Guns should be allowed in bars.

[Tiggeroshii]

[Rick Myers]

1. In Alaska...

Some bars have 'gun check' windows!!! Seriously... Not a Palin joke...

[MNDemNY]

2. Guns yes, gun owners, no.

:evilgrin:

[Cant trust em]

3. Can we have a third option for Hell No? nt

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

4. Seriously.

I cannot possibly think of a worse idea, except maybe drive-thru bars.

[LuvNewcastle]

7. They used to have drive-thru daiquiri shacks

in Louisiana. I've been through them many times. I don't know if they still allow them.

[TheWraith]

17. Guns are already allowed in bars in many states.

And almost all states allow guns in restaurants which serve alcohol.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

19. Yeah, I know. Still doesn't make it a good idea. (nt)

[TheWraith]

20. That's what people said about concealed carry in the first place.

River of blood in the streets and all that nonsense. On the whole people who carry legally have one third the risk of committing a violent crime as do the police themselves.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

21. Don't put words in my mouth - I never said anything about a river of blood or even hinted at it.

This is just a common sense thing. Alcohol + pretty much anything that can be deadly is not a good combination.

[TheWraith]

22. I wasn't referring to you. But lots of people were saying pretty much exactly that.

When concealed carry was first being legalized. They said every fender bender would result in a road-rage gunfight. That didn't happen, and we aren't going to see a rush of booze-fueled shooting by legal carriers. Of course doing dumb things when drunk can be dangerous. But on the whole concealed-carry users are extremely responsible, and if the law says they either disarm or don't drink, then almost all will follow that.

[lapfog_1]

5. There are some bars in some states where guns should be

MANDATORY... and the only check at the door is to make sure the safety is off.

Seriously, we need to thin the herd.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

6. In states where Concealed carry is allowed

I see no problem with lawful CCW in the establishment as long as the person carrying is not drinking.
Many states that allow ccw allow carry into places that serve alcohol.

[inkool]

8. I don't see what the big deal is.

In Pennsylvania one can already bring a gun into a bar so long as they have a valid LTCF (License To Carry Firearm).

[Tiggeroshii]

9. Why would this be a good idea?

[Statistical]

10. Why wouldn't it.

Many states allow CCW holders to carry on public and private property.

CCW tend to be more law abiding then the Police.

Any private property owner (not just bars) can prohibit guns although the rules vary by state.
All states that I am aware of prohibit drinking and carrying firearm (not just in a bar but anywhere).

[Tiggeroshii]

11. My friend tells me only a very tiny percentage of people

can qualify for CCW because they are very picky with the people inside it. Do you know anything about how much of the population is in the CCW?

I mean, your name's Statistical afterall! :P

Also, it is my non-expert opinion that the concept of mixing intoxicated individuals with the power to kill with the twitch a finger isn't a good idea.

[Deadric Damodred]

13. Unless you are unlucky enough to live in a "may issue" state...

...then they can't be picky about who can qualify beyond their criminal record. However, a person can fail the class and the range test. If you can't pass the range test, meaning being an accurate shot, then you'll have to take the class again. But in the "may issue" states they aren't just picky, they'll simply say "no" to whoever they please regardless of the person's record. The difference between "may issue" and "shall issue", is "may issue" means "it says we give ccw permits in this state so that we look like we are following the 2nd Amendment, but really we only give out one once in a blue moon just to say that we do in fact issue them".

[inkool]

14. It depends on the state.

In PA you have to fill out a form, pay about $30, pass a background check, and wait no more then 45 days to get a LTCF.

Being intoxicated and carrying a gun is NOT legal. Regardless of where you are drinking.

[Statistical]

15. There are no national CCW stats (I wish) so

we have to look at bits and pieces of info. From my looking at various reports and stats I would guesstimate that CCW make up about 4% of the population in states like FL, TX, VA and others that have provided stats. Given that 35% of people own firearms it is a minority of a minority. Based on my personal observations a fraction of those carry everyday. I can't say if that trend holds true nationally.

However it is safe to assume if you live in a "shall issue" state at least one out of 100 people you meet is armed you just never noticed it. Of course in VA we have open carry but most people just assume I am a cop.

As far as "qualifying" there are generally 2 types of states.

May Issue (IMHO = "may infringe") the govt decides who gets a license and generally it is the rich, the powerful, and the connected who get one. I think may issue is an abomination worse than no issue.

Shall Issue means the state has specific requirements and if you meet them the state MUST issue you a license. Similar to driver's license. If you meet the requirements the state can't decide you really don't need a license.

[TheWraith]

18. You can't drink alcohol while carrying a gun. Period.

Anything else is already a crime.

[burrfoot]

23. There's obviously

a legitimate reason to be concerned over guns and alcohol. Remember, however, that nowhere is the person carrying allowed to consume alcohol. So although the law will allow guns in the same place as drunk people, it does not allow guns in the hands of drunk people.

[benEzra]

25. To qualify for a NC CHL...

I had to pass a Federal background check, state background check, mental health records check, get fingerprinted and have my prints run by the FBI, take a class on self-defense law using a state-approved curriculum, pass a written test on same administered by the sheriff's office, and demonstrate competence shooting a handgun (live fire).

It's not that the authorities are "picky"---anyone who meets the above criteria can qualify---but rather that the process self-selects for those motivated to carry, squeaky clean enough to pass the checks, and conscientious enough about the law to actually care enough to get a license instead of the "don't ask, don't tell" approach that the less conscientious would take.

BTW, the "guns in bars" meme is highly misleading, and "drunks legally carrying in bars" is a fabrication on the part of whoever pointed you in that direction. The issue is primarily about whether or not it is legal to carry in a restaurant with a wine list or that has beer on the menu; most states that allow such carry require that the licensee abstain from alcohol while carrying, and many states (e.g., Florida) allow carry only in the NON-bar areas of the restaurant, i.e. when I lived in Florida I could go to the local Italian ristorante but had to sit at a table, not at the bar itself, and could not drink.

[inkool]

12. It is not an idea good or bad.

Bars in PA are not off limits to concealed carry, and never have been as far as I know. It is not an issue.

[slackmaster]

16. Yes, as long as the people carrying them are not drinking

No problem.

[benEzra]

24. Given that the recent legislation was primarily about carry by state-licensed individuals

in restaurants with wine lists, not "bars" per se, this poll is almost as meaningless as the self-defense-in-parks poll that excluded most self-defense...