Winchester Restaurant Manager...Anti-Gun

[packinnova]

From the recent VA-Alert from VCDL. Thought you all might find some humor in this one. Effectively this restaurant manager just told all crooks that he is disarmed in his own restaurant by choice.

This is definitely a response that is in the minority in this area. Perhaps this feller moved down here from up north or the DC area?

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7. Restaurant Manager speaks against self-defense
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A restaurant to avoid in Winchester - "One Block West" in downtown

Anti-self-defense musings of owner. Bottom line - if you are a gun owner, take your business elsewhere.

One Blog West: On Guns and Restaurants

The author:
Ed Matthews is the owner and executive chef of One Block West, a fine dining restaurant in Winchester, Virginia. The restaurant's menu changes daily and showcases the bounty of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Friday, January 30, 2009
On Guns and Restaurants

I must confess that I don't pay political issues much mind—sure, the Virginia restaurant lobby keeps me well apprised of the doings in Richmond, but I give most things political scant notice. I have a restaurant to run and that is two-and-a-half full-time jobs.

Yes friends, once again, it's time for the annual wrangle in the Commonwealth of Virginia between the legislature and the governor over concealed carry of handguns in establishments licensed by the Virginia ABC, that is, restaurants and bars.

I own a gun and I admit that I love shooting poor defenseless skeet, not that I am any good at it and not that I get out to shoot more than a couple of times a year. I don't belong to the NRA. I'm not a rabid second amendment type: it is clear to me that a private citizen has no legitimate need to possess an AK, machine gun, etc.

And, if the government does take away your right to possess an AK, it's not the beginning of that mythical slippery slope that sees the government further infringing your second amendment rights.

Individual business owners in Virginia, regardless of the prevailing carry law, are free to permit or prohibit weapons in their establishments. Because mixing alcohol and weapons is a terrible idea, I prohibit all weapons—not just guns—open or concealed, except for those carried by peace officers performing their duties.

Bottom line, I leave my gun at home when I come to the restaurant. I expect you to do the same. Regardless of the law, a restaurant is no place for a gun.

Be forewarned: we are not going to debate gun control issues on my restaurant blog. Take it elsewhere.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Rugergirl]

I should guess he serves lamb???

[Reborn]

Can one serve up his own kind.........?

[David in FL]

Effectively this restaurant manager just told all crooks that he is disarmed in his own restaurant by choice.


Well, in his defense, he did say that he doesn't allow any weapons in his restaurant, so the BG's aren't allowed to bring them in either.

[bbqgrill]

Sound like he is a liar anyway "shoot poor defenseless skeet" I have always thought they are called clay pigeons. I am sure anyone who has ever shot targets in the sport of skeet shooting knows that the targets are not skeet but in fact clay pigeons. Why do all the anti's always claim that they own a gun? What, to validate their opinion? This guy is a load.

[user]

Here's my email to the restaurant owner:

It would appear that you've put out a public announcement that you wish to be robbed. Not only have you made a fuss about your having no defensive weapons in your restaurant, you've made it clear that you wish for your patrons to be defenseless as well. So you're telling the responsible, law abiding, and self-reliant folks you don't want them in your restaurant, and instead, people who don't care what the rules are will be welcome. Sort of like Prince George's County, Md. They have all sorts of rules about guns. They also have the highest violent crime rate in the area. That's because if law-abiding folks are defenseless, the people who don't care about rules will think it's just like shooting fish in a barrel.

Well, my friend, I will not commit the crime of trespassing by violating your rules, as I do carry defensive weapons; but of course this means that I will not be spending my dollars entertaining clients and other attorneys in your restaurant when I'm in Winchester.

But I suggest to you that someone who may be interested in taking your money away from you will not be so fastidious. And you've made a public statement to the effect that you run an upscale fancy restaurant where wealthier folks are likely to be dining, and that you're not going to protect your diners and they're required to be defenseless.

Here's my lawyer-mode take on the deal. Your publication of that comment invites violent criminals who will identify your patrons as good targets. As a business owner you owe the highest possible duty to ensure the safety of your patrons. And, having made the statement you did, I suggest that if you wish to continue to have your patrons come into your restaurant defenseless, that it becomes incumbent upon you to take steps to actively protect them from harm. I think that unless you hire armed guards to protect your patrons, when one of them gets killed during a robbery, there will be a wrongful death action against you, personally, because your negligent conduct caused or created the situation which led to the patron's death. This isn't like a case of a person who failed to shovel the snow on his sidewalk adequately; this is a case of a person who sprayed water on the sidewalk in freezing weather. I'll be surprised if you don't have a claim for punitive damages against you.

It's one thing to prohibit firearms, and it's another to make a big public fuss about it. You did the latter, and that's why you'll be liable.

[jowgafist]

+1 to user

[MiloSC]

It would appear that you've put out a public announcement that you wish to be robbed. Not only have you made a fuss about your having no defensive weapons in your restaurant, you've made it clear that you wish for your patrons to be defenseless as well. So you're telling the responsible, law abiding, and self-reliant folks you don't want them in your restaurant, and instead, people who don't care what the rules are will be welcome. Sort of like Prince George's County, Md. They have all sorts of rules about guns. They also have the highest violent crime rate in the area. That's because if law-abiding folks are defenseless, the people who don't care about rules will think it's just like shooting fish in a barrel.

Well, my friend, I will not commit the crime of trespassing by violating your rules, as I do carry defensive weapons; but of course this means that I will not be spending my dollars entertaining clients and other attorneys in your restaurant when I'm in Winchester.

But I suggest to you that someone who may be interested in taking your money away from you will not be so fastidious. And you've made a public statement to the effect that you run an upscale fancy restaurant where wealthier folks are likely to be dining, and that you're not going to protect your diners and they're required to be defenseless.

Here's my lawyer-mode take on the deal. Your publication of that comment invites violent criminals who will identify your patrons as good targets. As a business owner you owe the highest possible duty to ensure the safety of your patrons. And, having made the statement you did, I suggest that if you wish to continue to have your patrons come into your restaurant defenseless, that it becomes incumbent upon you to take steps to actively protect them from harm. I think that unless you hire armed guards to protect your patrons, when one of them gets killed during a robbery, there will be a wrongful death action against you, personally, because your negligent conduct caused or created the situation which led to the patron's death. This isn't like a case of a person who failed to shovel the snow on his sidewalk adequately; this is a case of a person who sprayed water on the sidewalk in freezing weather. I'll be surprised if you don't have a claim for punitive damages against you.

It's one thing to prohibit firearms, and it's another to make a big public fuss about it. You did the latter, and that's why you'll be liable.

+1 user.

Maybe it will give him some food for thought.

[dukalmighty]

Chew on that Chef,Self defense shouldn't even be a political issue,It should be a choice either you do or you don't

[Rugergirl]

I do have a choice. I don't spend my money where my weapons aren't welcome.

[rottkeeper]

user, Well said but he won't get the message unfortunately.

[JOHNSMITH]

Here's my email to the restaurant owner:

Very well written indeed. Now let's hope he actually read it and didn't just throw it in his junk mail folder or the trash!

[Glock30SF]

What a tool!

[Dal1Celt]

Sheep are..... hmmmm... dumb?!?

Looks like he'll recieve a few less patrons.

[falcon1]

user, Well said but he won't get the message unfortunately.

+1 to user for a great message. He may very well get the message...if and when he loses everything he has.