In protest of Saslaw’s yawning ignorance, VCDL have organized some open-carry lunches in Saslaw’s district. I participated in one today. VCDL are keeping the details quiet until the campaign is over, so I won’t say where we were, but I will relate the experience.
Head on over there and say "Hi" and, whether you blog on your own or not, be sure to submit your VCDL related stories here for us to post or link to.
Keep up the good work folks. We're progressing, but if we want to continue to do so, we've got to always be alert for opportunities to share our message in constructive and positive ways.
A private property owner has the legal right to exclude people carrying firearms if he or she wants, and I have the right to choose to no longer patronize that business. If I open carry, the proprietor has notice that I'm carrying a gun and can decide whether or not to ask me to leave. I'm cool with that. As has been pointed out, an openly carried gun might not even be noticed, althought it's in the open. No reason to needlessly draw attention to it. You stroll in, get seated, place your order, and then somebody notices that thing on your hip isn't a BlackBerry after all.
The bill that Saslaw railed against required concealed gun carriers to notify a designated employee that he or she was carrying concealed - effectively giving BETTER notice to the proprietor of the gun than if the person just nonchalantly walked in with holster on hip. In all likelihood, the designated employee under the failed legislation would have been the restaurant manager. So the bill would have required you to walk in and say to the hostess, "I need to speak to the manager." Her eyes widen. The manager comes over, "Is there a problem?"
"No, no problem, it's just that state law requires me to notify you that I am carrying a concealed handgun."
"Oh, ah, well, um, I'm sorry but, ah, we really prefer not to allow those in here."
"I can carry openly if you prefer."
"Oh, uh, well, uh, you see, that's not really the issue - um, we just, uh don't like having guns in here."
"I've eaten here before while carrying openly."
"What? Really? You do look familiar, but I never noticed you carrying a gun before."
"Exactly."
The notification requirement preserves, and in fact, likely enhances, the right of the property owner to decided whether or not to allow guns in their restaurant.
I would be willing to bet the notificiation requirement was put in there only to appease the antis, and/or to create an issue where none would otherwise be, as illustrated in my little scenario above. I know people who currently carry concealed in establishments with ABC on-premises license - they just do it and don't make any fuss about it. I do not endorse, recommend or condone such a practice, of course - but I do know people do it.