lastblack80
New member
I have been to the same Regal Theatre four times now and have open carried every time. Here in Washington only private businesses can ask you to leave i.e. mom and pop shops. Any place that is considered a major corporation like starbucks can't keep you from coming in.
Well just after the trailers of tonights movie I was approached and asked if I was carrying a weapon. I said yes I was, and the gentleman (some supervisor) told me I was breaking the law and could not carry in a theatre. I chuckled and told him there was no such law in Washington and that he should read the RCW (Revised Code of Washington). He then tried the whole "well this is private property", which I then told him that it wasn't and that if this was regal's rule they should post it. He said it was posted and took me out to the lobby to see it.
On a very small rules panel in the corner of the lobby was a 1 inch by 3 inch paragraph stating the weapons where not permitted in the theater. I told him and the manager (once she arrived) that this small little paragraph posted in the corner doesn't make it a law.
They called 911, I called the non-Emergancy line and told them that they were about to get a call on me and that I was breaking no law, that my weapon was holstered, and that I would be outside in front of the building waiting for the officers. Last thing I needed was them rolling code to a "gunman at a theatre".
When the officer arrived he was very friendly and even laughed about how ignorant the employees of regal were being. He said that I was breaking no law and that yes in fact they could not keep me from entering but they could refuse me service. I laughed and said thats fine, but I was still upset that my rights were being taken away from me due to their fear and ignorance. He did have to ask for my weapon while he talked to the manager. After that he then asked me to leave, and this is were it got REALLY stupid.
Because there were five employees standing around me in a circle (trying to intimidate me I guess) when the officer arrived at the scene it was now perceived as a public threat and/or endangerment. And because I was the one with a firearm, I was the threat. So I was told I had to leave or go place my weapon in my vehicle if I wanted to watch the movie (yeah the one that had started playing 20 mins ago). I was shocked. I was the one being persecuted and I never did anything wrong. During the time I was standing alone and the officer talked to the regal employees a group of people approached me and shook my hand and thanked me for standing up and protecting our rights and being willing to protect movie goers.
Now doesn't that beat all. The theatre company doesn't want to be the next victim of some crazy guy so their knee jerk reaction is to ban all firearms from their buildings. Instead of letting law abiding citizens put themselves on the line and openly carry.
The officer told me "next time just conceal it" which is fine but why can't I openly carry? Is the public so scared that the sight of any gun(except for police officers) causes a panic? Or is the public just happy in their ignorance and shocked when something bad happens?
At the end the officer told the manager that in fact I could carry there and that because they had caused a scene I was leaving. It felt good to know the cop understood the situation and he even said he would do the same after all this craziness has been going on, just concealed.
Wake up America, a stupid uneducated people are no better off then animals locked up in cages. Know your rights, read the laws that you vote on. And for God's sake learn that if you really want peace of mind and the secure feeling, you have to be willing and able to defend yourself and your rights.
Well just after the trailers of tonights movie I was approached and asked if I was carrying a weapon. I said yes I was, and the gentleman (some supervisor) told me I was breaking the law and could not carry in a theatre. I chuckled and told him there was no such law in Washington and that he should read the RCW (Revised Code of Washington). He then tried the whole "well this is private property", which I then told him that it wasn't and that if this was regal's rule they should post it. He said it was posted and took me out to the lobby to see it.
On a very small rules panel in the corner of the lobby was a 1 inch by 3 inch paragraph stating the weapons where not permitted in the theater. I told him and the manager (once she arrived) that this small little paragraph posted in the corner doesn't make it a law.
They called 911, I called the non-Emergancy line and told them that they were about to get a call on me and that I was breaking no law, that my weapon was holstered, and that I would be outside in front of the building waiting for the officers. Last thing I needed was them rolling code to a "gunman at a theatre".
When the officer arrived he was very friendly and even laughed about how ignorant the employees of regal were being. He said that I was breaking no law and that yes in fact they could not keep me from entering but they could refuse me service. I laughed and said thats fine, but I was still upset that my rights were being taken away from me due to their fear and ignorance. He did have to ask for my weapon while he talked to the manager. After that he then asked me to leave, and this is were it got REALLY stupid.
Because there were five employees standing around me in a circle (trying to intimidate me I guess) when the officer arrived at the scene it was now perceived as a public threat and/or endangerment. And because I was the one with a firearm, I was the threat. So I was told I had to leave or go place my weapon in my vehicle if I wanted to watch the movie (yeah the one that had started playing 20 mins ago). I was shocked. I was the one being persecuted and I never did anything wrong. During the time I was standing alone and the officer talked to the regal employees a group of people approached me and shook my hand and thanked me for standing up and protecting our rights and being willing to protect movie goers.
Now doesn't that beat all. The theatre company doesn't want to be the next victim of some crazy guy so their knee jerk reaction is to ban all firearms from their buildings. Instead of letting law abiding citizens put themselves on the line and openly carry.
The officer told me "next time just conceal it" which is fine but why can't I openly carry? Is the public so scared that the sight of any gun(except for police officers) causes a panic? Or is the public just happy in their ignorance and shocked when something bad happens?
At the end the officer told the manager that in fact I could carry there and that because they had caused a scene I was leaving. It felt good to know the cop understood the situation and he even said he would do the same after all this craziness has been going on, just concealed.
Wake up America, a stupid uneducated people are no better off then animals locked up in cages. Know your rights, read the laws that you vote on. And for God's sake learn that if you really want peace of mind and the secure feeling, you have to be willing and able to defend yourself and your rights.