Savage.Detroit
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I guess they could only find retirees for the protest. I say cancel their senior discount, lol! No, not really.
http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=8102
Gun control activists yesterday protested outside a Denver Starbucks in hopes of convincing the chain to make their coffee time “lead free.”
Following the protest, sponsors of a bill that would extend the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s Insta-Check program — the system that scans more than six local and federal databases for background information on prospective gun buyers — argued that the background check would prevent future gun-related tragedies in Colorado.
Activists rallied at Starbucks, 300 E. Sixth Ave., yesterday in hopes of convincing the coffee chain to stop allowing people to openly carry firearms inside of the store. The coffee giant has become a target of gun control protesters after “open carry” activists started holding meetings inside Starbucks stores while noticeably equipped with guns.
“It’s not just in high schools that we see bullies in action,” said Tom Mauser, a gun control advocate who is the father of a student who was killed at Columbine. “We now have grown-up gun extremists trying to bully Starbucks into accepting behavior that most Americans consider unnecessary and dangerous.”
Meanwhile, gun rights’ activist Dudley Brown congratulated Starbucks for allowing people to openly carry guns inside their stores. He believes it makes sense for the chain to cater to gun owners.
“They can scream and yell all they want, the fact is that gun owners have very, very focused interests and they have money to spend,” he said. “I don’t generally like Starbucks’ politics, but it seems their capitalist influences have overcome some of their other tendencies, so good for them.”
For their part, Starbucks said that allowing people to openly carry guns in their stores in states like Colorado is part of their effort to stay in compliance with the local laws in the communities they serve. Colorado is one of 43 states that permits open carry, although Denver filed and won a lawsuit forbidding people to openly carry firearms within city limits. The Starbucks on Sixth Avenue where protesters rallied yesterday doesn’t allow guns to be openly carried inside the store.
A Starbucks spokesperson added that activists from both sides of the issue have chosen to use Starbucks as a way to draw attention to their positions.
“As a company, we are extremely sensitive to the issue of gun violence in our society. Our Starbucks family knows all too well the dangers that exist when guns are used irresponsibly and illegally,” the company said in a statement. “Without minimizing this unfortunate reality, we believe that supporting local laws is the right way for us to ensure a safe environment for both partners and customers.”
But Eileen McCarron, president of Colorado Ceasefire Capitol Fund, pointed out that businesses like Starbucks have the right to ban people from openly carrying guns within the store. Peet’s Coffee and Tea and California Pizza Kitchen have implemented such policies, she said.
Insta-Check
After the protest ended, two lawmakers and advocates appeared at the Capitol to call for the passage of House Bill 1391, which would extend Insta-Check indefinitely. The Insta-Check program, which received bipartisan support when it passed in 2000, is set to expire this summer. The background check is more thorough than the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s background check as it searches for protective orders filed in the state’s judicial system.
“In many types of criminal cases, particularly in those involving domestic or other types of violence, the person perpetrating the violence may be enraged that they are arrested,” said Rep. Joe Rice, D-Littleton. “They may seek vengeance on a witness or a victim. HB 1391 will ensure, during this volatile time, that a person may not legally get a gun.”
But gun rights activists say the Insta-Check program “adds one more level of bureaucracy and puts the government in front of citizens.” Jon Caldara of the Independence Institute said earlier this year that the state would annually save approximately $1.7 million if the federal, not state, government ran background checks for people buying firearms.
Gun control activists, however, say that $1.7 million is a small price to pay to make Colorado safer.
Yesterday’s protest and news conference came two days after the third anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting tragedy and two days before the 11th anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton.
I guess they could only find retirees for the protest. I say cancel their senior discount, lol! No, not really.
http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=8102
Gun control activists yesterday protested outside a Denver Starbucks in hopes of convincing the chain to make their coffee time “lead free.”
Following the protest, sponsors of a bill that would extend the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s Insta-Check program — the system that scans more than six local and federal databases for background information on prospective gun buyers — argued that the background check would prevent future gun-related tragedies in Colorado.
Activists rallied at Starbucks, 300 E. Sixth Ave., yesterday in hopes of convincing the coffee chain to stop allowing people to openly carry firearms inside of the store. The coffee giant has become a target of gun control protesters after “open carry” activists started holding meetings inside Starbucks stores while noticeably equipped with guns.
“It’s not just in high schools that we see bullies in action,” said Tom Mauser, a gun control advocate who is the father of a student who was killed at Columbine. “We now have grown-up gun extremists trying to bully Starbucks into accepting behavior that most Americans consider unnecessary and dangerous.”
Meanwhile, gun rights’ activist Dudley Brown congratulated Starbucks for allowing people to openly carry guns inside their stores. He believes it makes sense for the chain to cater to gun owners.
“They can scream and yell all they want, the fact is that gun owners have very, very focused interests and they have money to spend,” he said. “I don’t generally like Starbucks’ politics, but it seems their capitalist influences have overcome some of their other tendencies, so good for them.”
For their part, Starbucks said that allowing people to openly carry guns in their stores in states like Colorado is part of their effort to stay in compliance with the local laws in the communities they serve. Colorado is one of 43 states that permits open carry, although Denver filed and won a lawsuit forbidding people to openly carry firearms within city limits. The Starbucks on Sixth Avenue where protesters rallied yesterday doesn’t allow guns to be openly carried inside the store.
A Starbucks spokesperson added that activists from both sides of the issue have chosen to use Starbucks as a way to draw attention to their positions.
“As a company, we are extremely sensitive to the issue of gun violence in our society. Our Starbucks family knows all too well the dangers that exist when guns are used irresponsibly and illegally,” the company said in a statement. “Without minimizing this unfortunate reality, we believe that supporting local laws is the right way for us to ensure a safe environment for both partners and customers.”
But Eileen McCarron, president of Colorado Ceasefire Capitol Fund, pointed out that businesses like Starbucks have the right to ban people from openly carrying guns within the store. Peet’s Coffee and Tea and California Pizza Kitchen have implemented such policies, she said.
Insta-Check
After the protest ended, two lawmakers and advocates appeared at the Capitol to call for the passage of House Bill 1391, which would extend Insta-Check indefinitely. The Insta-Check program, which received bipartisan support when it passed in 2000, is set to expire this summer. The background check is more thorough than the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s background check as it searches for protective orders filed in the state’s judicial system.
“In many types of criminal cases, particularly in those involving domestic or other types of violence, the person perpetrating the violence may be enraged that they are arrested,” said Rep. Joe Rice, D-Littleton. “They may seek vengeance on a witness or a victim. HB 1391 will ensure, during this volatile time, that a person may not legally get a gun.”
But gun rights activists say the Insta-Check program “adds one more level of bureaucracy and puts the government in front of citizens.” Jon Caldara of the Independence Institute said earlier this year that the state would annually save approximately $1.7 million if the federal, not state, government ran background checks for people buying firearms.
Gun control activists, however, say that $1.7 million is a small price to pay to make Colorado safer.
Yesterday’s protest and news conference came two days after the third anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting tragedy and two days before the 11th anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton.