I have no issue with open carry. In fact I open carry quite often (basically whenever I’m on a bicycle). But actions have consequences and if you’re open carrying AR-15 rifles into stores you should understand that backlash is a likely outcome. Case in point, after an incident involving gun rights activists open carrying rifles into a Texas Chipotle location the company has officially requested that customers not bring guns into their stores:
NEW YORK (AP) — Chipotle is asking customers not to bring firearms into its stores after it says gun rights advocates brought military-style assault rifles into one of its restaurants in Texas.
The Denver-based company notes that it has traditionally complied with local laws regarding open and concealed firearms.
But in a statement Monday, the company said that “the display of firearms in our restaurants has now created an environment that is potentially intimidating or uncomfortable for many of our customers.”
I’m not going to invest time into criticizing those who were carrying rifles into Chipotle. They knew what they were doing and what the possible consequences would be. The lesson to take away from this announcement is the same lesson to take away from Starbuck’s similar announcement: being a dick never helps. I know that there’s nothing inherently dickish about the act open carrying firearms. But intent does play a factor in everything and when your intent is to make a political statement by open carrying then it’s a dickish act. Let’s face it, much like religion, politics is a topic that should only be discussed upon invitation. Any attempt to bring up politics before an invitation has been made is dickish.
Am I going to boycott Chipotle over this? Well I couldn’t even if I wanted to since I never eat at Chipotle. It seems to put cilantro in everything and cilantro does not interact favorably with my tastebuds (that shit tastes nasty and I don’t know how people enjoy it).