# Guns in bars **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 7, 2010, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-bars/531588 "2010-03-07T03:57:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 1
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-bars/531588/1 "2010-03-07T03:57:26Z")
Virginia has a concealed carry law. One of the provisions of the law says that you’re not allowed to carry a concealed weapon in bars or restaurants where alcohol is served. Just the other day, the Virginia General Assembly [just passed a bill](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/03/va_general_assembly_approves_b.html), that the governor is expected to sign, that will change the law. Under the new law, you’ll be allowed to carry your concealed weapon into the bar or restaurant, as long as you don’t drink while you’re in there. The bill passed the legislature the past two years, but the governor vetoed it each time. Now that we have Bob McDonnell as governor, though, he’s promised to sign it. It seems to me that this is a bad idea. It seems to me that it’s a bad idea to have armed people in such close proximity to alcohol. I know the law says that people carrying aren’t allowed to drink, but what are the chances that that’s going to be obeyed? It’s not really very enforceable, and it seems like it can also cause trouble for bartenders. If some drunk guy shoots the bar up, I can see lawsuits being filed against the bar and bartender saying, “It’s your fault because you served booze to the armed guy.” Now, I know gun control debates on this board tend to turn into “Guns are evil” vs. “Guns are great”, but I’d like that not to happen here, if that’s possible. Can we talk about the merits or lack thereof of this particular bill? --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-bars/531588)._