Someone has taken action to ensure that our bars and restaurants can be “safer.” In Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia and Arizona people can now “protect themselves” by carrying a gun while hanging out at establishments that serve alcohol. Ain’t that America?
The law states that anyone carrying a gun is not allowed to drink alcohol, but that did not stop a man in Virginia from enjoying a beer before he accidentally shot himself in the leg with his concealed weapon.
Legalizing guns in restaurants makes it so that there is no punishment for concealed weapons. I am a lot more relaxed when I know that a guy reaching into his coat pocket is going for his wallet, not his gun.
There are endless downsides to this legislation. A gun has potential to kill, no matter who holds it.
What about service staff? People who stand on their feet all day for minimum wage do not need the added stress of wondering who has a gun on them.
One anonymous waiter filed a complaint stating that guns in taverns create an unsafe work environment. His complaint was rejected by his state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, and there have been no further attempts as of yet.
Hypothetically, one guy decides to buy a gun, “just in case.” He brings a gun into a bar. The person on the bar stool next to him notices, feels unsafe and thinks he ought to have a gun too, just to defend himself against this stranger.
America is dealing with a civilian-level arms race, and it is not getting any safer. We need to stop this legislation before guns become legal in even more public spaces.