Posted on 06/28/2011 4:31:37 AM PDT by marktwain
Comments made by Robert Haack Diamonds owner Brett Eulberg have put him in the center of a concealed-carry controversy.
Last week, Wisconsin lawmakers approved lifting the ban on carrying concealed weapons, leaving Illinois as the last state to do so.
Wisconsin businesses, however, will have the right to post signs at the entrance of their business prohibiting concealed weapons, and it was Eulberg's thoughts he shared with FOX 6 NOW on posting the sign that has caused plenty of backlash.
"It's crazy, now I have to put a sign up saying 'no guns allowed,'" Eulberg told FOX 6. "Again, it's still not going to stop the bad guy from coming in with the gun.
"You don't want to have that worry all the time. You want to make sure we are just normal people here, not, I don't want to say something bad and all of the sudden you whip out a gun at me."
After making those comments in a story that appeared online June 22, Eulberg received angry messages from gun advocates who threatened to boycott his store.
In a follow-up interview with FOX 6 two days later, Eulberg tried to explain his stance again, telling a reporter his stance is practical, not political, but the debate raged on, especially on the company's Facebook page.
"My concern is as it's always been ... law-abiding citizens legally carrying concealed weapons are NOT a threat to your store or your employees, Gary Tucholl commented. "I fail to understand why merchants should fear us. Posting your store against legally carried weapons makes no sense. You have to realize that criminals are only going to see those signs as a 'safe haven' for them."
Many said they'd take their business elsewhere and encouraged others to do the same.
"I guess I will have to spend a few thousand dollars at some other jewlery shop for that engagement ring and wedding band set," Bronson Smith wrote. "I don't do business with businesses that are anti gun. You lose!"
"No guns in the store means no money from people that believe in our Second Amendment rights," Jim Popp added. "Criminals will have no fear when entering your store."
Others backed Eulberg on Facebook.
"All Robert Haack wants to do is simply eliminate the variables that can contribute to a misinterpretation of intention by simply keeping the store neutral on the inside," Daniel Lee commented. "To accomplish this, all they ask is that you leave your weapons in the car, come in unarmed with the intention to do business on neutral grounds and have a mutual trust in each other as customer and merchant/business. To simplify, they want to ensure that everyone that steps foot in the store is on a common, if not neutral ground."
"As for all of you out there who are causing such an issue over this ... grow up," Dawn Moneyhan posted. "If this law hadn't been passed you wouldn't be here spouting or causing problems for a business that has been good to you all this time."
Editor's Note: according to the Facebook debate, Robert Haack has an armed security guard on duty.
Huh? Must be a lib. He strings a bunch of big words together to try to make him sound more intgelligent than he is.
“All Robert Haack wants to do is simply eliminate the variables that can contribute to a misinterpretation of intention by simply keeping the store neutral on the inside,” Daniel Lee commented. “To accomplish this, all they ask is that you leave your weapons in the car, come in unarmed with the intention to do business on neutral grounds and have a mutual trust in each other as customer and merchant/business. To simplify, they want to ensure that everyone that steps foot in the store is on a common, if not neutral ground.”
As Chris Rock once said, “Never go to parties with metal detectors. Sure, it feels safe inside, but what about all those [guys] waiting outside with guns? They know you ain’t got one.”
How can it be “neutral ground” if he has an armed guard and his customers are not allowed their own arms?
Bfl
I would hope he'd put an armed guard out there as well.
It's not going to be cheap to deal with the problem he's created for himself.
Typical
Agree. The man is a flaming liberal. He is a fool to boot. The last place a robber wants to pull out his gun is in a store full of legally armed gun toting citizens who can shoot.
Agreed.
Free market can deal with this. Personally, I think it’s a stupid choice on his part. He’s free to be stupid with his store...and suffer any business consequences.
What a moron. He believes a sign will deter a criminal with a gun from robbing him!
I agree. If you disagree with his policy, do not shop there. I know I would not.
Or not advertise and trust that one or more law abiding CCW permitted, trained, competent and willing to defend himself/herself and their property are in the store...
And save himself the cost of the security goof because the sales activity generated by the “guess wrong, punk, and die” throngs of customers.
It seems that some wish to impose a one-way 'trust'. Would the owner publically post that he is unarmed as well? I bet not.
Concealed carry means just that - concealed.
What’s he gonna do, search everyone who comes in?
Ignore the signs and go about your business, avoiding this guy’s place if you wish.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.