# "Doonesbury" mocks Starbucks open-carry policy **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 25, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689 "2010-03-25T00:17:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/21 "2010-03-26T04:22:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Wait, wasn’t it Starbucks who had the policy that open carry was allowed, but only if it was unloaded? Did they just realize the idiocy of that position and change it, or am I thinking of someplace else? IIRC it is state law here in CA that open carry is allowed if the weapon is unloaded. From a recent story about it: “Open Carry rules vary from state to state. In California, an open carrier’s firearm must be unloaded and holstered. The ammo must be kept separate from the gun. Cops are allowed to inspect the weapon but cannot search for the gun’s serial number. And as one recently San Jose man discovered, it is illegal to possess a gun within 1,000 feet of any public or private school.” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/22 "2010-03-26T04:29:25Z")
> [@Taber](#): > > I can’t believe that anyone would be threatened or intimidated by people carrying guns And gun-carriers certainly aren’t intimidated by latte-drinkers. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/23 "2010-03-26T04:46:37Z")
[I’m not a big fan of open carry](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12198101#post12198101), but I do admire the fact that Starbucks hasn’t succumbed to pressure from the [Brady Campaign](http://www.bradycampaign.org/starbucks). The people frequenting Starbucks are not breaking the law, and kudos to Starbucks for recognizing that and standing their ground. If the people who have a problem with that want to do something, they are more than free to advocate for making it illegal, and I wish them luck with that because it’s not going to happen, not with Incorporation right around the corner and the tide going the opposite direction. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/24 "2010-03-26T04:52:46Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > It’s only fair that Starbucks allow their employees to openly carry also. Agreed. > [@Oakminster](#): > > Kudos to Starbucks for not caving to the gun-grabbers. Bonus points for annoying many whiny liberals in the process. Think I will go spend money at Starbucks tomorrow, and I don’t even drink coffee. That is wholly unnecessary. Why would you taunt people when you’re winning? Be better than that. > [@Chronos](#): > > Wait, wasn’t it Starbucks who had the policy that open carry was allowed, but only if it was unloaded? Did they just realize the idiocy of that position and change it, or am I thinking of someplace else? No, you’re thinking of the right place. The weapon must be holstered and unloaded. That doesn’t mean that the carrier doesn’t have a magazine on their person. It’s a simple thing indeed to load the weapon, albeit it might take a second or two. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/25 "2010-03-26T05:01:36Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But Starbucks is an easy target, that’s why he’s targeting them. Not so much. It’s more the potential humor inherent in > [@lee](#): > > a side theme of “hey, ‘openly gun toting’ and ‘latte-drinking’ are clashing cultural groups, and not normally overlapping.” ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/26 "2010-03-26T05:19:37Z")
Wow, am I the only person who thought this was going to be about carrying _coffee_? Or, like, if you walked into Starbucks with a friend, and you happened to be carrying an open can of Mtn. Dew? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/27 "2010-03-26T05:46:45Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > Wow, am I the only person who thought this was going to be about carrying _coffee_? > > Or, like, if you walked into Starbucks with a friend, and you happened to be carrying an open can of Mtn. Dew? I thought it was going to be about people walking around a Starbucks store with a cup of coffee that has no lid on it. You could spill hot coffee all over someone that way. It’s really dangerous, and I think it should be banned. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/28 "2010-03-26T15:47:21Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I thought it was going to be about people walking around a Starbucks store with a cup of coffee that has no lid on it. You could spill hot coffee all over someone that way. It’s really dangerous, and I think it should be banned. I imagine that a lot of people are going to be much more careful about going into a Starbucks and asking for a “double shot”. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/29 "2010-03-26T16:31:45Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I thought it was going to be about people walking around a Starbucks store with a cup of coffee that has no lid on it. You could spill hot coffee all over someone that way. It’s really dangerous, and I think it should be banned. I had kind of the same thought - they’re going “no open containers” on COFFEE? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/30 "2010-03-26T17:02:07Z")
Why is the Brady campaign targeting this? It seems a particularly stupid target and executed in a particularly stupid manner. Are they _trying_ to drive the middle ground away from them and make the extremity of the NRA’s advocated positions seem to be calm and rational by way of comparison? Look the reality is that _if_ enough non-gun customers were regularly made uncomfortable by observing others with guns openly carried, then they’d stop going there and might even write letters explaining why, and a reasonable establishment might decide to ban it in response. But if local cultural norms are that open carry is no biggee then banning them in violation of those norms is a bad business choice. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/31 "2010-03-26T17:05:10Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Why is the Brady campaign targeting this? It seems a particularly stupid target and executed in a particularly stupid manner. > > Are they _trying_ to drive the middle ground away from them and make the extremity of the NRA’s advocated positions seem to be calm and rational by way of comparison? > > Look the reality is that _if_ enough non-gun customers were regularly made uncomfortable by observing others with guns openly carried, then they’d stop going there and might even write letters explaining why, and a reasonable establishment might decide to ban it in response. But if local cultural norms are that open carry is no biggee then banning them in violation of those norms is a bad business choice. With Heller (and hopefully incorporation), Brady is in a poor situation. They have no chance of a Constitutional Amendment, so they need a new mission. If they are smart, they are going to be looking at what “reasonable” gun control can be Constitutionally allowed, and will start pushing for that. Agitating against corporations that are warm to guns will also be part of their game. If not, they are going to lose relevancy. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/32 "2010-03-26T17:07:08Z")
> [@Please explain the US open vs concealed carry laws.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-us-open-vs-concealed-carry-laws/531656/5): > > It’s simply not worth it unless you have no other choice. I can carry concealed in all 50 states, but I routinely open carry. I’ve had only a few hassles with it. Are there times I’ve chosen to conceal to avoid hassles? Yes. But I haven’t had to do that very often and the current open carry movement is making things even easier. It’s a matter of choice and a position of philosophy. I can openly carry a larger weapon than one I could [comfortably] conceal. I can also get to it easier. I feel I am far less likely to be the victim of an assault, mugging, etc. while OCing. Now, I know someone will come in here and start going on about how the bad guys will target an OCer just to get his weapon. All the research I’ve done on it shows no trend towards this. I believe if you look like you’re prepared to rock and roll they’re going to leave you alone. I applaud Starbucks for not kowtowing to Sarah Brady and her lying pukes. It’s their coffee shops, they should be able to set the rules they want (including having a smoking section if they so choose). If someone doesn’t like it, don’t go in! If something negatively affects a businesses income you can bet they’ll change their position. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/33 "2010-03-26T17:10:45Z")
I have no legal problem with it, but I won’t be taking my kids into any of those places. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/34 "2010-03-26T17:20:28Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I have no legal problem with it, but I won’t be taking my kids into any of those places. Are you less comfortable knowing for sure someone near you is armed (open carrier) or not having any idea whatsoever (concealer)? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/35 "2010-03-26T17:40:39Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Are you less comfortable knowing for sure someone near you is armed (open carrier) or not having any idea whatsoever (concealer)? I’d be uncomfortable knowing there was all that _coffee_ around. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/36 "2010-03-26T17:53:43Z")
Wise, Dio. Have you _seen_ the calorie count on those caramel lattes with whipped cream? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/37 "2010-03-26T18:17:14Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I have no legal problem with it, but I won’t be taking my kids into any of those places. Can we assume by this post that you would go in there yourself, without your kids? Are your children so ill behaved that you worry a patron will shoot them? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/38 "2010-03-26T18:22:25Z")
> [@campp](#): > > They are just about to pass a law here that says anyone can carry a concealed weapon, as long as they are 18 and no criminal record. No permit, no training, zip. C:cool:🆒L Where is this happening? So far only Vermont & Alaska has this. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/39 "2010-03-26T19:36:31Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I have no legal problem with it, but I won’t be taking my kids into any of those places. Speaking as someone who has never owned (or wanted) a gun… I don’t know what the laws are in your neck of the woods. But IF people are allowed to carry handguns where you live, why would you be more afraid to take your kids to Starbucks than to… Pizza Hut or Toys R Us? Or the park or the zoo? Is Starbucks the only retail business that doesn’t take steps to disarm its patrons? If you live in a municipality where people are allowed to pack heat openly, and if that’s a major concern for you, just where CAN you go that you wouldn’t fear for your kids’ safety? You may as well stay home and bar your doors. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689/40 "2010-03-26T19:45:28Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Kudos to Starbucks for not caving to the gun-grabbers. Bonus points for annoying many whiny liberals in the process. Think I will go spend money at Starbucks tomorrow, and I don’t even drink coffee. First you whine about “gun-grabbers”, then you call liberals “whiny”. :rolleyes: What’s all this about “gun-grabbing” anyway? How many guns have been “grabbed” by “gun-grabbers”? But if there’s a constest between liberals and conservatives where you score points by annoying the other side and making them whine, liberals are way out in front. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doonesbury-mocks-starbucks-open-carry-policy/533689.md?page=3)