fullauto223cal
Regular Member
imported post
[align=center]QUESTIONED AT KROGER
[/align] After leaving my second job on Sunday October 7[sup]th[/sup] I met my wife Sarah at home, changed clothes, and left to run errands. The last thing we did was swing into Kroger Lynnwood on North Parkway here in Jackson to pick up a few groceries. As is 90% of the time, whenever I go out I carry my pistol and it just happened to be one of those days. I had carried in Kroger multiple times in the past with no incident and I had no reason to believe this would be any different.
We were held up in the parking lot in order to jump off another couple's minivan then we headed into the store. Sarah grabbed a shopping cart for ME to push and off we went. I have to admit that Kroger was busier than I had seen it before but it was Sunday after all. After going down each isle and getting to the last one with soft drinks and chips I heard someone behind me ask in a low tone of voice "Excuse me Sir?" She was a middle aged white woman with a Kroger vest and her name badge. "Yes ma'am…" I replied. "Are you a police officer?" she asked. This threw my brain off track as I had just been thinking about what my wife had asked about the chips. After I realized where this lady was going with the question I answered "No…" Thinking she may have been confused by the Handgun Carry badge I wear next to my holster I began to take it off inorder to show her. As I did so she looked down at my sidearm and in a timid tone of voice asked "Then why are you carrying THAT in here?" "I'm licensed to carry by the State" I replied. She cocked her head to one side as if confused and asked "In a Grocery store?" "Yea … anywhere that doesn't serve alcohol, a court house or other Government building" I explained. "I don't think it's allowed in here" she stated in a very sheepish tone, almost like she didn't want to upset me. "I didn't see anything posted when I came in" I replied. "We don't have to" she quipped back. "State law says you do" I quickly anwsered but then I turned the tables and asked her if she "would you rather me leave it in my vehicle where someone could steal it; where it would most likely be used in a crime." At this point she didn't seem to have an answer and as she turned to walk away she said "I just don't think you should have it in here…"
Sarah was taken aback by the conversation; she just recently received her permit and is scared to death of situations like this. When the lady first asked me about my law enforcement status I could see Sarah pulling herself away from the situation. I don't know if the Kroger employee was told to say something to me or if she did it out of curiosity. I do know that there was no sign prohibiting customers from carrying firearms which is required according to Tennessee Law Section 39-17-1315(b)(2): An individual, corporation, business entity or governmental entity or agent thereof is authorized to prohibit possession of weapons by any person otherwise authorized by this subsection (b), at meetings conducted by, or on premises owned, operated, managed or under control of the individual, corporation, business entity or governmental entity. Notice of the prohibition shall be posted or announced.
I don't know if she had the authority but she didn't ask me to leave and had she done so I would have complied; leaving them a full cart in their isle and my money in my wallet. In hind sight I wish she would continued the conversation as the encounter was a teachable moment. Her opinion was that firearms shouldn't be allowed in a grocery store but what reason would lead to this conclusion? Does violent crime not happen in grocery stores? Are Kroger customers somehow immune from victimization coming from and going to their vehicle? The answers to these questions are self evident; criminals can commit acts of violence at any time and at any place however they so choose. I therefore exercise my right to carry at any time and at any place and in the manner in which I so choose within the confines of the law.
I suspect the real issue which drove her to confront me was that I was wearing it in plain sight. (I'm not shy about open carry) She is what I have come to consider a gun bigot or a person who is obstinately devoted to prejudices even when these views are challenged or proven to be false. Just as a racial bigot assumes that a person is a danger based on his or her skin color. Her prejudice is that a person carrying a pistol outside of law enforcement is a danger to others. The facts would show this to be patently false but her devotion to this prejudice was shown by her choosing to confronting me. A dangerous person, intent on doing harm to another, would not carry a weapon in the open. A dangerous person would not have addressed her as respectfully as she was. Those who legally carry wish to never have to employ deadly force but simultaneously prepare for the day when they may be forced to. Her opinion was misguided and uninformed but the old saying goes, opinions are like butts, everybody has one.
Lastly, I do not intend to stop carrying my sidearm into Kroger unless they post a warning or actually ask me to leave. When they do so Wal-Mart isn't far away and they have never made an issue of legally armed customers.
[align=center]QUESTIONED AT KROGER
[/align] After leaving my second job on Sunday October 7[sup]th[/sup] I met my wife Sarah at home, changed clothes, and left to run errands. The last thing we did was swing into Kroger Lynnwood on North Parkway here in Jackson to pick up a few groceries. As is 90% of the time, whenever I go out I carry my pistol and it just happened to be one of those days. I had carried in Kroger multiple times in the past with no incident and I had no reason to believe this would be any different.
We were held up in the parking lot in order to jump off another couple's minivan then we headed into the store. Sarah grabbed a shopping cart for ME to push and off we went. I have to admit that Kroger was busier than I had seen it before but it was Sunday after all. After going down each isle and getting to the last one with soft drinks and chips I heard someone behind me ask in a low tone of voice "Excuse me Sir?" She was a middle aged white woman with a Kroger vest and her name badge. "Yes ma'am…" I replied. "Are you a police officer?" she asked. This threw my brain off track as I had just been thinking about what my wife had asked about the chips. After I realized where this lady was going with the question I answered "No…" Thinking she may have been confused by the Handgun Carry badge I wear next to my holster I began to take it off inorder to show her. As I did so she looked down at my sidearm and in a timid tone of voice asked "Then why are you carrying THAT in here?" "I'm licensed to carry by the State" I replied. She cocked her head to one side as if confused and asked "In a Grocery store?" "Yea … anywhere that doesn't serve alcohol, a court house or other Government building" I explained. "I don't think it's allowed in here" she stated in a very sheepish tone, almost like she didn't want to upset me. "I didn't see anything posted when I came in" I replied. "We don't have to" she quipped back. "State law says you do" I quickly anwsered but then I turned the tables and asked her if she "would you rather me leave it in my vehicle where someone could steal it; where it would most likely be used in a crime." At this point she didn't seem to have an answer and as she turned to walk away she said "I just don't think you should have it in here…"
Sarah was taken aback by the conversation; she just recently received her permit and is scared to death of situations like this. When the lady first asked me about my law enforcement status I could see Sarah pulling herself away from the situation. I don't know if the Kroger employee was told to say something to me or if she did it out of curiosity. I do know that there was no sign prohibiting customers from carrying firearms which is required according to Tennessee Law Section 39-17-1315(b)(2): An individual, corporation, business entity or governmental entity or agent thereof is authorized to prohibit possession of weapons by any person otherwise authorized by this subsection (b), at meetings conducted by, or on premises owned, operated, managed or under control of the individual, corporation, business entity or governmental entity. Notice of the prohibition shall be posted or announced.
I don't know if she had the authority but she didn't ask me to leave and had she done so I would have complied; leaving them a full cart in their isle and my money in my wallet. In hind sight I wish she would continued the conversation as the encounter was a teachable moment. Her opinion was that firearms shouldn't be allowed in a grocery store but what reason would lead to this conclusion? Does violent crime not happen in grocery stores? Are Kroger customers somehow immune from victimization coming from and going to their vehicle? The answers to these questions are self evident; criminals can commit acts of violence at any time and at any place however they so choose. I therefore exercise my right to carry at any time and at any place and in the manner in which I so choose within the confines of the law.
I suspect the real issue which drove her to confront me was that I was wearing it in plain sight. (I'm not shy about open carry) She is what I have come to consider a gun bigot or a person who is obstinately devoted to prejudices even when these views are challenged or proven to be false. Just as a racial bigot assumes that a person is a danger based on his or her skin color. Her prejudice is that a person carrying a pistol outside of law enforcement is a danger to others. The facts would show this to be patently false but her devotion to this prejudice was shown by her choosing to confronting me. A dangerous person, intent on doing harm to another, would not carry a weapon in the open. A dangerous person would not have addressed her as respectfully as she was. Those who legally carry wish to never have to employ deadly force but simultaneously prepare for the day when they may be forced to. Her opinion was misguided and uninformed but the old saying goes, opinions are like butts, everybody has one.
Lastly, I do not intend to stop carrying my sidearm into Kroger unless they post a warning or actually ask me to leave. When they do so Wal-Mart isn't far away and they have never made an issue of legally armed customers.