Man asked to leave restaurant for OC.

[ArcadiaGP]

Let me lead in by saying this really isn't unique. It happens often, and I'm sure it's happened to some of you. I OC everywhere, and I've never been asked to leave a restaurant, or any other establishment. I've been "firmly talked to" by an officer, I've been questioned by a bookstore manager, and I've been questioned by many civilians... but never asked to leave.

Here is the article at MArooned:
MArooned: How It Should Be Done...

And here is the full letter that the patron wrote:
» Letter to BoneFish


And now my thoughts:

The manager in this situation made a choice, as described in the letter. I believe that managers everywhere make the choice to side with the sheep for a number of reasons. First, they believe there are far more sheep than there are responsible gun owners. Second, the manager might possibly be an anti-gun person. Third, the manager knows that he has the potential to lose more "non-gun" customers (the majority of their income) than gun-carrying customers (probably a minority).

The third one is obviously an assumption... thinking that people would stop going there knowing they "allow" guns.

I think that store/restaurant owners should know that, in these cases when stories like this are publicized somewhere (on the interwebs), that gun owners are a tightly-knit group of people who praise and support businesses that make positive and good decisions.

Had this manager "allowed" the gun-owning customer to stay, and let the sheep know that the customer has done nothing wrong... the owner/manager could possibly see a surge in business from gun owners that care to support them.

Do you think that the supporting business of gun owners attending a pro-gun restaurant is worth the possible loss of anti-gun customers? Do you think the passive anti-gunners would even care? Or just the vehemently anti-gun customers?

Either way... the article is worth a quick read. I like MArooned's view on it, as well as the customer's letter. Here is a snippet of the letter:

I used the term ‘politically correct option’, applying it to the decision of the manager, because I do not believe the manager had any motivation other than satisfying one patron at the expense of the another. His choice as to which patron was more socially acceptable was based on his acceptance of decades of politically motivated propaganda, misinformation and frankly, outright lies.

 

[GuyRelford]

Wow. Amazing letter he wrote!!! Well done!!

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Good post. +1

 

[eldirector]

Well written response. I might have to bookmark that.

 

[Jack Burton]

Which brings up a question. Let us say a "security guard" comes up and asks you leave. My first question is going to be, "Am I violating any policy that is posted." If there is a posted policy then I would quietly go on my way.

But if there is not... then it seems well within my right and reason to tell the security guard that I will be pleased to leave once the manager asks me to... unless the security guard is willing to state for the record that he is speaking directly on behalf of the management. If he does, again I will quietly leave. But if he isn't... then the way I see it he has no right to ask me to leave since he is speaking for only himself.

If he says he is, I will certainly confirm it afterwards with the management to determine if he lied to me. That then brings up further possible action. If he says he is speaking for himself then I would calmly ask for him to bring the manager over and we can discuss it with the store's actual decision-maker.

 

[youngda9]

That was an EXCELLENT letter. I think the guy should return and hand-deliver a copy to the manager to let him know what he sent to corporate...that would give him something to chew on and he may learn something from his actions.

Jack, how dare you question the authority of a security guard...the nerve of some people.

 

[harrisonpainter]

Overall, I think that was a great letter, with the exception that I personally do not like the use of statements like "..sensitivities, ignorance and bigotry precipitated.." because it only offends the ones we want to educate, and while it might rally hardcore gun owners, it does little to help the cause.

To be honest, the situation probably unfolded as best as it could given the circumstances.

At the end of the day, like it or not, it is a marketing game. The general population is never going to feel sympathetic because little Johnny threw a fit over not being able to carry his semi-automatic pistol into the local eatery. No matter how we spin it, that is not going to change.

I feel that you handled it very well, and I wish more people would stand up and have a voice for change.

 

[dross]

I wonder if it was a mall policy.

 

[Jerrek]

Which brings up a question. Let us say a "security guard" comes up and asks you leave. My first question is going to be, "Am I violating any policy that is posted." If there is a posted policy then I would quietly go on my way.

But if there is not... then it seems well within my right and reason to tell the security guard that I will be pleased to leave once the manager asks me to... unless the security guard is willing to state for the record that he is speaking directly on behalf of the management. If he does, again I will quietly leave. But if he isn't... then the way I see it he has no right to ask me to leave since he is speaking for only himself.

If he says he is, I will certainly confirm it afterwards with the management to determine if he lied to me. That then brings up further possible action. If he says he is speaking for himself then I would calmly ask for him to bring the manager over and we can discuss it with the store's actual decision-maker.

I agree. I would not have given in so easily. If it's not posted I don't think they would have put up much of a fight.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

I wonder if it was a mall policy.

Read the comments: "The mall does not have a firearm policy"


I think that it is wise to not argue while they are asking you to leave. It is obvious that they are afraid of you being armed and while you are still armed they feel you are a threat and you will never be able to convince them otherwise.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

I agree. I would not have given in so easily. If it's not posted I don't think they would have put up much of a fight.

Trust me, they will...

 

[Jack Burton]

There is a major difference between a security guard asking me to leave on his own... and a manager watching a cash customer walk out the door.

 

[ATM]

Well crafted letter.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

There is a major difference between a security guard asking me to leave on his own... and a manager watching a cash customer walk out the door.

Can you explain that difference to me in regards to Indiana Law?

 

[Titanium_Frost]

This was brought up in the comments. There is no policy at that mall.

Too slow this time! You usually post quicker than me because you aren't as wordy LOL

 

[ATM]

Too slow this time! You usually post quicker than me because you aren't as wordy LOL

Quit misquoting me.

(I went to get some more pizza and didn't refresh the page first).

D'oh!

 

[Relatively Ninja]

Overall, I think that was a great letter, with the exception that I personally do not like the use of statements like "..sensitivities, ignorance and bigotry precipitated.." because it only offends the ones we want to educate, and while it might rally hardcore gun owners, it does little to help the cause.

I disagree; I think it was a beautifully worded letter. Sometimes the truth just hurts.

My favorite quote:

It’s a sad testimony to, and example of, the moral poverty of modern Americans when an American is asked to stop doing that which is so wonderfully unique to Americans.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

That's a messed up post...

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Yeah they're trying to get a mod to fix it.

 

[Scutter01]

The picture looks like it was copied and pasted directly out of an e-mail account, which obviously won't work. Instead of posting the URL to the linked image, the MIME-encoded e-mail was pasted instead.