Watch: A Professor’s Amazing Idea On Dealing With Open Carry Activists
A philosophy professor offers an amazing response to open carry activists who enter family-friendly establishments with guns strapped to their backs. He notes,”As many have pointed out, there is no way for bystanders to know whether the people with guns are “good guys” or “bad guys.” It is rational to be afraid of someone with a weapon, especially if you know nothing about them.”
That’s been my argument for awhile when gun activists claim there’s nothing to fear from an “inanimate object” but we don’t know the person whose hand is on the trigger. We do see their blatant disrespect for others though.
Jack Russell Weinstein, professor of philosophy and director of the Institute for Philosophy in Public Life at the University of North Dakota, came up with a solution as to how we should respond when witnessing these gun toting groups entering a store.
Weinstein writes:
My proposal is as follows: we should all leave. Immediately. Leave the food on the table in the restaurant. Leave the groceries in the cart, in the aisle. Stop talking or engaging in the exchange. Just leave, unceremoniously, and fast.
But here is the key part: don’t pay. Stopping to pay in the presence of a person with a gun means risking your and your loved ones’ lives; money shouldn’t trump this. It doesn’t matter if you ate the meal. It doesn’t matter if you’ve just received food from the deli counter that can’t be resold. It doesn’t matter if you just got a haircut. Leave. If the business loses money, so be it. They can make the activists pay.
Following this procedure has several advantages. First, it protects people. Second, it forces the businesses to really choose where their loyalties are. If the second amendment is as important as people claim, then people should be willing to pay for it. God knows, free speech is tremendously expensive.
Watch:
A YouTube commenter writes, “The best way to react is to thank them for supporting your rights and the Constitution. Advocating theft at restaurants is not a moral argument.”
We can thank our founding fathers, not gun carrying gangs, thank you very much. As for the allegation of “theft,” the professor covered that topic in the video.
There’s nothing to thank these two young men for after their group entered a Chipotle restaurant in Texas.
While activists have certain “rights” — which they have abused — nowhere on our favorite restaurant’s menu does it read, “Cheeseburger with a side of gangsta, yo.”
H/T: Shamelessly stolen from Wonkette.
Image: Crooks and Liars.
Click here for reuse options!Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Anomaly100
Michael Gallant July 30th, 2014 at 22:53
That’s just a great idea then you can get chased down by some insecure lunatic with a GUN, badge and EGO and get Kidnapped and victimized by the State. And end up with a Police record to boot…Great Idea
Michael Gallant July 30th, 2014 at 22:53
That’s just a great idea then you can get chased down by some insecure lunatic with a GUN, badge and EGO and get Kidnapped and victimized by the State. And end up with a Police record to boot…Great Idea
jim smith July 31st, 2014 at 04:02
Its a very odd situation. What do you say? Im English so take my opinion as you want. Firstly, can I have a Chinese tonight? Secondly, if its in the constitution then okay, carry it. It seems like the people who choose to open carry have some sort of fear. If the fear can be tackled then the problem disappears. May I add, why do we have such a fucked up country as the world only super power. come on china, overtake dem americans.
jim smith July 31st, 2014 at 04:02
Its a very odd situation. What do you say? Im English so take my opinion as you want. Firstly, can I have a Chinese tonight? Secondly, if its in the constitution then okay, carry it. It seems like the people who choose to open carry have some sort of fear. If the fear can be tackled then the problem disappears. May I add, why do we have such a fucked up country as the world only super power. come on china, overtake dem americans.
John Wallace July 31st, 2014 at 12:27
I’m a 2A supporter. Having said that, I agree that open carry of long guns into a private establishment to prove a point is ridiculous and may, in fact, indicate a physical deficit somewhere below the belt. Equally as ridiculous, however, is someone, knowing these jerks are doing this in protest, walking out on their bill, and stiffing the restaurant and the minimum-wage waitress/waiter trying to feed her family. It’s called theft of service and it’s a crime. There’s a much more effective and legal way to achieve the same thing if you feel so strongly as to make a point. You immediately go to the register and pay your bill, while leaving an appropriate gratuity for the server. You hand the manager a note with your name and phone number. Let him know that you’ll return with your business as soon as he calls you and lets you know his business has changed their policy on open-carry. Our right to bear arms is protected under our beloved Constitution. Someone taking that right too far just to make a point is not helping the cause of those of us who want to keep our rights in their present state. As well, breaking the law to protest that right is as extreme. We can all protect our rights and our point of view. But promoting extreme illegal action to oppose extreme exercise of a legal right is a poor response and one that’ll get you convicted of theft, and rightfully so.
Ned Carter July 31st, 2014 at 17:29
No you do not pay your bill. You walk out. Are you gonna pay your bill if the guy starts shooting? How do you know he will not? Should you wait and find out? Walk out and leave. Let them pay for it, let them pay for every person in the restaurant, they want the attention, they want to feel powerful and intimidating, let them know they have been seen by our refusal to accept their deviant, anti social behavior. Tell the manager (as you walk out) they are more than welcome to call the cops and deal with the armed thugs in their establishment, you don’t have to risk death to pay your restaurant bill.
ihumpguns August 2nd, 2014 at 00:54
I’ll just follow you and take your plate number, and you’ll do nothing about it.
Ned Carter August 2nd, 2014 at 03:07
You will be too busy trying to copulate with the weaponry to get my tag number…
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 02:09
Your obsession with sexual acts and genitalia is a little odd.
Jesse Redden August 3rd, 2014 at 14:34
By allowing people with high powered weapons designed exclusively for killing human beings into their establishment the business has compromised the customer’s feeling of safety and comfort. Any business that does not respect their customers enough to not expose them and their children to something like this does not deserve to be paid. There are certain things you expect when going to a restaurant, hair salon ect. one of them is safety. Having to worry about you or your child’s potential death is not part of the deal.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 22:59
Nice buzz-word bingo.
tumbleweed August 18th, 2014 at 01:05
If a lunatic walks into a business with a gun I’m not taking the time to stop at the till and chat with the server. In the meantime how many customers has gun nut wiped out.
John Wallace July 31st, 2014 at 12:27
I’m a 2A supporter. Having said that, I agree that open carry of long guns into a private establishment to prove a point is ridiculous and may, in fact, indicate a physical deficit somewhere below the belt. Equally as ridiculous, however, is someone, knowing these jerks are doing this in protest, walking out on their bill, and stiffing the restaurant and the minimum-wage waitress/waiter trying to feed her family. It’s called theft of service and it’s a crime. There’s a much more effective and legal way to achieve the same thing if you feel so strongly as to make a point. You immediately go to the register and pay your bill, while leaving an appropriate gratuity for the server. You hand the manager a note with your name and phone number. Let him know that you’ll return with your business as soon as he calls you and lets you know his business has changed their policy on open-carry. Our right to bear arms is protected under our beloved Constitution. Someone taking that right too far just to make a point is not helping the cause of those of us who want to keep our rights in their present state. As well, breaking the law to protest that right is as extreme. We can all protect our rights and our point of view. But promoting extreme illegal action to oppose extreme exercise of a legal right is a poor response and one that’ll get you convicted of theft, and rightfully so.
Ned Carter July 31st, 2014 at 17:29
No you do not pay your bill. You walk out. Are you gonna pay your bill if the guy starts shooting? How do you know he will not? Should you wait and find out? Walk out and leave. Let them pay for it, let them pay for every person in the restaurant, they want the attention, they want to feel powerful and intimidating, let them know they have been seen by our refusal to accept their deviant, anti social behavior. Tell the manager (as you walk out) they are more than welcome to call the cops and deal with the armed thugs in their establishment, you don’t have to risk death to pay your restaurant bill.
ihumpguns August 2nd, 2014 at 00:54
I’ll just follow you and take your plate number, and you’ll do nothing about it.
Ned Carter August 2nd, 2014 at 03:07
You will be too busy trying to copulate with the weaponry to get my tag number…
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 02:09
Your obsession with sexual acts and genitalia is a little odd.
Jesse Redden August 3rd, 2014 at 14:34
By allowing people with high powered weapons designed exclusively for killing human beings into their establishment the business has compromised the customer’s feeling of safety and comfort. Any business that does not respect their customers enough to not expose them and their children to something like this does not deserve to be paid. There are certain things you expect when going to a restaurant, hair salon ect. one of them is safety. Having to worry about you or your child’s potential death is not part of the deal.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 22:59
Nice buzz-word bingo.
tumbleweed August 18th, 2014 at 01:05
If a lunatic walks into a business with a gun I’m not taking the time to stop at the till and chat with the server. In the meantime how many customers has gun nut wiped out.
bydk July 31st, 2014 at 16:23
I hope the gun nuts keep this up. The more they make fools of themselves the closer we come to modifying the 2nd amendment to original intent. State Militia NOT individual nuts.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 02:08
“…right of the people…”, not ‘right of the militia’.
http://www.largo.org/literary.html
bydk July 31st, 2014 at 16:23
I hope the gun nuts keep this up. The more they make fools of themselves the closer we come to modifying the 2nd amendment to original intent. State Militia NOT individual nuts.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 02:08
“…right of the people…”, not ‘right of the militia’.
http://www.largo.org/literary.html
Sue Busch July 31st, 2014 at 17:15
I like this idea…only when money and profit comes into the picture will fear of financial loss trump fear of the NRA.
Sue Busch July 31st, 2014 at 17:15
I like this idea…only when money and profit comes into the picture will fear of financial loss trump fear of the NRA.
kirfly July 31st, 2014 at 18:19
I am sincerely frightened when I see a person walk into a business with a gun. I really am. I have told my three children that they can to to any college they can get into, except one with an open carry law. I am not capable from telling a crazed lone man with a semi automatic gun, from a drugged, angry or depressed individual with a semi automatic gun, from a safe and sane open carry advocate with a semi automatic gun. To me, they look the same. So “gun walks in, I walk out” seems like a well thougtht out and prudent policy for my and my loved ones.
Perhaps we could leave a card saying that we would be happy to come back in and pay when it could be guaranteed that we would not find a gun in that establishment.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 02:07
http://www.opencarry.org/?page_id=103
kirfly July 31st, 2014 at 18:19
I am sincerely frightened when I see a person walk into a business with a gun. I really am. I have told my three children that they can to to any college they can get into, except one with an open carry law. I am not capable from telling a crazed lone man with a semi automatic gun, from a drugged, angry or depressed individual with a semi automatic gun, from a safe and sane open carry advocate with a semi automatic gun. To me, they look the same. So “gun walks in, I walk out” seems like a well thougtht out and prudent policy for my and my loved ones.
Perhaps we could leave a card saying that we would be happy to come back in and pay when it could be guaranteed that we would not find a gun in that establishment.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 02:07
http://www.opencarry.org/?page_id=103
brian August 1st, 2014 at 00:02
Im no professor, so Ill recommend, “Call the police.”
brian August 1st, 2014 at 00:02
Im no professor, so Ill recommend, “Call the police.”
Voter4America August 1st, 2014 at 10:03
Just shoot them.
ihumpguns August 2nd, 2014 at 00:52
Lol u liberals are a violent bunch aren’t you?
Voter4America August 3rd, 2014 at 02:53
So you sympathize with terrorists and condone terrorist activity, do ya? Well, I don’t.
PavePusher December 4th, 2014 at 11:19
You must love the Terra Watch lists…..
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 02:06
Your advocating of violence against people you disagree with is noted.
Voter4America August 3rd, 2014 at 02:53
They’re terrorists. We don’t negotiate with terrorists. We kill them.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 21:48
Your definition of ‘terrorist’ is faulty and your desire to have violence committed by proxy is noted. How very brave of you.
And despicable.
Jesse Redden August 3rd, 2014 at 14:22
I would advocate violence against those who would bring a machine designed to kill mass amounts of human beings into a restaurant with families with no problem. They do in fact inspire terror, uncertainty, and uncomfort to many of those surrounding them knowingly. They are terrorists.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 21:48
Your claims of peoples’ intent is erroneous, your definition of ‘terrorist’ is faulty and your desire to have violence committed by proxy is noted. How very brave of you.
And despicable.
ihumpguns August 2nd, 2014 at 00:52
Lol u liberals are a violent bunch aren’t you?
Voter4America August 3rd, 2014 at 02:53
So you sympathize with terrorists and condone terrorist activity, do ya? Well, I don’t.
PavePusher December 4th, 2014 at 12:19
You must love the Terra Watch lists…..
ihumpguns August 2nd, 2014 at 00:58
Wanna bet?
cestmoi August 2nd, 2014 at 21:43
They’re not activists. They’re not even exercising their right to bear arms, nor do they understand the second amendement. They are acting DEFIANTLY and EMBRACING IGNORANCE. Period.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 02:05
“acting DEFIANTLY”?
Well, that certainly seems to chafe you, doesn’t it? How DARE they?
Jesse Redden August 3rd, 2014 at 14:16
How dare they act defiantly towards somebodies feeling of safety by carrying a weapon designed to kill human beings into a family restaurant volume is probably what was meant. Anybody who is so afraid and insecure in life that he/she has to carry around a machine gun to feel safe is a loser. A person who makes parents fear for the lives of their children by their actions and hides behind their “rights” as a reason is a coward. Good people defend the rights of others they do not hide behind their rights to take from the comfort,safety and well being of others.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 21:57
No-one was threatened, no-one was acting threateningly, no-one took anything from anyone. You delicate flower, you.
diggity dog August 17th, 2014 at 15:52
The simple act of carrying a ridiculously over sized and over powered assault rifle into a commercial area that is not at war IS THREATENING. What do you gun nuts not understand? The vast majority of americans do not want some giant powerful military sized rifle swung around in their faces…just…because….some…idiot can.
PavePusher December 27th, 2014 at 11:47
“Over sized and over powered assault rifle”?
You have no idea what you are talking about, do you?
diggity dog August 17th, 2014 at 16:01
Exactly. Unfortunately the misguided politicians who signed this into law have just allowed any passable idiot to intimidate those around them – they have done NOTHING for gun rights.
cestmoi August 2nd, 2014 at 21:43
They’re not activists. They’re not even exercising their right to bear arms, nor do they understand the second amendement. They are acting DEFIANTLY and EMBRACING IGNORANCE. Period.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 02:05
“acting DEFIANTLY”?
Well, that certainly seems to chafe you, doesn’t it? How DARE they?
Jesse Redden August 3rd, 2014 at 14:16
How dare they act defiantly towards somebodies feeling of safety by carrying a weapon designed to kill human beings into a family restaurant volume is probably what was meant. Anybody who is so afraid and insecure in life that he/she has to carry around a machine gun to feel safe is a loser. A person who makes parents fear for the lives of their children by their actions and hides behind their “rights” as a reason is a coward. Good people defend the rights of others they do not hide behind their rights to take from the comfort,safety and well being of others.
PavePusher August 3rd, 2014 at 21:57
No-one was threatened, no-one was acting threateningly, no-one took anything from anyone. You delicate flower, you.
diggity dog August 17th, 2014 at 15:52
The simple act of carrying a ridiculously over sized and over powered assault rifle into a commercial area that is not at war IS THREATENING. What do you gun nuts not understand? The vast majority of americans do not want some giant powerful military sized rifle swung around in their faces…just…because….some…idiot can.
PavePusher December 27th, 2014 at 12:47
“Over sized and over powered assault rifle”?
You have no idea what you are talking about, do you?
diggity dog August 17th, 2014 at 16:01
Exactly. Unfortunately the misguided politicians who signed this into law have just allowed any passable idiot to intimidate those around them – they have done NOTHING for gun rights.
krysmas01 August 3rd, 2014 at 00:15
I agree that the companies need to feel the financial impact of not creating a safe environment for all customers. However, I take issues with leaving a bill unpaid or stiffing a hardworking server and other staff.
Just ban the idiots already. You don’t to hunt a burrito so there’s no need for the rifle.