Should it be legal to have a gun in your possession in a bar?
I believe individuals should be allowed to posses a gun in a bar because there is no legal reason to prevent it.
The right to bear arms is a Constitutionally protected right and it does not end the moment you leave your own personal property. The right to posses firearms should be extended to all publicly accessible properties and buildings because there is no legal reason to outlaw it. Law abiding individuals should be afforded the right to protect their person and their property, regardless of the location they are in, and therefore, there should be no legal means to prevent an individual from possessing a firearm in a bar or other location.
Posted by: VampireShuNo, it should not be legal to carry a gun in a bar, seen as how alcohol alters the mind's rationality.
One would not give a child a gun due to a child's lack of knowledge between the nature of right and wrong. The same logic holds true with individuals under the influence of alcohol.
Posted by: JamesonFYes, it should be legal to have a gun in your possession in a bar.
If you have a permit or other required license to possess a gun and carry it in public, then it should be legal to have a gun in a bar. While it may not always be a good idea to have one in certain circumstances, it is the legal right of the owner of the gun. Unless it is stated as the policy of the bar to not allow guns then I believe it should be legal. Hopefully the person in possession of the gun is highly responsible.
Posted by: SlayrKalleHaving a gun while in a bar is no different than having one in a restaurant that serves alcohol.
Carrying a gun does not make you a violent person. It's already illegal to be intoxicated and use a gun, just like it's illegal to drink and drive. So, knowing that you could lose your gun rights by getting drunk, I would say that most people (me included) would be much more careful about my behavior in a bar if I'm carrying a gun. An armed society is a polite society.
Posted by: PMakenzieIn the interest of freedom, it should be legal to have a gun in a bar.
If guns are to be allowed, then there is not much legal justification to ban the freedom to carry guns in bars. Freedom is a bedrock principle of this country. Dangerous or threatening behavior with guns in bars is still illegal, without banning them entirely. This does not mean, however, that bars, as private property, cannot enact rules banning guns from the premises if they so desire.
Posted by: tacomoonI carry mine in a bar all the time, I don't drink alcohol when I do.
Just because someone else is drinking doesn't mean that I no longer have the right to defend mine and my wife's life against deadly force used against us. The bartenders know when I am drinking pop or a red bull, I'm armed. They have all said that they feel safer when I'm in there.
Posted by: Anonymous
I believe that possession of a firearm in a bar is hazardous to surrounding people enjoying a night out.
If the law were to allow possession of a firearm in a bar, I believe that this would be dangerous to other people. Most people go to a bar to drink, and it has been proved that drinking impairs judgment. Think about how many bar fights break out on any given night. Even if someone were very responsible normally, if they were having some drinks and became involved in a fight, it is possible that their impaired judgment may cause them to do something that they will regret for the rest of their life. Bars are a place to have fun. There is no reason why anyone would need a gun in a bar, so why make it legal?
Posted by: baneofblissHaving a gun inside a bar should be illegal as it is a public safety issue.
No one should be allowed to have a gun while being inside a bar. It should be illegal because having a gun inside a place where alcohol is served and violence is known to occur is a public safety issue. Bar patrons are put into dangerous peril with the a gun toting person who could get drunk and pull the gun on others or have their weapon taken from them in a fight and also causing violence.
Posted by: SAugustusExcept for the owner - no customer should have a gun in a bar.
I think a bar owner should be able to protect life and livelihood with a gun, as long as he is licensed, but no customer should be able to carry a gun into a bar. The combination of booze and ballistics is a frightening one with a real risk of loss of life and limb. Gun ownership, possession and handling should be limited only to sober individuals.
Posted by: Th4FireNo, it should not be legal to have a gun in your possession in a bar, due to the fact that the bar is a place of business.
Just like in your regular workplace which has rules against carrying arms (with the exception of police or law enforcement), the same can be applied toward a service business catering to customers. For instance, restaurants have the right to refuse admission to customers not wearing shoes or a shirt. So, the legal right to bear arms does not supersede the rights of private institutions. You can carry your gun while at home, in your car, or walking on any public street. But once you enter a private area, the rules are different. You cannot force a bar owner to accept customers carrying guns unless he chooses to do so willingly. That is because you have the freedom to choose whatever bar you wish to frequent. If you don't like the policy, then you can just drink at home, with your gun at your side.
Posted by: elizabethsWhile a bar is considered in many examples to be a public place, special restrictions on carrying permits should be placed to prevent crimes of passion.
Gun ownership advocates claim that people should have the right to carry guns in any location, special restrictions should prevent gun owners from bringing firearms into bars or other establishments that serve alcohol. While rules of possession state that a gun must be unloaded, a gun owner could easily carry or obtain ammunition at any time. Bars are often the scene of violent acts spurred by alcohol (such as fights), and allowing people to bring guns into such an establishment tempts violence. Similar to driving a vehicle, I do not believe that citizens should be allowed to carry guns while intoxicated (in any venue!).
Posted by: PutnYourAlcohol inhibits the judgement necessary to safely carry any weapon.
Although people should have the right to defend themselves, carrying a weapon into a bar should not be legal. People typically go into bars to consume alcohol and under the influence of alcohol, judgement can be severely diminished. Carrying a gun is a responsibility that should be taken very seriously.
Posted by: Mo2esDonaIdI disagree that it should be legal to have a gun in your possession at a bar because it could increase the risk of violence and even fatalities with drunk people pulling out guns.
I disagree that you should be able to possess a gun in a bar because while a lot of people fight in a bar, guns shouldn't be used as a means of protection. This would only cause tough guys to think they can just pull out a gun and shoot when someone talks back to them. Instead of a good old fashioned fist fight between people that have drunk too much, it could end in murder. You can't heal from that like you can a fist fight. Guns and drunk people don't mix.
Posted by: I33IessI do not believe that it should be legal to possess a gun in a bar, as a person's judgment can easily become impaired.
Since it is not legal to drive a car while drunk, because a person's ability to operate it well is impaired, I also believe that it should not be legal to have a gun in a bar, where a person's judgment about using that gun can likewise become impaired by drinking.
Posted by: ToughEfrain26Public safety in this case outweighs the right to bear arms
Booze and guns are a bad mix. The supreme court has long held States may regulate constitutional rights in certain cases (i.e. You can't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater even though speech is protected). In the case of firearms in bars, you aren't stopping ownership, you are stopping idiots from killing each other.
Posted by: BWadeGuns don't belong in places where some people are under the influence of alcohol.
People consume alcohol to get "buzzed" as a pleasurable activity. In actuality, they are impairing their judgment. Patrons who are drinking are not in a clear headed frame of mind. They could offend a sober gun owner out of idiocy, and risk getting shot. Even sober patrons run the risk of getting shot, since the gun owner may or may not be sober.
Posted by: SixCristobalGuns can be dangerous when they are being used by people with clouded judgement.
When people are in bars, they often have a bit too much to drink. Being drunk makes some people angry and irrational. If they had access to a gun, then they might be prone to using it inappropriately. Instead of getting in the traditional bar fight, there may instead be an unfortunate death as a result of a gun. Therefore, guns should not be allowed in bars.
Posted by: NineNathanial43No, it should not be legal to have a gun at a bar.
It should not be legal to have a gun in your possession when at a bar. People have their judgement impaired by the alcohol and a situation can just get out of hand and someone can get seriously hurt. The owner and possibly a bouncer should be able to have guns, not customers.
Posted by: HealthyMose59Although I do not oppose gun possession in general, I believe it would be incredibly irresponsible to allow guns in bars.
I do believe that people have the right to have guns in their possession. However, it would not be prudent to advocate the possession of guns in bars. The consumption of alcohol hinders our ability to make rational decisions. It also changes some people's temperaments. Bar fights are a common occurrence. There is enough potential for violence in the atmosphere without people having guns at their disposal. If people were allowed to have guns in bars, the crime rate would probably increase noticeably. Furthermore, patronage would probably decrease drastically. I know I wouldn't go into a bar knowing that people had guns in their possession.
Posted by: geggy9