Arizona House votes to OK guns in bars, restaurants

The Tucson Citizen ^ | April 28, 2004 | NA

[neverdem]

PHOENIX - The House approved a bill Wednesday to make it legal to take guns in bars and restaurants if the bearers aren't drinking alcohol and if the establishments don't opt out. Arizona now bans possession of firearms in bars and restaurants that sell alcohol.

[qam1]

It seems kind of silly that they want you to be allowed to have guns in a bar but in many cities in Arizona and maybe the whole state soon you can't have a cigarette or an ashtray!!

[MARTIAL MONK]

It wasn't that long ago that Superior had the highest per capita alcohol comsumption rate in the country. #2 was Globe. #3 was someplace in Alaska. #4 was Clifton. Murder rates reflected the trend.

[HungarianGypsy]

I was sure Gila Bend would be up there with highest alcohol per capita.

[Petronski]

When I got my carry permit in PA many years ago, I was warned by the Sheriff: "Just don't go carrying it into banks or bars..."

I asked "Is that illegal?"

"No," he replied, "just a bad idea."

To this day, I have never 'carried' in a bar/tavern/club, but I am led to believe it is not illegal here in my little part of Penna.

[TigersEye]

The catch-22 is that if you actually shoot somebody, you'll be arrested for breaking the laws against smoking in a restaurant or bar.

.22's aren't loaded with black powder. They're smokeless. 8^O

[MARTIAL MONK]

That would make sense. You would have to be drunk to live in Gila Bend.

Superior may have gotten a bum rap because a lot of the miners who lived in Apache Junction would hit the bars before heading home.

[Conservababe]

As long as they aren't drinking, I have no problem with this.

I have a problem understanding your statement. Explain yourself, please?

[Dan from Michigan]

Simple. I have no problem with someone carrying a firearm in any establishment, unless the individual is drinking.

[Ramius]

No sense letting people that have had a beer defend themselves like anybody else. [/sarcasm]

I rather like the ol' west concept of "checking your gun" with the bartender. There's something to be said for that.

It's a far sight better than making sure that the best place to break into cars looking for guns to steal... is the parking lots of bars.

[Wneighbor]

There's something to be said for a lot of old west concepts I think. One of which, "He needed killin'" is a good reason to do so. I'm just glad there are still places where some of that sense remains in small part.

[Ramius]

You're quite right. Somebody that has had a beer should forfeit their right to defend themselves. More to the point, they should be forced to leave their firearm in the car, where it can be easily stolen. Makes good sense.

[Ramius]

Okay... I was a little snippier about that last reply than I meant to be. Maybe it's because I'm freeping from a bar with wireless access. Dunno.

Nobody wants to see drunken bar fights devolve into shooting galleries. I understand what you mean.

It has always bugged me, though, that here in the state of WA at least... the one place you can pretty much always count on finding guns to steal is in the parking lots of bars. I would rather see a situation where I could at least bring the gun in and check it with the bartender. If I'm sober enough to drive when I leave, then I'm sober enough to get my gun back.

My .02

Later,

[Conservababe]

So, you think that anyone who carries should never drink an acohol beverage?

[Dan from Michigan]

I knew I was going to get some flames, and most of that comes from my upbringing and my training and the gun crowd I'm with. The 'guns and booze don't mix' is drilled in my head as much as the top gun safety rule of not pointing it at anything I'm not willing to destroy. I am as pro-2a as anyone, but I am hardline on that, and think those that are busted for under the influence while carrying need the same penalty as a DUI'er. Same BAC standards should apply.

I would rather see a situation where I could at least bring the gun in and check it with the bartender.

That I think would be great.

[Indie]

BWA! I take mine wherever I go anyway, bar or wherever. I just don't drink when I have it on me..per the law on that, anyway.
That's why they call it a CONCEALED carry permit. Ain't nobody gonna know except the bad guy on the wrong end..when it's too late :)

[Ramius]

I don't actually disagree. I didn't mean to flame, and in fact I'll plead guilty to a pretty healthy knee-jerk there.

I don't have any argument with your last statement. I don't know if I would take it as far as the DUI rules but I do understand the sentiment. For the time being, I think that if there's no blood there's no foul. That is... that not everybody that brandishes a firearm in a self defense situation needs to also pass a DUI level proof of sobriety in order to prove that they were in fact justified in doing so. It sounds obvious but in fact it might be an injustice from time to time.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I thought one couldn't smoke in bars and restaurants in Arizona. I guess this must be an exception.

[San Jacinto]

I used to go to this bar on the Northside where they always checked you for guns when you walked in. If you had forgotten yours, they would loan you one.

[CPOSharky]

Just out of curiosity, in Virginia you can't carry concealed in a bar. You have to carry OPEN.

OTOH, any place that serves alcohol has to serve more than 50 % in food. There are no real "bars" in VA, just restaurants that serve alcohol.

[unixfox]

No mandate to prohibit guns, smoking, no mandate to allow them. smoking. Makes perfect sense.

See how easy that was.