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Status:
"Smartened up and walked away!"
(set 27 days ago)
11,786 posts, read 5,795,007 times
Reputation: 14208
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Update - there' s more to the story as there always is - response from owner - and yes - I would have asked him to leave to given the previous circumstances:
"Unfortunately, we have been besieged with a misrepresentation of the facts regarding the incident with the National Guardsman, Mr. Welch, at one of LexiDan Foods Waffle House establishments. The facts are simple. We do have a policy posted on our Waffle House franchise buildings stating our policy in permitting firearms in our buildings. We normally are very loose on how we enforce that policy in terms of the military. However, on this particular incident, two facts have not been reported accurately that facilitated the situation with Mr. Welch. First, he was an active participant in a fight on the premises several weeks prior to September 27th. He was restrained and taken off the premises by off-duty police officers that were eating in the restaurant at the time. The second item not reported accurately was the time the most recent incident occurred, 2AM. We have associates who have to make snap decisions on our third shifts to provide for their own safety and the safety of our customers. Our associates decided because of Mr. Welch's recent altercation, which they witnessed, it was in their best interest at 2 AM to ask Mr. Welch to leave his firearm in his vehicle. Mr. Welch decided to leave. We still tried to garner his business at that point. I am supportive of my team's decision. I was not there and will not judge their decision making after the fact. If this incident occurred at 10am in the morning and Mr. Welch had not been involved in a previous fight I'm sure the outcome would have been different. I feel Lex 18 did not do due diligence in their reporting. We are highly supportive of all our military branches and especially supportive of our veterans. I hope this provides some clarification on the matter. Thank you for taking the time to read this and understanding that in any business, judgment decisions have to be made to provide for the safety of our associates and customers."
Why would this guy need to carry a sidearm? I see military personnel in restaurants all the time, I have never seen one armed. IMO he should have left his gun at home.
For the same reason you put a seat belt on when you get in a car. Military personnel are now potential targets of terrorists, I really can't blame him. Don't be surprised if in the future they are all armed, one more Fort Hood and I can can almost guarantee they will be.
Update - there' s more to the story as there always is - response from owner - and yes - I would have asked him to leave to given the previous circumstances:
"Unfortunately, we have been besieged with a misrepresentation of the facts regarding the incident with the National Guardsman, Mr. Welch, at one of LexiDan Foods Waffle House establishments. The facts are simple. We do have a policy posted on our Waffle House franchise buildings stating our policy in permitting firearms in our buildings. We normally are very loose on how we enforce that policy in terms of the military. However, on this particular incident, two facts have not been reported accurately that facilitated the situation with Mr. Welch. First, he was an active participant in a fight on the premises several weeks prior to September 27th. He was restrained and taken off the premises by off-duty police officers that were eating in the restaurant at the time. The second item not reported accurately was the time the most recent incident occurred, 2AM. We have associates who have to make snap decisions on our third shifts to provide for their own safety and the safety of our customers. Our associates decided because of Mr. Welch's recent altercation, which they witnessed, it was in their best interest at 2 AM to ask Mr. Welch to leave his firearm in his vehicle. Mr. Welch decided to leave. We still tried to garner his business at that point. I am supportive of my team's decision. I was not there and will not judge their decision making after the fact. If this incident occurred at 10am in the morning and Mr. Welch had not been involved in a previous fight I'm sure the outcome would have been different. I feel Lex 18 did not do due diligence in their reporting. We are highly supportive of all our military branches and especially supportive of our veterans. I hope this provides some clarification on the matter. Thank you for taking the time to read this and understanding that in any business, judgment decisions have to be made to provide for the safety of our associates and customers."
Ah, the truth comes out! Bolded that part to help out the people who won't read it all the way through but will comment on it regardless.
It's either private property or not. They can either deny a constitutional right or not. Explain to me why they have the "right" to deny this constitutional right to bear arms, yet MUST serve someone even though it goes against the company's constitutional right to practice their religion freely.
What about my right to eat in a restaurant without having to worry about some yahoo sitting next to me rubbing his gun?
It's either private property or not. They can either deny a constitutional right or not. Explain to me why they have the "right" to deny this constitutional right to bear arms, yet MUST serve someone even though it goes against the company's constitutional right to practice their religion freely.
Funny how that works isn't it? You can't deny a gay person but you can deny someone exercising a right specifically spelled out in the Constitution.
My position on this has always been consistent, it's private property and how the owner conducts their business is up to them. If they want to deny gay people, it's their right as far as I'm concerned. If they want to deny people armed, so be it.
You liberals crack me up. Funny, you DON'T think the restaurant would have a right to dictate policy and refuse to make wedding cakes for a gay couple. Ah, the hypocrisy......
You don't leave a weapon in a car in particular if someone knows you just put it there. That's how they get stolen. Carrying a gun is a huge responsibility, it's actually a PITA... sometimes literally.
Waffle House is entitled to their no gun policy but if they are going to be refusing service to armed military personnel then let the whole world know.
It is incumbent upon the weapon holder to educate himself of those locations where he will be accepted; not the other way around. It's called "onus of responsibility".
Funny how that works isn't it? You can't deny a gay person but you can deny someone exercising a right specifically spelled out in the Constitution.
My position on this has always been consistent, it's private property and how the owner conducts their business is up to them. If they want to deny gay people, it's their right as far as I'm concerned. If they want to deny people armed, so be it.
READ THE STORY just posted. They HAVE let armed military eat in this restaurant previously. They told THIS ONE to take his gun out because a week before he had been in a fight in the place and had to be restrained by off-duty cops who were eating there. It was about this particular hot-headed man, not any desire to take away your rights.
It is incumbent upon the weapon holder to educate himself of those locations where he will be accepted; not the other way around. It's called "onus of responsibility".
If Waffle House wants to deny armed military personnel service that's fine with me, they should put a giant sign in the window. No Guns!
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