Education is still needed

[novasig226r]

I am a bit behind in my news reading. I admit this. Obligations at home and in the office erode what free time I am able to cling to each week. In a somewhat failed attempt to catch up on that news, I took to reading a March 4, 2010 Wall Street Journal article which covered Starbucks' policy of abiding by state and local laws with regard to carrying firearms in their stores. Here in the Commonwealth of Virginia, we are blessed to live in a fairly pro-gun society. I have carried openly in Starbucks on two occasions since I became a gun owner (again) last year, and I was amazed at how low-key the whole visit turned out. There were no cries of dismay amongst the other customers and the staff did not seem to stare sideways at me. Reactions, I think, might be different in other areas of the Commonwealth; Leesburg seems to be quite friendly towards lawful gun ownership.

I did not get far into the WSJ article when I came across the following quote:

We blogged on this situation earlier this week. But in Thursday’s WSJ, Vanessa O’Connell and Julie Jargon advance the story, in light of a renewed statement by Starbucks that’s it’s standing by a policy to allow people brandishing unloaded weapons into its stores.

I stopped reading for a moment, caught up by the words chosen by the author. "Brandishing."

Now, I am not certain just how the exact policy is stated, but I hope it does not state "brandish" in the language. Most of us gun owners know quite well the difference between carrying a firearm and brandishing one. Perhaps it was an honest error in word choice by the author. In any case, it certainly demonstrates that education is still needed.

The public at large is still not comfortable with the sight of seeing armed citizens out and about on the streets. Law enforcement officials, certainly, but Joe Q. Public? When I read the word "brandish" all I could envision was someone reading this article in a Starbucks while sipping their latte and eating a bagel. Joe comes in to the store for his java, pistol in a hip holster. Brandish. Brandish. What goes through the newspaper reader's mind? Is this guy going to "whip it out?" Brandish.

When I read articles such as this one, and watch videos of gun opponents proclaiming "blood in the streets", I want to hang my head and sigh. When will folks realize that lawful gun owning citizens are no more likely to kill in cold blood than an unarmed, latte-sipping, newspaper reading citizen? When will folks realize that lawful gun owning citizens do not have "itchy trigger fingers"? When will folks understand that crime does not just happen to "the other guy"? When will free people truly be free?

I have never heard a news report of violent crime in which it is stated, "the alleged robber then took his 9mm handgun from its holster..."

edit: I hit the submit, not preview button.

Not all baristas agree that the Starbucks policy protects them. “I think the policy shows complete disregard for the safety and sentiments of their workers. The only thing worse than a yuppie upset with how their frappuccino turned out is a yuppie with a gun who’s unhappy with how their frappuccino turned out,” says Erik Forman, a Starbucks barista and union member in Minneapolis.

Erik, why on earth would you be afraid of being gunned down over a coffee? Have we really fallen this far?

[zephyp]

Great write up...I'd be leery of a hippy high on frappuchino with a gun too...

[VBshooter]

Frankly, I avoid anyone that drinks frappuchino's