"No Guns"- sign an insult...What if it said "No Jews"?

goawayfarm · November 2nd, 2009, 03:42 PM

Interesting take on "No Guns' signs:

The 'No Guns' Sign Insult - What if the Signs Read No Jews?

Quote:

The No Guns Sign Insult – What if the Signs Read No Jews?
This is just another form of discrimination but against gun owners of all races.
By Jeff Knox

Manassas, VA --(AmmoLand.com)- How does it make you feel when you start to walk into a business and see a “No Guns” sign prominently posted? Are you angry? Offended? Indifferent?

How do you react? Do you just turn around and take your business elsewhere? Complain to the management? Just ignore it and go on with your business?

The members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League take “No Guns” signs as personally offensive and they let their offense be known – to the business, to fellow VCDL members, and anyone else who’ll listen – or read a web page.

VCDL maintains a list of anti-rights Virginia businesses on their web site, Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL), and encourages gun owners and rights supporters to avoid these businesses except to let them know that their policy is offensive. VCDL has actively pursued this position for several years while they have simultaneously grown to become the most politically active and effective rights organization in the state.

So when the 7th District Republican Committee decided to hold a major fundraising rally in a location which is prominently posted “No Guns,” VCDL let the Republicans know they weren’t happy. When the Republicans held the annual event in the same anti-rights location every year for the next several years, disregarding VCDL’s repeated objections, many at VCDL began taking the Republicans’ choice as an insult. When the Republicans refused to change venues – even though VCDL offered to help sponsor the event at a different location – VCDL got mad.

On October 17th about 250 VCDL protesters gathered in a shopping mall near the Innsbrook Pavilion, the private, anti-rights event center where the annual Republican Roundup was being staged. The well organized protest included a moon-bounce and other distractions set up for the kids, an airplane towing a “Guns Save Lives” banner, and even a hot air balloon proclaiming the same message. Local shops, restaurants, and hotels welcomed the protesters – who were mostly openly carrying sidearms – and even offered special discounts. A good and safe time was had by all.

The Chairman of the 7th District Republican Committee has previously told people who complained to him about his choice to use the anti-rights facilities that while he and the Republican Party strongly support the Second Amendment, price and convenience trumps principles. And he’s sticking to his No Guns. Even as there were almost as many people outside protesting as there were inside rallying, the chairman announced that the event would again be held in the same location next year. The level of base callousness and simple stupidity is just staggering.

This up-scuttle echoes a larger issue of misunderstanding between the activist, rights community and the general public – sadly often including many gun owners. When a business posts a “No Guns” policy they are making a political statement whether that is their intent or not. They are also denigrating and insulting lawful gun owners – particularly those who choose to carry. A “No Guns” sign serves no useful purpose beyond these insults and political posturing because the only people to whom such signs apply are the most conscientious and responsible gun owners. Criminals and the irresponsible simply ignore the signs and do exactly what they would have done without the signs, except with perhaps a greater sense of security knowing that conscientious, law-abiding gun owners have disarmed or gone somewhere else.

Gun owners and rights supporters who are not angered and offended by these “We Don’t Want Your Kind” signs posted on businesses they frequent are being as thoughtless and insensitive as the businesses themselves. These “No Guns” signs should elicit the same reaction from gun owners and our friends that “Whites Only” signs did among blacks and civil rights supporters in the 1960’s. They are a personal insult and an assault on our liberty and anyone who can’t see that is simply choosing not to. That appears to be the case with the leadership of Virginia’s 7th District Republicans. One must wonder whether they would continue using the same facilities if the sign on the door read “No Jews” rather than “No Guns.”

Posting a “No Guns” sign is not a business decision about patron safety nor is disarming just a minor inconvenience. Such signs are a political statement and an insult and they should never go unanswered. The Firearms Coalition offers Merchant Education Cards which make it easy to let businesses know why they’re losing our business. They are available at The Firearms Coalition.

Neal Knox Associates – The most trusted name in the rights movement.

Rob P. · November 2nd, 2009, 04:32 PM

Sorry but IMO they're really stretching to reach this point.

It's the same as "no shirt, no shoes, no service" signs. What? Are those stores discriminating against the poor?

Stevew · November 2nd, 2009, 04:49 PM

I would take my business elsewhere. I would make sure the owner or corporation know why they lost my business. They probably wouldn't care. If they lost enough business and went bankrupt I wouldn't care.

Stevew · November 2nd, 2009, 04:50 PM

Unless they got a tax payer bail out.

The Fish · November 2nd, 2009, 05:05 PM

I hate "No Guns" signs as much as any one else on this forum;however equating them to "No Jews" or "No Blacks" signs is excessive.
No Guns signs are usually due to ignorance,the other signs are a result of bigotry and hatred.

varob · November 2nd, 2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fish

I hate "No Guns" signs as much as any one else on this forum;however equating them to "No Jews" or "No Blacks" signs is excessive.
No Guns signs are usually due to ignorance,the other signs are a result of bigotry and hatred.

Ignorance or political views.

Well said.

TravisABQ · November 2nd, 2009, 06:22 PM

I'm with Jeff Knox on this issue.

Bigotry against whites, males, "rednecks", conservatives, Christians, and GUN-OWNERS is widespread.

It is up to US, as to whether we accept being stigmatized, vilified, and insulted.

It will go on as long as we slink about in silence, and ACT like we are a detestable minority.

rottkeeper · November 2nd, 2009, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fish

I hate "No Guns" signs as much as any one else on this forum;however equating them to "No Jews" or "No Blacks" signs is excessive.
No Guns signs are usually due to ignorance,the other signs are a result of bigotry and hatred.

News flash, bigotry and hatred = ignorance. While this may be a little stretch there is a correlation. It seems that some types of bigotry and discrimination are more tolerable than others to some people but that doesn't mean it does not exist.

PastorPack · November 2nd, 2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

The Chairman of the 7th District Republican Committee has previously told people who complained to him about his choice to use the anti-rights facilities that while he and the Republican Party strongly support the Second Amendment, price and convenience trumps principles. And he’s sticking to his No Guns.

Wow, that's an extremely unfortunate quote.

Especially for a group that is trying to gain or regain public office!

Call me crazy, but I'd kind of like my elected officials to believe that PRINCIPLE trumps price and convenience. Go VCDL!

FHBrumb · November 2nd, 2009, 07:45 PM

If you wore a vulgar T-Shirt into a store, and they asked you to leave, are they violating your 1st Amendment rights? No, not in my opinion. If you wore a pistol into a store, and they asked you to leave, are they violating your 2nd Amandment rights? I'd say no again. The sign is just a pre-ask to leave.

If you are on my property, and I do not like what you wear or how you act, I have the right to ask you to leave. Nobody here would argue that's not my right. Why would a business not have the same right. It's private property, not public land. Being an owner of guns (or any other particular property) is not a protected status, like race or gender. In my opinion, it's not remotely the same.

November 2nd, 2009, 04:49 PM	#3
Stevew Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mississippi Posts: 314	I would take my business elsewhere. I would make sure the owner or corporation know why they lost my business. They probably wouldn't care. If they lost enough business and went bankrupt I wouldn't care. __________________ Glock 22, GP100, S&W mod 60, Colt Delta Elite, Colt Govt 380, Ruger Single Six, Ruger Bearcat, Colt New Police

November 2nd, 2009, 04:50 PM	#4
Stevew Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mississippi Posts: 314	Unless they got a tax payer bail out. __________________ Glock 22, GP100, S&W mod 60, Colt Delta Elite, Colt Govt 380, Ruger Single Six, Ruger Bearcat, Colt New Police

November 2nd, 2009, 05:05 PM	#5
The Fish Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 222	I hate "No Guns" signs as much as any one else on this forum;however equating them to "No Jews" or "No Blacks" signs is excessive. No Guns signs are usually due to ignorance,the other signs are a result of bigotry and hatred. __________________ You have to ask me... NICELY.

November 2nd, 2009, 07:45 PM	#10
FHBrumb Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA, where else? Posts: 336	If you wore a vulgar T-Shirt into a store, and they asked you to leave, are they violating your 1st Amendment rights? No, not in my opinion. If you wore a pistol into a store, and they asked you to leave, are they violating your 2nd Amandment rights? I'd say no again. The sign is just a pre-ask to leave. If you are on my property, and I do not like what you wear or how you act, I have the right to ask you to leave. Nobody here would argue that's not my right. Why would a business not have the same right. It's private property, not public land. Being an owner of guns (or any other particular property) is not a protected status, like race or gender. In my opinion, it's not remotely the same. __________________ Amendment XIV Section 1. ...No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law...

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November 2nd, 2009, 04:32 PM	#2
Rob P. Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: In the sticks Posts: 393	Sorry but IMO they're really stretching to reach this point. It's the same as "no shirt, no shoes, no service" signs. What? Are those stores discriminating against the poor?

November 2nd, 2009, 06:22 PM	#7
TravisABQ Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: New Mexico Posts: 400	I'm with Jeff Knox on this issue. Bigotry against whites, males, "rednecks", conservatives, Christians, and GUN-OWNERS is widespread. It is up to US, as to whether we accept being stigmatized, vilified, and insulted. It will go on as long as we slink about in silence, and ACT like we are a detestable minority.