Chicago Criminal lawyer comments on the open carrying of side arms

Earlier this morning, this Chicago Criminal lawyer was in Starbucks and talked to the barista about his thoughts on the company’s position on side arms being admitted into the store openly. His eyes got huge and he had no idea what I was talking about. That in and of itself is intriguing because believe it or not, most states permit "open carry".



March 8, New York, New York

For years, being able to carry a concealed handgun has been a sacred right for many gun enthusiasts. In defending it, Charlton Heston, the actor and former president of the National Rifle Association, used to say that the flock is safer when the wolves cannot tell the difference between the lions and the lambs.

But a grass-roots effort among some gun rights advocates is shifting attention to a different goal: exercising the right to carry unconcealed weapons in the 38 or more states that have so-called open-carry laws allowing guns to be carried in public view with little or no restrictions. The movement is not only raising alarm among gun control proponents but also exposing rifts among gun rights advocates.

The call for gun owners to carry their guns openly in the normal course of business first drew broad attention last summer, when opponents of the Obama administration’s health care overhaul began appearing at town-hall-style meetings wearing side arms. But in recent weeks, the practice has expanded as gun owners in California and other states that allow guns to be openly carried have tested the law by showing up at so-called meet-ups, in which gun owners appear at Starbucks, pizza parlors and other businesses openly bearing their weapons.

Illinois is not an “open-carry” state. So please don’t show up at the local Starbucks wearing your sidearm.