Target Stores - No Guns Please

I live in Missouri and the signs do not have the force of law. The signs also have to be displayed in a very specific way (overall size, letter size) to carry any weight at all. If the establishment is posted and they know you are carrying they can ask you to leave. If you do not leave they can have the police ask you to leave. After the second incident I believe you are fined. After the third incident your CCW is taken from you. I don't know the rules for open carry.

I do carry in posted establishments but it is not to prove anything and my gun is always concealed. Carrying is just something I do now after all of these years. I really have to make an effort to remember to leave my gun in the car when I go into a government building of some kind because that is against the law and I do follow it.

So, if carrying in a posted establishment makes me some kind of moral degenerate then so be it.
 
How do we get these open carry morons to understand the damage they are causing and stop acting like jerks? That smug little punk with the Oreos and stupid grin really infuriates me.
 
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Armed_Chicagoan said:
Target, like 99% of other retail stores, just wants to sell stuff to people who want to buy it and don't want to get dragged into political debates by Open Carry Texas or Bloomberg's astroturf group.
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Agreed. None of these places want to be political battlegrounds- whatever they do, they're guaranteed to tick off a substantial portion of potential customers.

IMO, the places making these requests without posting signs are trying to play both sides of the street- placate the anti-gun groups, make "regular" folks comfortable by telling rude groups like OCT to chill it out, and then still keep business from those who carry concealed and know that an actual posting of a sign is needed in order to put them off-limits.

They can put out all the press releases they like, but unless they post signs they aren't off limits to concealed carry (I'm not aware of any states where you're considered off limits without posting if you're not explicitly mentioned in the law itself). Whether a sign has force of law is immaterial if there is no sign. In states like MO, where there's no force of law, there's really no difference between posted and unposted locations- they can always ask you to leave if they find you carrying a firearm and don't want you to do so. That's completely unchanged by a sign... posting a sign is just a proactive method to make people aware that such will happen if you are found to be carrying.

Does this move by Target please me? Nope, in fact, it may make me somewhat less likely to shop there. But unless and until they do put up signs, I'm not going to consider them completely anti-gun. Just trying to have their cake and eat it too.
 
How do we get these open carry morons to understand the damage they are causing and stop acting like jerks? That smug little punk with the Oreos and stupid grin really infuriates me.
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You can't fix stupid.
 
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And so it goes !!!

This is a complicated issue, but it boils down to a simple belief: Bringing firearms to Target creates an environment that is at odds with the family-friendly shopping and work experience we strive to create,” John Mulligan, the company’s acting CEO, said in a statement.
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I don't question his sincerity at all but obviously he was not the CEO a few years back, when Target sold firearms; yes, over the counter. Heck, they weren't even as strict as Wal-Mart. ..... ;)

"Times; they are a changing !!"

Be Ethical and;
Be Safe !!!
 
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Kentucky signs do not carry the force of law either. You do have have leave if asked.
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Same here in MN, but why would you have be asked to leave? You should not be in their store or on their property in the first place with a firearm if they posted a sign.
 
It is simple no guns= no money. Send a polite letter as to why this other business got your money and a copy of a sales receipt of the amount you are spending.
 
Eazyeach said:
How do we get these open carry morons to understand the damage they are causing and stop acting like jerks? That smug little punk with the Oreos and stupid grin really infuriates me.
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Trying to get them to stop will backfire. It will just shine a bigger spotlight on them. Think Westboro Baptist Church. :mad:

IMHO the only productive tactic would be for a pro-2A group to organize TASTEFUL AND PRODUCTIVE counter-protests.
 
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Their prerogative to do so...mine not to shop there.
Too, I come from a very large family of which seven members are avid Target customer's. Proudly, they have all vowed to drop Target as a place to do business with.

Will be dropping off one of my tastefully written, 'No Guns='s No $' cards to the local store manager.

There is just nothing Target sells people can't get elsewhere that IS gun friendly.
 
i am sorry, but i much as i hate targets decision, what are you supposed to do when idiots walk in with ARs on their backs, this is going to make 99% of shoppers very uncomfortable, what do these douchebags think they are acheiving? whats the cause? what am i missing? i cant wiat for the day all this controversy over guns quiets down a little bit, but it never will with idiots like these
 
I respect Target's decision, and will continue to shop there (without CHL).

+1 geetarman, Open Carry Texas is ultimately helping no one and hurting many.
 
I respect Target's decision, and will continue to shop there (without CHL).
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Target did the same thing Chipotle and Starbucks did before them. To be honest, I'm surprised it took them so long. I'm disappointed they caved into the bigger of the two bullies dragging them into the "battle" but it's the best decision they could make with the information available. I'd be surprised if the next place Open Carry Texas and Moms Bully get into it over doesn't take the express lane to the same Go Away decision these three did in record time.

Given the phrasing used by Starbucks and Target (I didn't see Chipotle's press release) I'm on the fence about entering with or without a CCW. I think if they could have put out an honest press release, they would have said "We don't care. Leave us alone. If we could do so reliably, we'd ban all the Open Carry Texas demonstrators and Moms Bullying with Demands, and only allow shoppers in our stores." .

I suspect the dichotomy of "Please don't do it" and "we won't do anything if you do" is akin to a wink and a nod. As signs don't have the force of law in my state, and they aren't even going to INSTALL signs even if they did I'm not going to obsess over it. I'm not going to make incessant trips while carrying just to push the issue, and I'm not going to go out of my way leaving the store before I'm finished after tracking down a store manager to apologize if I forget they're Target/Starbucks and an unposted don't (open but wink/nod conceal) carry location.
 
New found respect for Target. ..

Target did the same thing Chipotle and Starbucks did before them.
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Not really as they are asking and not telling. I'm not much on meaningless signs but have to give Target, credit, for their refreshing approach. We all know how hard some of these businesses are being pressed by the violators of the 2A rights and then the idiots that want to open carry, Gansta style. This too will pass. ..... ;)

IMHO the only productive tactic would be for a pro-2A group to organize TASTEFUL AND PRODUCTIVE counter-protests.
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Now there's a picture, for you!! I catch the spirit of what you are saying and agree. I bet they would get a lot of news coverage !!! ... ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
Not really as they are asking and not telling.
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So did Starbucks in an open letter from CEO Howard Schulz. Aside from Schulz being even more willing to throw both groups under the bus where they belong, as well as doing the hair splitting on the fence sitting from the outset instead of in a follow up like Target, the message appears very similar.
 
About the only way Moms Against Guns can defeat open carry in TX is by persuading Open Carry Texas to protest at a bunch more businesses.
 
glh17 said:
About the only way Moms Against Guns can defeat open carry in TX is by persuading Open Carry Texas to protest at a bunch more businesses.
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I believe Open Carry Texas and MDA are working together to accomplish the same goals.

Both are protesting in businesses and both are getting firearms banned. They are one in the same and working as a team. Grisham has to be an Anti-Gun activist. Nobody can do the damage he has done and continue to do so unless that is his ultimate goal.
 
I can understand carrying a pistol for personal protection but this is too much.
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Given how poor pistol calibers are for making physiological stops and given the reasoning often that most people would choose a long gun over a pistol for home defense sort of personal protection, a rifle a better choice for personal protection.

What's not to get? They are media whores.
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It wasn't too many years ago that many such people were seen a "patriots" who were standing up for our rights.

I believe Open Carry Texas and MDA are working together to accomplish the same goals.

Both are protesting in businesses and both are getting firearms banned. They are one in the same and working as a team. Grisham has to be an Anti-Gun activist. Nobody can do the damage he has done and continue to do so unless that is his ultimate goal.
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So how do you promote open carry without open carrying? Interesting problem.

I am a fan of open carry. I am a fan of property rights as well, especially given that I am a property owner. I do think these guys are doing it wrong, but how do you do it right?
 
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