney and Starbucks openly carrying their handguns and assault rifles. (Types of Guns)

To protect their customers and employees, all of the retail chains—except for Starbucks— banned guns from being carried in their stores.

“Starbucks allowing guns to be carried in thousands of their stores significantly increases everyone’s risk of being a victim of gun violence,” says Elliot Fineman, CEO of the NGAC. “Open and conceal and carry are among the reasons there are 12,000 gun homicides each year in the U.S.  If we had England’s gun laws we would expect 375 gun homicides each year—97% less than we have. England’s gun laws are based on protecting public safety, ours on maximizing sales for the gun industry.” Non-Sane Gun Laws.

Its pretty strange that they are picking on Starbucks. I find that I am welcome to carry almost anyplace here in Texas,  restaurants liquor stores banks, even churches and synagogues.   While I’ve heard about retail establishments prohibiting guns, I’ve never been to one. Walmart sells guns and ammo, We even have the Texas tradition of the Wally Walk for new CHL holders. It was the expectation that they should cave that has the gun grabbers so upset.

There is a counter boycott brewing,

On Thursday Starbucks announced that its profit climbed 10 percent in the quarter ending on January 1st on revenue that increased 16 percent over the last twelve months. And the company further announced it would open 800 new stores in the next twelve months, making its biggest expansion since 2008.

A suggestion that appears to be gaining traction among lovers of liberty and the Second Amendment is to make a special effort to spend a little time and a little money on a latte at a local Starbucks with the Valentine of their choice on Tuesday, February 14th to support their stand. As Mike Crenshaw wrote on the forum TheHighRoad.org:

I’ve just heard that there’s a planned boycott on Feb. 14 by anti-Second Amendment groups attempting to punish Starbucks for their decision to follow state and local law instead of changing company policy on law abiding customers carrying firearms legally. While I’m an occasional customer I’ll make a point of doing my share to offset any business Starbucks may lose due to this proposed boycott. I’ll see to it that my family and I are in Starbucks at least once on Feb. 14. Thank you for not caving in to the radical beliefs of a small vocal group of marginalized extremists.

Massad Ayoob, a well-known writer and supporter of the Second Amendment, agrees: “This Valentine’s Day I’m gonna drive my sweetie the twenty-something miles to the nearest Starbucks and scarf up a Yuppie coffee, or a hot chocolate, or a boutique muffin, or whatever. It’s about showing solidarity with an entity that stood up against an attack on our freedoms. And [I’m] sending a positive email to Starbucks…”

The mentioned thread Where Mike Crenshaw is quoted may be found here.  I have a feeling that things aren’t going to work out as NGAC has envisioned. I am willing to bet that there will be a whole lot more guntoters showing up on Valentines Day than gun banners not showing up.  Its suggested that we pay with $2.00 bills so that they might know where the little bit of extra business is coming from.

Montgomery County allows Guns in the workplace

Supervisors were concerned that licensed employees might be be bringing guns into work, so they petitioned the commissioners to clarify the issue. Well they did.

Montgomery County Commissioners have adopted a policy change that will allow county employees with a concealed handgun license to bring their weapons to work.

The former policy, which simply states employees are prohibited from carrying a weapon to work unless authorized by law, was seen as vague, assistant county attorney Phyllis Rainey said.

“It is not well understood by people because of a change in the statue that allows an employer in the county to prohibit employees from having weapons in the workplace,” Rainey said.

The phrase “authorized by law” could be interpreted as including those with a concealed weapon license, she said.

The new policy allows employees with a concealed handgun license to carry their weapon into a county building.

Funny things can happen when you tug on supermans cape.