RIFLE, Colo. (AP) β Many stores and restaurants are telling people not to bring their guns inside, but one western Colorado restaurant not only embraces the practice of packing heat, it encourages its customers to carry openly β and its waitresses do, too.
As she takes your order at Shooters Grill in the town of Rifle β yes, Rifle β waitress Ashlee Saenz carries a pad, pen and a loaded Ruger .357 Blackhawk revolver holstered on her leg, Old West style.
It's loaded, and she knows how to use it.
Colorado is among the states where openly carrying a gun in public is legal. The issue has made headlines after gun rights activists carrying loaded rifles gathered in Target stores in Texas, Alabama and North Carolina to demonstrate their support of "open carry" laws. On Wednesday, Target Corp. asked its customers "respectfully" to not bring firearms into stores, even where allowed by law. But in Rifle, Saenz, her co-workers and her customers at Shooters Grill are encouraged to bring their holstered guns in the restaurant, The Glenwood Springs Post Independent reports ( http://bit.ly/1nOVk8R ).
State law allows local governments and businesses to prohibit guns in their buildings, but a sign on Shooters' front door reads: "Guns are welcome on premises. Please keep all weapons holstered unless need arises. In such case, judicious marksmanship is appreciated."
Shooters also hosts training that qualifies customers for Colorado and Utah concealed weapon permits. The $75 price tag includes dinner.
Shooters owner Lauren Boebert said she's simply allowing customers and employees to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms.
"We encourage it, and the customers love that they can come here and express their rights," Boebert said. She chose the restaurant's name last year as a nod to its gun policy.
"I consulted with my Christian friends and everyone said 'Shooters' sounded like a bar or a strip joint," Lauren Boebert said with a laugh. "But I thought, this is Rifle β it was founded around guns and the Old West. We called it Shooters and started throwing guns and Jesus all over the place."
The restaurant offers American and Mexican fare, and it doesn't serve alcohol.
Customers on a recent morning had no problem with the presence of firearms.
Wayne and Martha Greenwald, visiting from Grand Marais, Michigan, welcomed the restaurant's policy.
"We think it's just fine. We're very positive about it," Wayne Greenwald said. "We carry guns ourselves and own a rifle, shotgun and handguns. We live in a very small town and we take care of our own crime problems."
A group that supporters gun restrictions told the newspaper it favors concealed carry over open carry because that requires the person to have training and meet other requirements to obtain a permit. Other Colorado laws, including universal background checks for gun sales, a 15-round limit on firearm magazines and a ban on online-only concealed-carry training, continue to be topics of intense debate.
"We stand behind the Second Amendment, but we don't encourage people to carry guns as a public display in places like stores or restaurants," said Jennifer Hope, the Colorado chapter leader for the national Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
In the past, I worried about ticking of the employees and having to wonder if they added unwanted ingredients to my food. Now I have to wonder about them shooting me.
I have a Ruger revolver like that, its a big gun and heavy to carry around all day.
I had a 44 Mag like that only it had a 9" barrel, it would knock a hole threw a cement wall and knock me down at the same time ! Great gun if you got in a gun fight with a tank ! Other than that it was one hell of a heavy gun to carry around and impossible to carry concealed !
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Originally posted by carnut122:
In the past, I worried about ticking of the employees and having to wonder if they added unwanted ingredients to my food. Now I have to wonder about them shooting me.
Then don't do something to piss them off, it's that easy !
Besides I can just about guaranty there isn't going to be a robbery there, or bar fight (Well they don't serve alcohol), or anything else !
Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 07-04-2014).]
Ok, please explain how I'm a coward? Or better yet, explain how guns make you brave? You seem to be the one who wants to dine in establishments with pretty little armed waitresses will protect you...
In the past, I worried about ticking of the employees and having to wonder if they added unwanted ingredients to my food. Now I have to wonder about them shooting me.
Considering how many legal owners cause problems, you have a bigger chance of someone coming in and robbing the place than that.
Ok, please explain how I'm a coward? Or better yet, explain how guns make you brave? You seem to be the one who wants to dine in establishments with pretty little armed waitresses will protect you...
I think he wants to dine in places that acknowledge and support our freedoms, where you dont have to 'hide'. And he likes pretty girls.
Fear of anyone having a gun how's that work for ya. More people are killed by cars every year than guns, want to outlaw them as well.
Steve
Who said I was afraid of anyone having guns? Just because I don't like it does not make me afraid of it.
People were killed by cars? I thought driver's kill people... not the car right? Or does that saying just apply to guns? And both driver and car have to be licenced right?
I dont carry one to make me 'brave'. I carry to protect myself from people who dont respect me or my rights. It evens the field for me against those that would take advantage of me in things like numbers or age. Not all 65 year olds are easy pickings these days because of gun carriers.
I'll jump in first on the picture of all the waitresses outside the grill...the last one on the right 'to me' is a cow. The second one is pretty big too. Thats when your girth is equal to 1/2 your height. If you think theyre hot too, Im glad for you.
[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 07-04-2014).]
So want to take bets on how long it takes for one to be called a cow?
Hahah...
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Originally posted by Purple86GT:
This is why guns should be regulated... Too many stupid people... But whatever.. You guys are thinning the heard.
A bunch of those clips aren't even in America, and honestly... this is a stupid argument. If you use a car, a lawn mower, or a chain-saw wrong, worse things could happen. What is the point of this video?
So you don't like guns... that's totally cool. But why do you think everyone else shouldn't be allowed to have them?
Who said I was afraid of anyone having guns? Just because I don't like it does not make me afraid of it.
Get used to it. Anti-gun weenies routinely suggest gun owners are motivated by fear in owning guns. We're accused of being afraid of _____________. If there's any validity to their logic, and they'll be the first to tell you how intelligent, rational, and logical they are, then your dislike of guns must also be due to an irrational fear.
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Originally posted by Purple86GT: People were killed by cars? I thought driver's kill people... not the car right? Or does that saying just apply to guns? And both driver and car have to be licenced right?
Same logic. If guns kill and should be outlawed, then cars do too and should be outlawed. Yet for some reason the Intelligent, Rational, and Logicalβ’ folks blame the driver for deaths involving cars, and the gun for deaths involving guns. Funny, that.
[This message has been edited by Formula88 (edited 07-04-2014).]
Same logic. If guns kill and should be outlawed, then cars do too and should be outlawed. Yet for some reason the Intelligent, Rational, and Logicalβ’ folks blame the driver for deaths involving cars, and the gun for deaths involving guns. Funny, that.
"In addition to being disabling, Migraines can be life-threatening. To put this in perspective, more people died from Migrainous Stroke last year than were murdered with handguns. The World Health Organization in 2004 in a Blue Book report noting that Migraine & Headache disorders are a global public health calamity. Dr Peer Tfelt-Hansen, president of IHS, explained."
Get used to it. Anti-gun weenies routinely suggest gun owners are motivated by fear
Well yeah.. im not an "anti-gun weenie, i support gun rights", but what other motivation (other than for sport shooting) does one own guns? Because they fear not being able to protect themselves should the need arise.. Or depending on your living situation, you might buy a gun to hunt for food. Therefore your buying a gun out of fear of going hungry.
So yes, alot, if not most gun owners are motivated to buy a gun due to fear.. The fear of not being prepared for a given situation.
However you want to twist it with whatever validation you feel is appropriate, the base motivation is still fear, and is in no way a bad things to admit. Fear is a base emotion that keeps us vigilant and prepared, doesn't mean the person is paranoid, but you cant argue that the base motivation for owning a gun, is something other than fear.
[This message has been edited by Jonesy (edited 07-04-2014).]
Well yeah.. im not an "anti-gun weenie, i support gun rights",...
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Originally posted by Jonesy: but what other motivation (other than for sport shooting) does one own guns? Because they fear not being able to protect themselves should the need arise.. Or depending on your living situation, you might buy a gun to hunt for food. Therefore your buying a gun out of fear of going hungry.
So yes, alot, if not most gun owners are motivated to buy a gun due to fear.. The fear of not being prepared for a given situation.
However you want to twist it with whatever validation you feel is appropriate, the base motivation is still fear, and is in no way a bad things to admit. Fear is a base emotion that keeps us vigilant and prepared, doesn't mean the person is paranoid, but you cant argue that the base motivation for owning a gun, is something other than fear.
If you equate self-preservation (desire for safety, food, shelter, reproduction, etc.) as fear, then everything to you would be motivated by a fear of not achieving that goal. What a dreary world to live in.
If you equate self-preservation (desire for safety, food, shelter, reproduction, etc.) as fear, then everything to you would be motivated by a fear of not achieving that goal. What a dreary world to live in.
You beat me to it.. Calling 'hunting for food is fear of going hungry' wth? Hell if we want to go down that path, breathing is out of fear of not living.
Same logic. If guns kill and should be outlawed, then cars do too and should be outlawed. Yet for some reason the Intelligent, Rational, and Logicalβ’ folks blame the driver for deaths involving cars, and the gun for deaths involving guns. Funny, that.
My point exactly. Regulate guns the same way cars are regulated. Licensed operators that need to renew their license routinely, and licensed guns that need to be inspected and pass routine safety inspections. Make sure they can be traced by serial number and registration. People deemed unfit for medical or mental reasons have their license suspended or revoked. And some areas should be gun free and gun owners should respect that. Arguments to not respecting gun free zones such as βthe bad guys know these are easy targetsβ are based on fearβ¦
And this is the point of the whole topic, why hate establishments that do not allow its patrons to be armed? Your second amendment rights are for public property at best. Donβt be upset because private property has its own set of rules.
My point exactly. Regulate guns the same way cars are regulated.
If you regulate a right, its no longer a right. It becomes a government issued privilege. This is *exactly* what the bill of rights is designed to prevent.
My point exactly. Regulate guns the same way cars are regulated. Licensed operators that need to renew their license routinely, and licensed guns that need to be inspected and pass routine safety inspections. Make sure they can be traced by serial number and registration. People deemed unfit for medical or mental reasons have their license suspended or revoked. And some areas should be gun free and gun owners should respect that. Arguments to not respecting gun free zones such as βthe bad guys know these are easy targetsβ are based on fearβ¦
...
For the love of god, it is not the responsible gun owners that many of us fear. It is the loser CRIMINALS that need regulations. This whole gun thing is a mute point if CRIMINALS do not follow the law. Why can't anti gun nuts see this? Are many of you so obtuse in everything that they see? It is nauseating hearing all this "regulation" crap when the reason that YOU fear guns is that CRIMINALS do not follow the law.
I have another great idea... make crime illegal.
Edit: I am not angry at you personally. I am just tired of our goobernment coddling criminals, and regulating the pizz out of actual tax paying, good citizens.
[This message has been edited by Tony Kania (edited 07-04-2014).]
And this is the point of the whole topic, why hate establishments that do not allow its patrons to be armed? Your second amendment rights are for public property at best. Donβt be upset because private property has its own set of rules.
Why reward a company that doesn't honor the principles this country was founded on?
For the love of god, it is not the responsible gun owners that many of us fear. It is the loser CRIMINALS that need regulations. This whole gun thing is a mute point if CRIMINALS do not follow the law. Why can't anti gun nuts see this? Are many of you so obtuse in everything that they see? It is nauseating hearing all this "regulation" crap when the reason that YOU fear guns is that CRIMINALS do not follow the law.
I have another great idea... make crime illegal.
I'm with you, but what I don't get is that other arms of protection or self defense such as switchblades, nunchakus, brass knuckles and etc are deemed illegal. No one has ever explained why I cannot purchase or posses a switchblade but a handgun is ok?
A gun isn't the only arms out there. How about open carry a ninja sword or a bull whip. I would personally like to carry a switchblade for protection but its illegal and 2nd amendment advocates say nothing about this.
his whole gun thing is a mute point if CRIMINALS do not follow the law.
*shudder* moot.. moot..
But i agree. its not based out of fear, its based on the hard reality that we do become sitting ducks. Anyone ever notice most mass killings happen in 'gun free zones'? The 'no gun' sign didnt mean much there.. Anyone ever notice that as areas enact 'shall issue' laws crime goes down, *every* time? Or the opposite, as they restrict law abiding citizens rights, crime goes up. FBI stats, not mine.
I'm with you, but what I don't get is that other arms of protection or self defense such as switchblades, nunchakus, brass knuckles and etc are deemed illegal. No one has ever explained why I cannot purchase or posses a switchblade but a handgun is ok?
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I can tell you the reasoning behind stiletto.. They can open in your pocket easily and stab you in the leg. Not that i agree that is a reason, but its one of the reasons that was floated during discussions.
The rest, its just slow encroachment. Easy low hanging fruit first. Its why the trust now is the mythical 'assault type weapons'. They feel its easy friit, compared to more mainstream weapons.
Last i heard you can still buy nunchucks and use them in your house. just dont carry them outside your house. ( i know i dont have to give up mine.. )
[This message has been edited by User00013170 (edited 07-04-2014).]