If you carry, then stay safe

Editorials

Discussion

November 26, 2012

If you carry, then stay safe

Anonymous Staff The Tahlequah Daily Press Mon Nov 26, 2012, 09:42 AM CST

TAHLEQUAH — A couple of weeks ago, Oklahoma’s new “open carry” firearms law went into effect. And while there’s been a bit of hullabaloo in some quarters, the law hasn’t changed that much from its original status. Now, instead of carrying a concealed weapon, Okies and their licensed friends and family from other states can carry them in holsters or over their shoulders. Indeed, several business owners have told the Press they’d prefer to “see” the guns rather than wonder if each customer has one hidden.

Senate Bill 1733 strikes the word “concealed” from the original text. In general, carrying a loaded or unloaded weapon is still illegal, unless the carrier has a state-issued handgun license. Business and property owners can also carry guns openly on their own property, and they can prohibit others from carrying guns onto that same property. That latter stipulation has met with objections of some local gun owners, who believe if they have the license and latitude to carry guns, they should be able to carry them anywhere they choose. That’s a puzzling attitude. Many people who pushed for the ability to carry guns, either openly or concealed, did so because they believed it was a matter of personal liberty – a freedom they are granted and guaranteed by the Second Amendment.

If “freedom” and “liberty” are the buzz words , it seems logical they would apply to a business owner who would prefer his customers not be packing. After all, if an entrepreneur can make the demand of “no shirt, no shoes, no entry,” why can he not refuse service on the basis of gun possession? And though businesses don’t technically have to put up a sign to ban firearms, it’s prudent and courteous to customers to make that policy plain. Some gun owners have said they won’t do business in a place where their weapons aren’t welcome. In tit for tat fashion, others say they won’t enter a store where firearms are allowed. For many business owners, it’s a no-win scenario.

There are other places where firearms are banned. While some gun owners don’t like it, others see the wisdom of prohibiting guns at venues where tempers are likely to flare, or where large crowds could lead to mayhem, even if the one brandishing the weapon is among the most responsible and best-trained individuals. These include city, state and federal buildings, and places where governmental bodies or entities meet or conduct business; school properties and school buses; bars, taverns and clubs where drinking is the primary endeavor; professional sporting events or gambling venues; and colleges, universities and tech centers, except under certain circumstances.

The ability to carry guns is always going to be a hot-button issue - even in a state like Oklahoma, where most people have guns, and where a solid percentage of those who own them believe they should have the right to tote them around. But they should also respect the feelings of those who fear the proliferation of guns could be a recipe for trouble, and who can readily refute those who claim that if every law-abiding citizen carried a gun, we’d all be safer.

The public can only ask what is reasonable: that respect be accorded to all people for divergent opinions, and those who carry guns be careful with this privilege. There are stories of well-meaning people whose own weapons have been turned against them. Let’s everyone do their part to make sure we’re all safe.

Text Only

Editorials

Something for the kids to do this summer
Now that school’s out for the summer, many Cherokee County parents struggle with the question of what to do with their children. It’s a dilemma most of us share at one time or another, unless we don’t work outside the home, or get our summers off, for the most part.

June 17, 2013
Tax cut? Don’t bet the farm
Oklahoma taxpayers who think Gov. Mary Fallin did them a favor by signing into law the new tax cut measure ought to do a little math, and then think again. As usual, the state’s playing that ages-old game known as “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

June 5, 2013
Should we help them, or not?
The U.S. taxpayers may have gotten lucky. It appears congressional approval for a new infusion of disaster relief funds may not be needed for the May 20 tornado that devastated Moore, because some of the money left over from Hurricane Sandy is being put to good use in Oklahoma.

June 3, 2013
Treasures: Resale shops a boon for community
Tahlequah has at least five resale shops connected to worthy nonprofit or not-for-profit endeavors, and Saturday, local residents unfamiliar with their inventories will get a peek at them, all at one location.

May 31, 2013
Facebook good for posting future events
With more and more Daily Press readers using our Facebook page as a supplemental way to get information to the public, another explanation on how to streamline the process seems in order. Here, brevity is the key.

May 29, 2013
Give the teachers what they deserve
When is the demonization of the teachers of this state going to stop? How many sacrifices do teachers have to make before the public realizes the anti-educator campaign is completely baseless, initiated by a small group of malcontents looking for someone to blame for society’s ills or the failures of their own offspring?

May 24, 2013
Welcoming our visitors to town
In just a few days, visitors will be pouring into Cherokee County, as the Memorial Day weekend officially ushers in the local tourist season. For some of us, that means it’s time to batten down the hatches; for others, it’s time for the cash registers to start ringing.

May 20, 2013
Phone record debacle an insult to press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.

May 17, 2013
Punishing the animal dumpers
Animal dumping is not a problem unique to Cherokee County, but anyone who’s been keeping up with current events for the past decade or so will acknowledge it’s especially prevalent here.

May 13, 2013
Openness on AG the right course
It takes courage to admit to a serious mistake or a personal lapse, especially when the nature of the situation may call for a public mea culpa.

May 10, 2013
More Editorials Headlines

Where do you think bicycle trails are most needed in Cherokee County?

Editorials

Search Results

Discussion

If you carry, then stay safe

Where do you think bicycle trails are most needed in Cherokee County?

Site Map

Contact Us