TechnoWeenie
Regular Member
imported post
This one was actually quite funny...
After the meet, I helped mainsail with some car stuff, then headed over to the Best Buy at the mall...
Knowing Westfield is an australian company, and COMLETELY against firearms, I surmised that they forbade weapons, but there was no signage or anything to indicate such intentions, so I entered.
After walking about Best Buy for a bit, with no problems, I wandered out into the mall proper. Shortly after, I noticed a security guard walking briskly behind me, as if to keep up, I then noticed an older security guard standing to my strong side, about 30' ahead.. As I was about 10' away, I nodded and rhetorically asked 'how's it goin' ?', he answered a very brisk 'fine', then immediately positioned himself in front of me as if to engage in a deeper conversation, where he apologetically asked if I was a law enforcement officer. I replied that I was not, and asked him there were any issues, and he said that ONLY law enforcement officers can carry in the mall, and that I was breaking the rules. I was telling him that there weren't any signs, and that I don't patronize businesses that don't support my rights, but I was cut off after the word 'sign' when he rudely interrupted me and told me that it didn't matter, it was private property, and they didn't have to have any sign up, and it didn't matter what 'rights' I had, because I was on private property. At that point, I asked him if he was going to trespass me, which set him back a bit, I also noticed at that time that he had unsnapped his OC holder. He then told me he'd escort me to my vehicle, and asked that I untuck my shirt to cover my firearm, I declined, and told him I was wearing a dress shirt/tie, and you just don't do that, and that too seemed to set him back a bit as if he didn't know how to handle me saying 'no'... I then told him I wanted to go to radio shack, and asked him if he'd come along so I could grab something, he said he'd let me go to radio shack, but then I'd have to leave... He followed me into Radio Shack, tailing behind me, I couldn't find what I needed so I left without making a purchase...
As I was leaving, I told him I don't take it personal, that I understand he's just doing a job, but it was silly to not have the rules posted, and explained that I respect private property rights, and I wouldn't have come in had there been a sign... He handed me a 'code of conduct' sheet, which had a rule barring 'anything that could be used as a weapon....including firearms...'..
Now here's where it gets funny...
As we're walking, I'm reading some of the rules, and he asks... 'Why do you do it? Carry like that? showing your support for the 1st amendment?'
At that point I couldn't believe what I had just heard, and politely informed him that ... 'actually, it's the second amendment, the second amendment is what guarantees the first', and he just stared at me for and gave a silent 'I have no clue WTF you just said, but I'm going to agree so I don't look like an ass' head nod, if you all know what I mean.. I then told him that if he bars anyone from carrying firearms, criminals don't care, and will carry ANYWAY. Which he agreed to, at which point I told him that the mall is 'a target rich environment', which he also agreed with, saying 'I guess you could say that'. I again told him that I understood that he had a job to do, I pointed at the rules and said that a blanket firearm restriction serves no meaningful purpose, and it should be amended to no ILLEGAL firearms, and that I'd have to contact corporate, and that I understood he had no say in the matter as it's a corporate rule...
He was starting to say something, but he recieved a phone call, which he took, and was on the phone for the last minute or so as we walked to the exit. He said 'have a nice day' or something similar, in a genuine fashion, not being sarcastic or anything, when I got to the curb , and walked back inside..
I noticed that he answered his phone 'CAPTAIN' so-and-so...
Security guard, captain?
Late 30's, early 40's maybe..
So funny, yet so sad..
The ONE day I leave my voice recorder at home....
:banghead:
This one was actually quite funny...
After the meet, I helped mainsail with some car stuff, then headed over to the Best Buy at the mall...
Knowing Westfield is an australian company, and COMLETELY against firearms, I surmised that they forbade weapons, but there was no signage or anything to indicate such intentions, so I entered.
After walking about Best Buy for a bit, with no problems, I wandered out into the mall proper. Shortly after, I noticed a security guard walking briskly behind me, as if to keep up, I then noticed an older security guard standing to my strong side, about 30' ahead.. As I was about 10' away, I nodded and rhetorically asked 'how's it goin' ?', he answered a very brisk 'fine', then immediately positioned himself in front of me as if to engage in a deeper conversation, where he apologetically asked if I was a law enforcement officer. I replied that I was not, and asked him there were any issues, and he said that ONLY law enforcement officers can carry in the mall, and that I was breaking the rules. I was telling him that there weren't any signs, and that I don't patronize businesses that don't support my rights, but I was cut off after the word 'sign' when he rudely interrupted me and told me that it didn't matter, it was private property, and they didn't have to have any sign up, and it didn't matter what 'rights' I had, because I was on private property. At that point, I asked him if he was going to trespass me, which set him back a bit, I also noticed at that time that he had unsnapped his OC holder. He then told me he'd escort me to my vehicle, and asked that I untuck my shirt to cover my firearm, I declined, and told him I was wearing a dress shirt/tie, and you just don't do that, and that too seemed to set him back a bit as if he didn't know how to handle me saying 'no'... I then told him I wanted to go to radio shack, and asked him if he'd come along so I could grab something, he said he'd let me go to radio shack, but then I'd have to leave... He followed me into Radio Shack, tailing behind me, I couldn't find what I needed so I left without making a purchase...
As I was leaving, I told him I don't take it personal, that I understand he's just doing a job, but it was silly to not have the rules posted, and explained that I respect private property rights, and I wouldn't have come in had there been a sign... He handed me a 'code of conduct' sheet, which had a rule barring 'anything that could be used as a weapon....including firearms...'..
Now here's where it gets funny...
As we're walking, I'm reading some of the rules, and he asks... 'Why do you do it? Carry like that? showing your support for the 1st amendment?'
At that point I couldn't believe what I had just heard, and politely informed him that ... 'actually, it's the second amendment, the second amendment is what guarantees the first', and he just stared at me for and gave a silent 'I have no clue WTF you just said, but I'm going to agree so I don't look like an ass' head nod, if you all know what I mean.. I then told him that if he bars anyone from carrying firearms, criminals don't care, and will carry ANYWAY. Which he agreed to, at which point I told him that the mall is 'a target rich environment', which he also agreed with, saying 'I guess you could say that'. I again told him that I understood that he had a job to do, I pointed at the rules and said that a blanket firearm restriction serves no meaningful purpose, and it should be amended to no ILLEGAL firearms, and that I'd have to contact corporate, and that I understood he had no say in the matter as it's a corporate rule...
He was starting to say something, but he recieved a phone call, which he took, and was on the phone for the last minute or so as we walked to the exit. He said 'have a nice day' or something similar, in a genuine fashion, not being sarcastic or anything, when I got to the curb , and walked back inside..
I noticed that he answered his phone 'CAPTAIN' so-and-so...
Security guard, captain?
Late 30's, early 40's maybe..
So funny, yet so sad..
The ONE day I leave my voice recorder at home....
:banghead:
