RECCE ROOM

When Tennessee joined over 40 other states in allowing HCP holders to carry in restaurants, the liberals and the media cried out that blood would flow in the streets, and that there would be wild-west stye shootouts and such. A few even tried to say that Tennessee's tourism industry would be harmed by allowing HCP holders to carry in restaurants. The media always pointed to bars - which is funny, because according to state law, TN does not allow for bars - but rather for restaurants that also have a license to sell alcohol by the drink. Of course, we knew this would not be the case, there was proof from other states already. Well, it seems that the TN tourism industry has not been hurt by the carry law.

When Tennessee started allowing guns in restaurants that serve alcohol (including, by default, bars - as Tennessee doesn't distinguish), liberals and anti-gunners said that the streets would flow with blood. It never happened. Friday, a similar law took effect in Ohio. Naturally, there were similar sentiments from the anti-gun crowd. Of course, there were stories about it, too. And as could be predicted, nothing changed. Props to Fox for pointing out in this article that: 1. 42 other states also have similar laws. 2. CCW holders must refrain from drinking while carrying. Most liberal outlets refrain from pointing those things out.

Now we have proof: Link to article : Gun crimes in VA have dropped since concealed carry was legalized in establishments serving alcohol.

An enraged man entered a restaurant and shot and killed his girlfriend - a waitress at the restaurant. Link to story . Another link . The man was shot by a restaurant patron, who was legally concealed-carrying a pistol. The criminal then went outside and fatally shot himself in the head, ending the fight. The local Sheriff will not be pressing charges against the patron, who acted in self defense. That patron was shot in the abdomen, but has been treated and is expected to make a full recovery. Lessons learned: I guess guns in restaurants that serve alcohol does work! Landry's restaurant ( map ) is a chain that serves alcohol. Here's their menu - offering mai tai's . Obviously, the good guy wasn't drinking and carrying. Bad guys don't care about restraining orders. Bad guys who are not allowed to carry guns (like when they have restraining orders against them) still carry guns. Criminals in general do not obey laws (hence the reason they are crimina...

Ohio just passed legislation, allowing their Concealed Carry Permit holders to carry in bars and other establishments that serve alcohol, provided the carry permit holder does not drink. Of course, the liberal media is going haywire. Of course, the streets have yet to see a drop of blood shed from carry permit holders in drunken rages. Link to a nifty article on it. Thanks to Say Uncle for the lead.

Nashville attorney David Randolph Smith just won't give up on "Guns in Restaurants." Link to article . Here are some facts: the actions of the legislature did not create a new law that could be challenged. They removed a restriction in the law. Now that part of the law (prohibiting HCP holders from carrying in restaurants that serve alcohol) no longer exists.  Hard to challenge a law in court that does not exist. That would be like forcing the courts to create a law - which is clearly the role of the legislature, not the courts. This is what the legislature should have done in 2009 - but the Republicans compromised with the Democrats. Republicans on all levels are always compromising with Democrats, with no compromise in return. This is a lesson in politics, too.

Last year, I wrote a bit about an organization called " Guns and Alcohol Don't Mix ." This group was adamantly opposed to Tennessee coming into the mainstream and allowing HCP holders to carry in restaurants. That group never picked up steam, and it fizzled after an activist judge ruled our law unconstitutional . Well, they are back. Now, they call themselves " Gun Free Dining Tennessee ." Of course, the new group alleges it just started up, and has no ties to the old one. But it's all the same - same people, same lawyer, same web host, same looking website. One bit of good from all this: you can use their website to see which restaurants do not stand for your 2A rights. This can help prevent wasting gas by driving to a restaurant that clearly does not want your business! Even though some of the restaurants that claim to post, don't actually post.  I wondered aloud to a friend why they chose "Gun Free Dining Tennessee" as a name. ...

So says the State Inspector . Of course, opposing counsel plans "many appeals."

The gun forums have had chatter about a Nashville group that has been trying to get restaurants to post handgun carry prohibiting signs. The allegations are that the group has been saying restaurants are required by law to post these signs, when that is not true at all. The group in question has some dubious ties to a group I have written about before - "Guns and alcohol don't mix." Both groups operate under false assumptions and scare tactics. Both groups are anti-2A to be sure.

If I were a liberal lawyer , who had an anti-gun agenda, and I was disappointed with the law in Tennessee being changed to allow HCP holders to carry in restaurants that serve alcohol (provided they do not drink), how would I respond ? I would first wait a bit after the law. Especially if I challenged the last one right out of the gates. After everything died down - especially major national news stories - I would get more publicity, and might be able to sway more public opinion. It would also prevent me from looking blatantly anti-gun in a gun-loving state. I would not challenge this law outright. The Senate Bill actually removed a portion of TCA. I could challenge an addition as being unconstitutional, but that's hard to prove when a law has been removed . Given these circumstances, I would look for an alternate method of making my desires into case law. Like challenging based on occupational safety hazards. I would find someone who has been "harmed" by the law. Whe...

It has been over a month since the Tennessee Legislature passed the law allowing HCP holders to carry in establishments serving alcohol, provided they do not drink. Not one story yet of wild-west style shoot-outs, HCP holders killing innocent women and children, or any of the sort. Also, no stories on folks getting mugged on the way to their car, either. Funny - I guess the criminals prefer not to get shot.

Several times in the last two weeks, I've found several restaurants that have posted against allowing Handgun Carry Permit holders from carrying in their establishments. That is not the most curious part. The most curious part is this... of the restaurants I found, most of the signs were small, off to the side, and generally difficult to see. One blended in so well with the background that it was almost completely invisible from the outside. Now part of Tennessee law states that for these signs to have legal "teeth," they must be "plainly visible." If a restaurant owner or manager is clearly anti-gun, why not be so openly? Why hide the sign in such a cowardly manner? I visited the Crow's Nest in Nashville, and the sign was open, prominent, and clearly stated the owner is anti-gun. But the other two restaurants all but hid their signs. I wonder what underhanded purpose they have in doing so?

This map can be found at one of the websites I have listed on the side here - www.opencarry.org. As you can clearly see, carrying in a restaurant that serves alcohol is legal in the vast majority of states. IL does not permit carry by citizens at all, and WI only allows open carry in certain situations, so neither state should even count as prohibiting, as they have no direct law forbidding the carry of firearms specifically in restaurants that serve alcohol. I find a bit of humor in the fact that AK and AZ require handgun carrying citizens to Carry concealed in establishments serving alcohol. At the same time, MT and VA require open carry into the same sort of restaurants. This seems to be a bit of a dichotomy. Please note that most states require the carrying person to avoid drinking while carrying. A couple of states will allow one drink. At least one state determines the carrying party may drink while carrying - provided their BAC (Blood-Alcohol Content) does not exceed the legal l...

Tonight, approximately one hour ago, the Tennessee House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to override Governor Bredesen's veto of SB 3012. If this is the first thing you've ever read on this blog, let me mention that SB 3012 provides that a Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit holder may carry in a restaurant that serves alcohol, provided the HCP holder does not drink. The bill provides additional penalties for carrying and drinking that were not law prior to its passage. The law goes into effect immediately, "the public welfare requiring it," according to the way it is worded. However, some say it is unwise to carry into an alcohol-serving establishment until the document is written up and filed into law. I say carry concealed and it won't be a problem. Prediction: many media outlets will call this the "guns in bars" bill. Why? Tennessee law does not provide for the existence of bars. There are restaurants, and restaurants licensed to serve alcohol. Th...

The veto override vote of SB 3012 was put on notice today. The State legislature convenes tomorrow and is expected to clearly and overwhelmingly override our misguided Governor's veto of the legislation. SB 3012 for those that have not read this blog lately, is the bill that would allow Tennessee Handgun Carry permit holders to carry in restaurants serving alcohol, provided they do not drink and carry at the same time. Passage of such a bill would bring Tennessee's laws current with 42 other states that allow the same. Even liberal bastions NY, CA, and HI all allow such. According to the wording of the bill, it becomes law upon signing. That means I can carry when I go out to eat this weekend. My wife will, too.

Right Minded has a " Quote Du Jour " Section - "Quote of the Day for the French-impaired (aren't most French impaired?). I don't find enough to warrant a section on it for this blog, but that doesn't mean I don't see them now and again. My Quote of the Day: "I agree with him (Governor Bredesen) guns and alcohol don't mix - I'd never put alcohol in my guns or guns in alcohol." - Poster "tnhawk" on The Tennessee Gun Owner's Forum.

This blog article is one worth reading. It was written by Nikki Goeser. Mrs. Goeser and her husband were leaving a restaurant a few years ago. They were assaulted and her husband was killed. She was a HCP holder, but because of Tennessee's asinine state law, she was not allowed to bring her gun with her into the restaurant, because the place served alcohol. Consequently, she did not have the gun with her as she left. She was unable to prevent her husband from being killed in the attack. This is the reason for restaurant carry - to protect ourselves entering and leaving the establishment. I even agree with the anti-gun crowd that an assault inside the restaurant is highly unlikely. But nobody in their right mind can disagree with the facts of what happened to Mrs. Goeser. And what if that unlikely event happens? Having an equalizer sure would be nice, huh? Folks thought I was crazy several years ago when I said I wanted a house on a hill so it wouldn't flood. Now they think I wa...

Today, as expected, Governor Bredesen vetoed HB 3025 - restaurant carry - on the last day he could legally do so. Though specifics are scarce, it is presumed a staff member or aide delivered the vetoed document to the legislature today. Lieutenant Governor, and (therefore) Speaker of the Senate (and Gubernatorial candidate) Ron Ramsey stated today that the veto will be over-ridden and become law next week. Judging from the language used by the Governor in his veto it becomes apparent that Gov. Bredesen, like Attorney General Eric Holder did with AZ's immigration law, failed to actually READ the legislation before offering his opinion. Bredesen said in his veto: "I believe a basic and effective rule of gun safety is one I was first taught at [an NRA] - sponsored gun safety class almost fifty years ago: ' Guns and Alcohol do not mix. '" Mr. Governor, HB 3025 makes no provision whatsoever for the mixing of guns and alcohol. In fact, it provides for more punishment...

Tomorrow is the last day Governor Bredesen could have vetoed HB3125 - allowing HCP holders to carry in restaurants serving alcohol - providing they do not drink. As of the time of this blog, a vetoed copy has NOT made it to the State House of Representatives. There's a really good chance we get restaurant carry back at 12:00 midnight tomorrow night. How long until Rayburn and crew sue? How much longer until another liberal activist judge strikes the law down???

Tennessee HB 3125 passed the Tennessee State House of Representatives last week, by a more than 2:1 margin. It was amended to conform to SB 3012, which had been passed by the State Senate earlier. This bill allows Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit holders to carry in restaurants that serve alcohol. As a side note that I beat to death last year, Tennessee does not recognize bars. There are restaurants and restaurants licensed to sell alcohol by the drink. Technically speaking, it is illegal for any establishment to derive more than 50% of its revenue from alcohol sales. Many establishments violate that law daily and without punishment. This bill is good, but it is flawed. There are three amendments stuck to it that make the language vague (perhaps unconstitutionally so, as with last year's bill). It removed the prohibition against carrying in an alcohol-serving establishment. It also added: Amendment 1 - among other things, this amendment allows any location to legally post with a circ...