Open Carry at Walmart and Fry’s in Arizona: No One Asked to Leave

Open Carry at Walmart and Fry's in Arizona: No One Asked to Leave
Open Carry at Walmart and Fry’s in Arizona: No One Asked to Leave

U.S.A.-(Ammoland.com)- There is an ongoing thrust by the fanatical pushers for a disarmed population, to enlist corporate America to their cause. Understandably, corporate entities are uneasy about outright support for any political faction; come out strongly on one side or the other, you are potentially alienating 20-30 percent of your customers. The 50% that are not strongly engaged in politics are unlikely to respond.

When it comes to Second Amendment issues, there are about 5 million NRA members and 100 million gun owners. There are about 30 million people that think owning a gun is immoral. The numbers game falls to the Second Amendment, but the Old Media are overwhelmingly hostile to gun ownership.

This puts corporate America in a bind. Several large corporations have yielded to old media pressure and enacted policies that request Americans who are exercising their Second Amendment rights, not to openly carry in their establishments.

In doing so, they are attempting to split the baby without bloodshed. The request is not legally binding. They are not banning firearms from their establishments; they are working a policy to give lip service to the liberal fascists who want to take a fire-ax to the Bill of Rights.

It all seemed pretty inconsequential. In a few months, the policies would be forgotten, and Second Amendment supporters would get back to making incremental strides toward restoring Second Amendment rights.

Confession is good for the soul. I confess I forgot about the controversy.

Recently, I set out to get a few groceries and to check on the price of .22 ammunition at Walmart. I routinely open carry. I open carry primarily for political purposes, demonstrating to others the Second Amendment means something, and the government is effectively limited in at least one way. I often open carry because it is a bit simpler and more convenient than concealed carry. It is better to avoid trouble than to recover from it. Open carry can be a tactical deterrence. The theory is an overwhelming majority of criminals don’t want to confront an armed person.

I did not notice any sign on the door at Walmart. I went about my business. The price of .22 ammunition continues to drop toward historical norms. A brick of 500 Remington Thunderbolt .22 Long Rifle cartridges was priced at $16.97. On Labor Day, CAL Ranch stores had them for $14.99. Three cents a round for .22 ammunition is not too bad.

I picked up a few inexpensive grocery items and headed for the checkout. On the way there, I ran into an old friend who asked how I was. He asked if anyone had asked me to leave.

The light bulb came on. No, I said. I did not see any sign on the door. He graciously took my picture to commemorate Walmart’s benign, non-confrontational, threading of the political needle. The phone in my shirt pocket could have been recording video. It wasn’t.

I went to Fry’s. They did not have .22 ammunition, but I don’t recall them caving to liberal fascists, either. I spent a bit more there than I did at Walmart. I asked the checkout lady if she would take my picture to commemorate Fry’s more open-minded attitude. The picture did not turn out quite as well as the one my buddy took.

People will rightly note the Glock 17 does not stand out against the dark shirt. Most people do not notice when a person is openly carrying, even when there is better contrast. I did not dress to show off the Glock, but for utilitarian purposes of where I live. Open carry has become so normalized in Arizona, no one considered it an issue.

This is the situation the liberal fascists desperately want to avoid. They do not want anyone but the government to have guns. The open exercise of Second Amendment rights greatly offends them. My rights are not subject to their emotional and mental problems. Only a tiny percentage of Americans are offended by open carry. A much larger number are mildly surprised when they first encounter it, but become accepting of it with a few exposures. We constantly see the process as numerous winter visitors and California visitors come, notice, and become acclimated. Most people do not even notice.

The facts, the culture, and the Constitution are on the side of Second Amendment supporters. We only need to keep exposing the moral, legal, and cultural disasters of the left to continue to restore our rights. Their dominance of the media has made this difficult, but we are winning.


About Dean Weingarten:Dean Weingarten

Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.

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Charlie Foxtrot

The discussion of open vs concealed carry is as old as the caliber debate. Carry any way you like, just don’t berate people that disagree with you. There are those that argue that open carry acts as a deterrent and one can draw faster, yet open carriers (including police officers) have been attacked and disarmed in the past. There are those that argue that concealed carry acts as a surprise and one is not subject to targeted attacks just because one carries openly, yet concealed carriers (including plain clothes police officers) have been attacked and disarmed in the past. It… Read more »

Randy

Having carried concealed since 1995 I find that all IWB holsters that I’ve bought have given me physical trouble, mostly with my hip. Now I carry OWB, but always with a shirt covering the holster (or most of it, anyway), so it’s really considered open carry. I believe that the public (sheep) need to see that law abiding people are not the shooters that they need to be afraid of. If anyone ever ask me why I’m wearing a gun I’ll be happy to tell them that it’s to protect THEM and everyone around as much as it is to… Read more »

Will Flatt

This is one of the strongest reasons for open carry!! If people are seen routinely open-carrying, it normalizes gun rights!! All those who argue against it are IMHO a bunch of hand-wringing ninnies. If you have a proper retention holster and situational awareness, you’ll be fine. Criminals profile their potential victims: the #1 thing that they fear is an armed citizen! If they see you’re armed, they WILL be deterred!! If law-abiding people are made comfortable with the idea of open carry, they will likely consider gun ownership too if they’re not already a gun owner. If more people carry… Read more »

Dr. Strangelove

Walmart is certainly virtue signalling, but it is their right to do so.

Finnky

@Dr. Strangelove – They certainly do have that right. As I have my right to spend my money elsewhere. Family was spending in excess of $1k a month between Sam’s and Walmart – no more…

Wild Bill

@Dr Strange, You talk about Walmart as if there were one owner, rather than thousands. Suppose China owned all of the shares of Walmart, would you want China asserting rules against you that negate your Constitutional Civil Rights. China could buy up just about any American corporations that it wanted and use your rule theory to negate your rights.

Will Flatt

Just as it is our right to punish them for doing so by boycotting them till they go broke!!

UncleT

They’re banning people for life at Walmart and NATIONWIDE if caught open carrying in the stores. FYI.

I’m sure other places will follow suit. I thought govt was suppose to protect your Constitutional rights including stopping Other Americans from violating your Rights?

Why are there limits on my right to life?

Boz

How are they going to enforce that? They can’t.

UncleT

No, but if you get caught doing it again, that will give the police the opportunity to charge with you with higher crimes of some sort, I’m sure. Maybe to the point to make you a felon and ban you from owning guns altogether. This is about incremental steps to disarming the populace. And now that Corporate America is on board, nothing is impossible.

Wild Bill

@Boz, Here is how: USDOJ sends a letter to Walmart HQ explaining that any corporate attempt to diminish any of the Constitutional Civil Rights of Americans will be litigated on behalf of the American people.
Send special agents from the Fat Boy Institute, US Marshal’s Service, and(or) USSS the every Walmart in America. Have the agent explain to Walmart management that they are here to observe and take notes on how this specific Walmart is failing to observe the Constitutional Civil Rights of Americans. It won’t take ten minutes for Walmart local to call it in to Walmart HQ.

Charlie Foxtrot

You do not have the right to violate someone else’s (property) rights. You are completely misunderstanding the Constitution. It limits the government, not the people. Using the federal government to enforce your will on others by violating their rights is the very definition of a police state.

If you disagree, then you should have no problems with me coming on your property unannounced in the middle of the night to perform some shooting drills. That well-regulated militia certainly needs some night vision training. After all, my 2A right trumps your property right, right?

Wild Bill

@CGGator, I did not say that the Constitution placed these requirements on businesses. Each state has a business code among their state statutes to govern businesses that invite in the general public.
My business does not invite the general public to do business, that would be down right dangerous. So I an not subject to the business code.
What do you want to bring down and shoot? If we do that during barbecue hours, we could have more fun!

Charlie Foxtrot

The whole public-facing business argument does not fly here. No business can/should be required to have their rights violated because they engage in business with the general public. (Does a certain bakery case ring a bell?)

Installing restrooms or handicapped ramps are not violations of rights. Not allowing a business owner to throw someone off their property is! Again, you do not have the right to violate someone else’s (property) rights.

I am currently looking into buying some night vision. It is hard to find a place to legally do training and practice, though.

Wild Bill

@CGGator, I think that you are thinking of small businesses run by real people. There are additional rule and requirements state, federal, and local based upon size of business, square footage of store, etc.
What you are stating applies to small business, like mine, but not big corporate businesses, that have thousands of owners, multiple outlets in every state.

Charlie Foxtrot

What additional laws are you referring to that differentiate small and large businesses in how they are allowed to treat their customers? What do these laws say?

The only laws I know of that would apply are monopoly laws. That is, however, not what we are talking about here.

Wild Bill

@CF, Building permits and business licensing. Floor space in square feet often trigger federal, state, and local requirements. The more floor space, the more exits, restrooms, handicap facilities, parking lot size and spaces etc, etc, ect. Congress, state legislatures, counties, and even localities are adding more requirements all the time. And it all started out with the concept that if you invite the general public it to trade, they become a special class called “invitees”, and the business has a higher duty to them. Now, it has become a more complicated duty toward invitees.

Dr. Strangelove

Walmart is a private business and has the right to not allow open carry if they so choose.

UncleT

Do they? If they do not provide proper security to be able to save your life, can they really stop you from being a victim in their establishment?

I mean, I’d rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6. Right?

Wild Bill

Uncle, I wonder what the state required security provisions are in Texas.

Wild Bill

@Dr. Strange, It is a corporate business that invites the general public to come on their property and do business. The rules and requirements differ from a private piece of property and a corporate business that invites the general public in. That is why businesses have to put in restrooms, obtain licenses, have multiple exits, and undergo inspections. And Will is quite correct about other state government requirements, as well.

Charlie Foxtrot

Reply meant to Will and UncleT:

They can throw you off their property with no reason provided whatsoever without posting a 30.07 sign. If you refuse to leave, you can be charged with trespassing. The 30.07 sign just makes open carry an automatic trespassing offense.

As for the lack of security argument, you are there voluntarily. A property owner is not responsible for your security. You are! Either don’t go there, or violate the property owner’s rights by going there with your firearm.

Charlie Foxtrot

Are you saying Texas has no trespassing law? I can walk into a Walmart naked and they can’t throw me out with the threat that if I refuse I will be charged? Awesome!

Charlie Foxtrot

A property owner can throw anybody out he/she wants and charge them with trespassing if they refuse to leave. No 30.07 sign needed. That’s my point! Walmart does not HAVE TO post a 30.07 sign. Yes, if they do then it becomes a different issue as an additional state law is violated. This discussion is important as we will see if Walmart is really posting 30.07 signs all over Texas, advertising their policy. Alternatively, they can chose not to post a 30.07 sign and simply just ask open carriers to leave. The difference here is that many businesses have taken… Read more »

Wild Bill

@CF, There is no one property owner for a corporation. So which of the thousands of property owners will be the decider?
Sorry, but in Texas a 30.07 sign is required and it must meet Texas state standards for size, lettering etc.
I don’t spend any money in libtard business like Starbucks or Target, so you just have to go see for yourself.

Charlie Foxtrot

So, the Walmart corporation doesn’t own its stores? News to me!

The 30.07 sign is made specifically to criminalize open carry against a business wishes. If there is no 30.07 sign, that business can still show you the door. You have no right to carry inside a business just because there is no 30.07 sign. You are a GUEST at someone else’s property. This is property rights 101.

Starbucks and Target enacted EXACTLY the same policies as Walmart, which is why I asked. I assume you are not going to shop at Walmart either, good!

Wild Bill

@CGGator, The corporation consists of thousands of people that each own a share, of some percentage, of the corporation. The corporation, itself, is just paper, a creature created by statute.
Texas has all kinds of regulations for business. In Texas the business needs to have a 30.07 sign.

Charlie Foxtrot

So, I assume then this is a Texas thing, because an open carrier in Kentucky was asked to leave the Walmart store by the manager who called the police. It may also just be your misunderstanding of basic law. Looks like I am talking to a wall.

Wild Bill

@wjd, If he needs to twist the issue from a big Corporation’s HQ deciding to diminish our civil rights to walking around naked in public then he has lost the argument. He is not familiar with Texas law.
And finally, what if China owned all the big stores and used this alleged right “ban anyone for any reason” to control the American public?

Charlie Foxtrot

I guess you don’t understand humor.

On a serious note, do I have the right to free speech at Walmart? Can I hold a pro-gun protest at Walmart and not get thrown off the property? After all, Walmart would be limiting my constitutional right to protest!

Wild Bill

@CGGator, Apparently. Against government. What state do you contemplate? In Texas, if you call it a barbecue, I guarantee that you won’t get thrown anywhere.

Charlie Foxtrot

So, I can organize a pro-gun protest inside Walmart and the company can do nothing about that, right? My 1st Amendment right trumps their property rights, right? Going back to running around naked, I see it as my freedom of expression. LOL.

As for corporate tyranny, it was way worse in the US 100 years ago. The steel and coal industry come to my mind. Imagine you start working for a company, which gives you a loan to live in a small town in PA. Then, you work 10-20 years to pay off that loan.

Wild Bill

@CF, And corporate tyranny could get even worse if libtards and foreign countries deliberately buy up controlling shares of US corporations and then institute “rules” that are designed to deprive us of our Civil Rights.

Wild Bill

@wjd, It is difficult for Americans in other states to understand the freedoms that we Texans enjoy because they have been deprives for so very long.
Minnesota used to have a law that every able bodied man had to labor at road building and repair for three days each year. Imagine that!

Charlie Foxtrot

Looks like someone can’t read Texas law and scolds those that can. The lack of a sign is only consent until you are being told otherwise, which is exactly what I said. See https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.30.htm:

“(d) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $200, except that the offense is a Class A misdemeanor if it is shown on the trial of the offense that, after entering the property, the license holder was personally given the notice by oral communication described by Subsection (b) and subsequently failed to depart.”

Wild Bill

@CF, So let me get this straight … a store has no 30.06 or 30.07 signage, thus granting consent to everyone in the gun totting world to come into their store, and then verbally withdraws consent to one person because they are carrying a firearm. How would they explain that in court?

Their would have to be some other factor, like misbehavior of some kind, which makes it a different issue.

Wild Bill

@wjd, and because he is a committed member of the family of responsible gun owners, I want to be diplomatic.

Wild Bill

Damn spell check. Wrong their there.

Charlie Foxtrot

Wild Bill, the explanation in court would be 30.07 (d). What makes you think you can remain in a store after given verbal command by the manager to leave? This has even absolutely nothing to do with carrying a firearm. It is basic criminal trespassing. 30.07 (d) codifies this to make sure that there are no misunderstandings when carrying a firearm. There is no exception to trespassing laws when carrying a firearm. Again, where do you get the idea that you can carry on someone else’s property against their wishes. You have not cited a single law that would apply… Read more »

Wild Bill

@Irontiger T, Just ban them, right back.

Get Out

IMOA I concur with Charlie Foxtrot in that the discussion of OC vs CC is a hot topic debate. “Carry any way you like, just don’t berate people that disagree with you.” I believe anti-gunners secretly like to see us disagree with each other hoping it’ll further divide us.

Today Walmart is targeting OC, what about tomorrow when they decide to target CC?

UncleT

Courts ruled in most states that open carry is protected under the 2A while Concealed carry is not with out a Permission slip.. How does that work exactly and why are we fighting over this? Open carry, I think, is a good thing and we need more of it to show the ignorant people of the country that a holstered, but available when needed Firearm, is a good thing and always have been. Out of sight out of mind makes me think that a better way for these folks to support laws they have no sense about? IMHO

Get Out

Does it matter if it could become a direct attack on American made products, American business’s, American employees or everything American now? The current attack is on the 2nd Amendment infringement to carry a firearm by law abiding citizens. Until everyone is totally disarmed they can’t mount a direct attack on anyone.

Get Out

So, are you saying you don’t go into Walmart armed or unarmed then?

Wild Bill

@GO, I do not go to Walmart because of the mom and pop businesses that they have destroyed, in every little town across America. I do not go to Walmart because of their virtue signaling. I do not go to Walmart because Walmart is helping to enrich the military of the regime that wishes to my country.
Any of these reasons, alone, are sufficient to never go into a Walmart again.

Get Out

I only shopped Walmart when they had sales on ammo. Those sales were few and far between and I rarely went into one.

Wild Bill

@GO, the Chinese are creating the conditions to insure victory. The Chinese communists are insuring that American industry can not support a war with them. American business has taken the production of everything from steel and aluminum to proscription drugs to Chinese manufacturers for their own increased profit margins. I have heard that we can not even make old fashioned penicillin, anymore, but I can not confirm that. The indirect attacks will come first: cyber attacks eliminate communications, electricity, delivery of clean water, POL, resupply. Then invasion, some are already here, and some Americans will join them. Densely populated kill… Read more »

Get Out

@WB, There’s not much we can do about these actions you mention right now other than be prepared. But, we can hopefully affect the outcome of Walmart’s infringements on our 2nd Amendment Right by continuing not to buy their products.

Wild Bill

@GO Yes.

Morrigan

Well this IS Arizona..G&A’s “Most Gun Friendly State” for several years. I do not open carry unless into the boondocks, nor to I endorse anyone else doing so, but I will fight to the finish for your right to do so if you wish.

nrringlee

In one way or another the progressive new left will make you care. They will continue to chip away at liberty and at sanity one step at a time. They are gutless so it will take a while but eventually they shall make each and every one of us care. And by that time it will be too late. You will disarmed as you march your grand kids to the people’s indoctrination center, formerly known as your public library or public school and you will not be late for Drag Queen story hour. There will be consequences.

JPM

Just one of the many, many reasons I love living here in Arizona.

nrringlee

Right. I don’t shop at Walmart, have not done so for years in order to avoid any Chinese Collusion charges but I do shop at Kroeger owned stores, the former Smitty’s. Years ago I bought a Smith and Wesson Model 27 in a Smitty’s along with 400 rounds of practice and hollow point ammo. And my milk, bread and eggs. Full service. That is what I liked in those stores.

Whatzit

Used to work at Smitty’s – left them 40 years ago to work at Frys. Only thing I miss about Arizona.

RoyD

Get back to me Dean when the price of CCI Mini Mags is four cents a round. You can have all of the Thunderbolts.

JIAZ

As a company Walmart is the textbook definition of a FUDD. I’ll gladly pay more for guns, ammo, and shooting supplies by patronizing my local mom & pop, family owned gun stores. They’re on the front line of the pro-2A fight for survival everyday. FUDD: A gun-owner who supports traditional hunting and sporting guns but favors strict gun control and even bans for other guns such as handguns or tactical rifles. “Walmart has partnered with Michael Bloomberg’s anti-gun operation in an effort to strip law-abiding Americans of their right to purchase, keep and bear arms in defense of themselves and… Read more »

johnsguns

Thanks Dean
I also open carry a lot of the time for the same reasons that you do

Ryben Flynn

No Open Carry here in SC, but I occasionally shopped at the Whiteville, NC Walmart (Sales Tax lower) as I live near the Border and Open Carry there. No More. 50 mile round trips and I’ll find what I need locally, even if it costs a bit more, or order from Amazon and/or eBay.

AzWoodWarrior

With the election results in, it’s my turn to be offended! AZ is not purple. It’s been swayed by a bunch of economic refugees from Commiefornia who fled the “utopian equality paradise” for greener pastures. These political parvenu who are typically under 40 come to my state with their inflated sense of moral superiority, and exactly like the grown children that they are expect me to change to suit their beliefs. Being from Commiefornia there encounters with armed individuals is limited to the police officers. The sight of a citizen exercising their 2nd amendment rights makes extremely uncomfortable. If you… Read more »

Ej harbet

Sir you dont look evil enough!
Perhaps khaki 5:11s and a black tshirt?
On the other hand they might not want to disturb a seasoned gunslinger.

Charlie Foxtrot

Something that many people are not aware of, my state, Tennessee, requires a license to carry, open or concealed. That license only permits the carrying of a handgun. That’s why the Tennessee carry license is called a Handgun Carry Permit. For some reason, this licensing scheme has never been legally challenged. The LE agencies of the big cities, Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga, are against any type of unlicensed carry. While we, Tennesseans, are fighting an uphill battle on this one, Kentucky just went permitless. Shame on us! The NRA is not only no help, but counterproductive. In order to… Read more »

Docduracoat

You violated their rules and got away with it. Good for you. They would be entirely within their rights to just call the cops. Here in Florida, you can open carry on your way to and from fishing or hunting. If you were to open carry and get away with it, fine. If they were to ask you to leave, and you refused, you would be arrested for trespass after warning. More likely they would just call the cops and evacuate the store as has already happened to the open carrier with the AR 15. The story here is not… Read more »

RoyD

Proofreading, what is it and how does it work?

Dr. Strangelove

Proofreading should have been followed by a colon. That’s the hilarious thing about grammar nazis, they don’t follow their own rules.

Wild Bill

We knew what he meant. Comment punctuation need not be perfect, but should not be awful.

Wild Bill

@Doc, Being familiar with Fla. state law, Texas state law might seem a little strange to you.

Superman

So an elderly dork decides to open carry? He will eventually experience the ‘free gun zone’ when a suspect(s) distracts him and splits the back of his head open with a hammer or pipe. As Bugs Bunny would say: ‘WHAT A MAROON!’

skylinefirepest

Most thugs are looking for an easy buck…not looking to kill somebody and go to jail for many years. Open carry discourages the thugs from targeting that particular store or person.

Ej harbet

I got $100 on mr weingarten. The maroon that tried would have a loud short lifespan.

AzWoodWarrior

“superman” which I highly doubt, please do not mistake our gentle nature’s for weakness. I am all of 5’7″ 140 lbs and an unemposing figure. With one small caveat. I learned hand to hand combat from my grandfather who was a green beret in Korea. I have the capability to end human life with my bare hands in 3 seconds. From his resume I bet that dork, doesn’t need a gun to end someone, it’s just easier on the arthritis.