Posted on 01/16/2014 8:03:31 AM PST by KeyLargo
ILLINOIS STATE RIFLE ASSOCIATION
INFORMATIONAL ALERT
WHAT TO DO ABOUT THOSE PESKY “NO-GUNS” SIGNS
As you may know, the concealed carry law enacted last year ironically includes provisions that will greatly impede your ability to defend yourself against violent criminals. Among these impediments to self defense is a provision allowing private property owners to prohibit concealed firearms on their property. The law requires such property owners to post government-approved “no guns allowed” signs on property entrances.
As implementation of concealed carry goes forward, more and more of these “no guns allowed” signs will be springing up in businesses across Illinois. Although law-abiding firearm owners are offended by such signs, most of us accept that private property owners are free to limit access to their property as they see fit. Nonetheless, the placement of such signs poses some serious public policy implications to those who honor free exercise of basic human rights.
In practical terms, the official “no guns allowed” sign actually declares, “No Self Defense Permitted Beyond this Point.” Thus, a property owner who posts a “no guns allowed” sign is telling you point blank, “I don’t care if you and your family are in danger, I will not allow you to defend yourself.” The net effect of the property-owner’s self-righteous indignation is that anyone who enters the posted property unarmed is being set up for violent attack.
The beauty of concealed carry is that only handful of citizens need to be armed in order to protect the greater part of society from harm. This benefit arises out of the fact that would-be criminals are never really sure which citizens around them may be armed. As a result, their criminal urges may be stifled in the interest of not getting shot.
Given the deterrent value of concealed carry, the posting of “no guns allowed” signs openly invites criminals to enter a business to commit mayhem without the fear of facing an armed citizen. Under the concealed carry statute, persons licensed to carry must obey these signs. By their very nature, criminals will not be deterred by a plastic pictogram stuck to a window. Consequently, armed criminals will be absolutely assured that nobody in the establishment is capable of warding off their violent behavior. “No guns allowed” signs give a distinct advantage to those who seek to harm others.
For thugs who may be too shy to perform for an audience, the parking lots of “no guns allowed” establishments would be little more to their liking. It would be a given that anyone leaving such a business would be unarmed and, thus, easy pickings for robbers or rapists. Likewise, these criminals would be free to burglarize cars in the parking lot to harvest guns dutifully left behind by permit holders who enter the antigun business.
All in all, it’s distinctly possible that posting a “no guns allowed” sign makes patronizing a business more dangerous now that concealed carry has been passed than it had been to patronize the same store before the passage of concealed carry.
Quite a few people have contacted ISRA headquarters to report businesses that have posted “no guns allowed” signs. Many of the people ask how they should respond to the posting of such signs. Below are our recommendations.
1. Carrying a concealed firearm in to an establishment bearing an official “no guns allowed” sign is not lawful and should not be attempted.
2. Business owners who post “no guns allowed” signs consider lawful firearm owners to be social outcasts. Therefore, those businesses should be avoided, but not without first hearing how displeased you are with their decision. We recommend that you ask to see the manager and then politely tell him or her that you are a lawful firearm owner and that you disagree with their position on concealed carry. Advise the manager further that, as long as the offensive sign is posted, you will not spend money at their establishment and that you will tell all your friends to avoid doing business with them as well.
3. Reward businesses who allow concealed carry by spending money in their establishments.
4. Remain active in the gun rights movement at a local level.
5. Join the ISRA.
6. Donate to the ISRA so that we may carry on the fight to preserve, protect, and enhance gun rights in the state.
Follow the ISRA on Twitter and Facebook.
Give the gift of an ISRA membership. Not an ISRA Member? Join Today!
http://isra.org/
Cook County leading concealed carry applications
31 minutes ago • Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. | Illinois State Police say almost one in four of the roughly 23,000 people who’ve applied for concealed carry permits live in Cook County.
Figures released this week show the highly populated county leading the rankings with more than 5,300 applications that have been filed since Jan. 5.
Will and DuPage counties followed in second and third with almost 1,800 and 1,600 applications respectively.
But on a per capita basis, rural counties have the highest proportion of applicants.
Read at:
“WHAT TO DO ABOUT THOSE PESKY “NO-GUNS” SIGNS?”
Target practice
Those businesses should be avoided!
A little “guerilla stickering” might be called for.
On the window under/over the no guns sign,
post a sticker that says “Notice to Criminals - Unarmed Victim Zone”.
I am not familiar with the latest Illinois mess of laws to skirt the SCOTUS rulings. It sounds like recent state law has bestowed legal ramifications beyond trespassing upon persons otherwise legal at the whim of private business owners.
For those that do not know, in most states (that I am aware of), there is no legal authority or action beyond trespassing that can be taken against a legal citizen who does not recognize or conform to a posted “no guns” sign on an establishment that has not been designated specifically by law (ie. schools, government buildings, etc.).
In other words, a business can ask you to leave the premises if you are carrying (concealed or otherwise). If you refuse, they can call the police on you for trespassing. It seems Illinois is now radically different.
IL law patterns KS law on a state-specified sign being a legal notice that can result in charges beyond simple trespass. So IL is not the only place. My home state of OK follows your description on simple trespass for failing to leave when told.
As to the overall ISRA material, my problem remains with the treatment of firearms as an onerous civil right that can be restricted at a whim. Years ago, many restaurants posted signage about “reserving the right to refuse service to anyone” and that’s been trumped by the various civil rights acts since 1965.
Your “no gun” sign prevents me from patronizing your business. So I, my family, and other gun owners will spend our money with your competitors. Look on the back to see why you should remove your sign.
Your “no gun” sign is bad for business. It does nothing to make you safer. It simply tells criminals you’re an easy target and drives away good customers with a concealed carry license.
Unlike most people, license holders have passed a criminal background check. Statistics show we are far more law-abiding than the general public. Our numbers are growing every day. We are ideal customers and will patronize your business if you let us. Remove your sign and I, my family, and many other gun owners will gladly return.
Buckeye Buckeye Firearms
Firearms Foundation
www.BuckeyeFirearms.org
Funny thing, but the number of businesses which have those signs up now is a fraction of the number back when the Concealed Carry law was originally passed.
Vandalism won’t help the cause.
Just take your business elsewhere.
Consider a form letter to the manager of such places telling the manager that you have been a customer for a long time, but cannot, in good faith, do business with anyone who would put politics and political correctness over the safety of its customers by not allowing them to defend themselves.
If you have one of those signs on your house, are the cops allowed to bring their guns in??
There was an argument before me between the manager and a customer at my local credit union in Florida. The customer was complaining about a “no firearms on premises” sign. The manager, a known lefty, pointed out she did not want firearms present because someone may misstake them for a robber (it is concealed, not open carry btw) and she pays to have an armed police officer present to protect persons on the property. The guy said so what about the parking lot and what about those places I go to before I come here or where I intend to go when I leave? She looked like deer in the headlights at that one and simply continued that was their policy. I just said nothing and went about my business, armed. I abide by the premise better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6.
Here in Texas, a business establishment has to place a State Approved sign (30.06) on their point of entry for it to be valid. Check your State Law to verify the validity of the signage before you enter.
Besides, if you are truly carrying concealed, how would they know if you are armed or not? :-)
If caught, though, you lose your CCHL forever...
Cards are good, but a letter is better. No one gets mail nowadays.
It would also seem to me to be opening up the store to liability if there is a shooting and someone who had the legal ability to defend themselves was denied that ability by the store. Negligent security.
Yes, that is another angle...
by posting that sign, Mr. Store Owner, you are assuming full liability for the security of the patrons of your store.
On occasion I have gone through the effort of asking a manager about signs when I have seen them. At two places (Gander Mountain and a Wireless service and device store) I was told that those signs don’t pertain to law abiding customers who have concealed carry licenses. When I asked who the signs are for then, it seemed to occur to them, quite spontaneously, how ridiculous the signs were.
“So you have those signs up to deter criminals from bringing guns into your store? Is that the purpose? Isn’t that like posting “no swimming” signs at pools to deter fish from swimming in them?” -— I actually used that line and will continue to do so. I’m so clever. :o)
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