Hi guys!
I need some advice. Yeah, yeah, I'm just in Texas OCing, but I know you all have already figured out a lot of things I'm just starting to encounter. So my question is, what is the best way to handle businesses who are unfriendly to OC? If they have proper signage, I just stay away. But I really haven't seen any businesses with the signage. Just so you'll know, here in Texas the signage by law must be precise, both in wording and in size of letters. There are 2 signs - the 30.06 which prohibits concealed carry, and the 30.07 which prohibits open carry. A business would have to have both the 30.06 and the 30.07 signs (in English and Spanish by the way), in order to keep someone with firearms out of the store (unless, of course, it is the bad guy who naturally doesn't follow signage and the law - he will gladly enter into this gun-free zone and have his way, but that's another story and you all already know how ridiculous the whole thing is).
So, tonight I encountered my first resistance to my daily OC (I basically OC all the time now, except when I'm at work or in church. In church I still carry concealed in my carry bag). I was in a Sun Fresh Minyards and there were these ridiculous yellow pieces of paper taped to the front doors, saying "no firearms allowed". Totally non legal in every possible way. So I went on in, to buy some bottled water. The security lady told me I had to go, because they didn't allow guns there. I asked her where the signage was, and she pointed to these ridiculous non-legal signs. I was nice and let her know I would be leaving, but also let her know to tell management that these signs were not legal, and needed to be the correct 30.06 and 30.07 signs.
She offered to get the manager, and though I was already on my way out I stopped and said "sure, why not". He came and I explained the signage requirement, etc, and he was nice and I was turning to go when some other employee butted in and became quite rude with me. He obviously hated guns (possibly a felon and couldn't legally have them? LOL), so he started going on and on about how yeah.... they would get the right signs, oh yes! LOL Well I told him, "go ahead, but you'll lose business. I'm going down the street to Kroger who has no problem at all with the 2nd Amendment". Interestingly enough, I just happened to be recording on my iPhone and have the whole encounter. In Texas only 1 party needs to give consent for a recording, and that was me
So here's the deal. If I were to encounter a place of business where the signage was already correct, I'll just stay out. But if it's a trash worthy notice without any legal standing, like the place I entered tonight, I have every right to go in. My question is, do I just stay away from this place, and places like it in the future? Or do I pursue it by contacting the Minyards Sun Fresh corporate office? Should I go back later to check and see if they ever put the correct signage up? I don't know if I should try to raise awareness about these anti-2nd Amendment stores, or just move on down the road to the 2A friendly ones. Am I wasting my time lingering and going against companies that don't have proper signage? Or should I just ignore them and move on? What have you guys found is best in situations like this?
I know you had to fight a lot and win battles to get to where you are. I appreciate all you've done for OC in Michigan, and would appreciate hearing from you regarding your insight into this type of situation. Thanks for any advice you can give me!
