Change of position

[Oldgringo]

I might mention or question the compliant sign ONLY if I knew the Owner/Manager. Otherwise, you might as well be talking to the parking meter outside.

In fact, I intend to ask the manager of the local Austin Bank (if he's in church this morning) why his location has a BIG .07 sign and the HQ bank in Jacksonville and another branch up the road don't appear to have signs. Don't get me wrong, I really don't care, I'm just curious.

I did ask him and he said it was 100% and 30.07 signs should be up at all Austin banks in east Texas. That's fine with me

[SIRIT]

It depends. If it's a locally owned store/restaurant go in and talk to them about it. If its a national chain I wouldn't really waste my time the local management usually don't have much of a say anyways because it comes down from corporate.

I really don't have a problem when restaurants post the 30.07 as long as they don't post both. They have to think about people on both side of the issue. Some people I think are really bothered by just the sight (I know which is completely baseless and stupid) so they are trying to accommodate them. They post both then they are making a statement that they don't want gun owners money so I will honor their wishes and go somewhere else.

I have made it a point to email and show pictures of my receipts from other stores/restaurants on their Facebook pages with statement of why didn't patronize their establishment and you would be surprised some of the comments people make that didn't realize these establishments where anti-gun. Bonus some of the anti-gunnners post some pretty funny uneducated post in response also so there is some entertainment involved too.

[tomtexan]

Someone mentioned talking to a store owner/manager (seemed like a mom and pop store...) in another thread, and that the store owner/manager was told that they HAD to post both the 30.06 and the 30.07 sign. I wonder who told them that, and how many other owners/managers have been told the same. I'm guessing that it was either the people selling the signs or maybe a retail association...
If they're being misinformed, they aren't going to know they've been misinformed until someone tells them.

It's just my guess, but I think at least some of it is coming from the people selling the signs so they can "make you a bargain deal" if you buy both.

[Outnumbered]

Someone mentioned talking to a store owner/manager (seemed like a mom and pop store...) in another thread, and that the store owner/manager was told that they HAD to post both the 30.06 and the 30.07 sign. I wonder who told them that, and how many other owners/managers have been told the same. I'm guessing that it was either the people selling the signs or maybe a retail association...
If they're being misinformed, they aren't going to know they've been misinformed until someone tells them.

I saw a post on another forum where someone posted that they had talked to some of the stores that had posted both, and a couple of the stores had answered that it was required by GHRA -Greater Houston Retail Association. Do those sorts of associations really have that kind of power over the members?

[brhalltx]

I saw a post on another forum where someone posted that they had talked to some of the stores that had posted both, and a couple of the stores had answered that it was required by GHRA -Greater Houston Retail Association. Do those sorts of associations really have that kind of power over the members?

I was wondering if it might have come from GHRA; I read their last 13 newsletters and there's no mention of 30.06 or 30.07 in any way.

I supposed they could kick you out of the association if you don't comply. They did recommend that store employees do anything they're asked when being robbed and don't resist in any way, other than noting the height of the robber for the police report.

[tfrazier]

Open Carry isn't for everyone, and I fully respect everyone's right to carry or not carry either way. No one owes me or anyone else an explanation of why they choose one way or the other.

That said, many of us will cringe at the thought of certain folks open carrying because of their appearance, demeaner, and/or lack of social skills. Just as we cringe when some well-intentioned folks on our side of the fence do more harm than good when they try to argue for our liberties.

Here are my personal rules for values and beliefs discussions in general and especially for when I open carry (which is whenever and wherever the law allows):

• Be the most polite, presentable (dress well and clean), and articulate person you can be (When someone departs from a discussion with me, I don't want their impression to be that I was rude, smelly, crude, or uneducated)

• Politely and gracefully withdraw from discussions before they turn into heated arguments

• Respect the right of others to express their opinion, and never display frustration when people spout missinformation or even outright lies

• KNOW THE LAW - make certain you are up to date and educated on the law as of today!

• NEVER fabricate, never regurgitate fabrications, and never lie

• Don't engage in a discussion if it is obvious that it will degenerate into something other than a freindly, intelligent discourse

The greatest harm to our neverending battle for individual liberty comes from our own brothers and sisters when they display negative emotion or unattractive traits or mislead on the truth in front of those who are undecided about individual liberty, freedom, and the United States Constitution. These discussions often have non-partiocipants listening nearby who need to be left with a good impression of the sort of person who supports liberty.

Here's a closely related quote from my reply post to the thread at http://texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php? ... 6#p1048235 :

I don't worry about backlash from private businesses. I like the fact that they have the right to decide whether non criminals can bring a gun into their building as much as I like my right to choose not to shop there. A business I've been a patron of for the past seventeen years put up 30.06 and 07 signs last week. I left my shoulder rig in the truck and went in to tell the owner how much I'd appreciated the convenience of his location and friendly service over the years and that I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to keep shopping there.

He asked me if I was moving. I told him no and explained that every time I'd been in his store in the past I had a loaded firearm on my person and he and his employees had probably never been safer than when I was in his store.

I told him I would keep an eye out and if I saw those signs go down I'd start shopping there again.

He said he appreciated my candor and he would think about it.

When I drove by today the signs were gone, so I stopped in with my polished stainless Kimber on my side and bought a pack of smokes.

He was grinning ear to ear.