A huge issue for Americans is gun control, and currently a case of whether Chicagoans should have the right to carry handguns is creating a brouhaha. The Supreme Court is getting involved and people are wondering which states are open carry states, because as OpenCarry.org puts it, “a right unexercised is a right lost.” It is not easy to convince everyone of this, or of the value of guaranteed loans.
Which states permit open carry?
Currently, only six states completely prohibit open carry. The following states were given a rating of “Gold Star” open carry states by OpenCarry.org. The rating means “generally preempted open carry is permitted on foot and in vehicles without a license; localities are generally preempted.”
- Alaska
- Montana
- Idaho
- Wyoming
- South Dakota
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Vermont
- Kentucky
- Virginia
- North Carolina
The following states allow open carry, but have restrictions on doing so
- Utah
- North Dakota
- Minnesota
- Iowa
- Tennessee
- Mississippi
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Maryland
- New Jersey
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
Other states may have their own open carry approximation. For instance, California allows open carry, but only in rural, non-incorporated areas. Here is an open carry states map for more information.
Starbucks even has something to say about open carry laws
You wouldn’t normally associate the nation’s most popular coffee house with open carry states or gun control, but Starbucks has become involved the debate over where people can carry guns, even though it has been against the company’s will. Patrons have entered Starbucks with guns strapped to their hips, which understandably made other customers nervous. Starbucks says that it adheres with state laws regarding open carry, but as a business, it does have the right to set its own policy regarding whether firearms are allowed inside. Money lenders or any other business will say the same.
Starbucks gun policy is something CEO Howard Schultz would rather not have to worry about, but The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence is demanding that Starbucks “offer espresso shots, not gunshots.” The coffeemaker’s Seattle office received a petition with 28,000 signatures on Wednesday.
Neither side of the gun control issue is giving ground
This is an issue involving personal safety and civil liberties, and there should be healthy, vigorous, and open debate. In reality, open carry states are likely to remain so, but business respond to special interest groups, especially those with corporate sponsorship, and customer demands. It might not be wise to count on being allowed to walk into Starbucks with a loaded gun on display, unrestricted state or not, because you may be shown the door to the street instead of the door to latte heaven.
