This past week I had an interesting experience while visiting my son in Madison, WI. We went out for dinner, and as we entered the restaurant I saw the "No firearms allowed" sign in the window (I was not carrying), so I asked to speak with the manager.
I asked him why the sign was there, since he surely knew that a criminal, intent on doing harm, was not going to obey the sign, and that all the sign accomplishes is to discourage lawfully carrying patrons from being prepared to defend themselves and others should the need arise. He seemed really confused, stating several times that the sign was intended to keep guns out of the restaurant, thus making it "safer" for everyone. I again asked him if he really believed that the sign would stop a criminal, and he hemmed and hawed and then said, "well, having a no gun policy makes the customers feel safer, knowing that the person sitting at the next table is not carrying a loaded gun". So I again asked him, what is more important, actual safety, i.e., where law abiding citizens are able to stop a criminal, or the false perception of safety of having everyone make believe that a sign stops thugs were coming into the restaurant? He just kept repeating, it makes customers feel safer.
I also asked him if he was aware that most of the multiple-shooting incidents that have occurred in recent years have taken place is supposedly safe, "gun-free" zones, and that this might not be a coincidence. Maybe criminals actively choose such settings, hoping to be able to create mayhem unopposed. He did not respond to this comment at all.
I ended the conversation by telling him that I can legally carry in his state, and that had I been armed I would have obeyed his sign and taken the family to another restaurant. That didn't seem to faze him at all.
What was really discouraging about the whole incident was that my son, who is in law enforcement, seems to agree with this manager that having a "no guns allowed" policy makes him, and likely other customers "feel" safer. Amazing and sad.
