Wednesday, May 30, 2007

We Get Letters

Clearing up some email...

Seems that a local LOEWS...one that I've had a run in or two with myself...has been up to their old tricks again and has been hassling concealed carry citizens. Apparently they placed a No-Guns-Allowed sign on one of the entrances, and this is the same store that I've taken to task about this several months back.

First of all, a place of business that permits public access without prior appointment is on shaky ground by pulling the old PUBLIC PROPERTY and we can do as we WANT, trick. They of course cannot. They cannot break a city, state, or federal law by prohibiting certain types of people from entering their premises, and in fact the store in question does not even own the property, but leases it.

When I first contacted the property owners they told me that LOEWS has no business telling ANYONE who is conducting his or herself in an otherwise legal manner, to leave. There is nothing in their lease agreement that stipulates a particular ban on firearms, or for that matter blacks or hispanics, and any attempt to create such a ban is against the wishes of the property owner. As long as the person is operating within the framework of the law, said person cannot be prohibited from parking, walking to and from the lot and into the store itself. In Florida, such signs are not legal barriers from doing business on the property, BUT, if a duly authorized employee of the business asks someone to exit then said someone SHOULD do so. Then it's trespass and all parties involved can dispute it in court. A dispute that LOEWS will not win because of the aforementioned agreement with the actual property owners.

No, you do not HAVE to shop in a gun-unfriendly business establishment. That isn't entirely true because some local disabled Vets must pick up their prescriptions at the local Wal-Mart, but that's another tale for another day, and banning THEM from entering would be a can of worms. But an establishment cannot pick and choose who can and cannot be seen on their property. They can't post NO BLACKS ALLOWED. Well sure they can, but the fallout would be horrific because the blacks are far better at protecting THEIR rights than gun owners are.

Bottom line is to contact LOEWS Corporate and bitch until they can no longer stand the bitching. But if an employee says you can't come in if armed, then you must leave or face the consequences when an officer of the law...sworn to uphold the Constitution, I might add...arrives and tells you to, or go to jail.

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