There’s been a lot of chatter in the media about Target’s recent announcement about armed customers.
Organizations supported by the $50 million former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg pledged to pursue gun control had pressured Target to ban guns.
Target’s net response to gun owners was a request – please carry discretely (concealed) when you come to Target. This must be a disappointment to Bloomberg.
Bloomberg has recently de-emphasized his Illegal Mayors for Gun Control, in part since so many of the member mayors have gone to prison for one sort of corruption or another. His money is now invested in Moms (for or against something) and Everytown (something or other). It was Moms and Everytown that pressured Target, spurred by Bloomberg’s $ millions. The result of that effort must have been a disappointment to Bloomberg, just like getting no traction with his Illegal Mayors.
When this issue was raised with Starbucks and employees asked, “What do we do if we see somebody with a gun,” Starbucks’ direction was, “Sell them coffee.”
The debate between open carry (OC) and discrete carry (concealed carry, DC) will continue.
Some argue that OC offends people so why OC? Others respond that the ninnies who are offended by OC need to get a life or move back to New York (or wherever). Some argue that DC allows a defender to inform an assailant that the defender is carrying at the time of the defender’s choosing – a tactical advantage, they say. OC proponents say that a person OCing will likely be avoided by predators. OC proponents also say the public needs to be desensitized to seeing law-abiding citizens wearing guns.
The OC/DC debate won’t be resolved here. OC is legal in Montana, except in some federally-controlled places such as federal buildings, military installations, post offices, and behind security at airports, and except for places where prohibition of OC and DC is allowed under Montana law at 45-8-351, including schools, parks, publicly owned and occupied buildings, and “public assemblies.”
Some like Fords and some like Chevrolets. Some like OC and some like DC. Hey, that’s why we live in the Land of the Free.
Whatever you prefer, be polite and be safe.
Best wishes,
Gary Marbut, President
Montana Shooting Sports Association
https://www.mtssa.org
Author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.MTPublish.com