Pa. Patriot ARRESTED at the OC dinner @ The Old Country Buffet in Dickson City 5/9

[djturnz]

Here is the sign content:

We support the freedoms granted every U.S. citizen under the United States Constitution, including the freedoms described in the second amendment. As a company, we work constantly to maintain the reputation that we have earned over the years – for fabulous food, great variety, and value. Our guest represent a cross-section of this great country, with families being some of our most loyal fans. To assure that those with small children are as comfortable as possible we prohibit firearms from our restaurants.

If you have questions about our policy, please contact our corporate office at:
(651)-994-8608

Not to nit pick, but shouldn't this be in our restaurants? Ive never bought a gun at Old Country Buffet.

We should get Rich on Tom Gresham's show.

[policemedic]

Originally Posted by Ithaca1937

Red bolding mine. Is it specifically open carry or is it all firearms to be banned form their restaurants? If it is all firearms, do the people that only conceal carry realize Old Country Buffet doesn't want them either?

I wonder if that includes the DCPD.

[rmarkob]

Originally Posted by JLStorm

Now, things may have changed from a number of years ago, but I could have SWORN that in PA signs hold no weight and that a staff member or authorized person in an establishment had to actually ask you to leave before you were violating the law by carrying there.

Is this the law, has something changed, or am I mistaken?

Yes, but the law you would be breaking is trespassing if you refused to leave when asked, not carrying.

[policemedic]

Originally Posted by GunLawyer001

Just a thought experiment for you all:

If you had a gun and planned to rob a diner, would you prefer to rob one that was filled with armed patrons, or one that had a prominent "NO FIREARMS" sign on the door?

But at least the patrons with children would feel more comfortable, right up until they were herded into the freezer and told to kneel...

Good point. In my experience, generally crooks go after those they perceive to be weak.

[dc dalton]

Wow that was one HELL of a read! Glad I didn't have anything else pressing to do today.

I just wanted to comment and make an observation here.

First of all I applaud everyone for standing up for their rights and not shrinking away from what had to be done ... had I know about the DC meeting earlier I would have driven up.

But what really makes me stand up and say YEAH is the fact that there are still people out there that think this is country is a pretty damn good idea as long as we keep the balances in check. I am sickened on a daily basis by these "so-called" Americans that cry for the government to baby sit them, the ones that look you in the face and tell you our RIGHTS sometimes have to be taken away because the government (or the media) has told us we need protecting. All I can say to that is I would love to see someone try and invade PA!

There is WAY too much of that nonsense going around these days and personally I think if the founding fathers were alive today they would start the revolution all over again.... we MUST fight for the rights our father, mothers, grandfathers and all the ones that came before us EACH AND EVERY day because if we do not we might as well lay down and die.

Personally I am DAMN PROUD of the actions of the members of this board standing up to those that know not and those that think they have a clue. Our founders would be damn proud!

But then again, this is PA right? THIS is the state where this great nation began, where the declaration was signed and where the 'line in the sand' was drawn ..... at least THIS great state still has REAL Patriots (not that some others don't btw) that know what America is all about.

My hat is off to all of you, no matter whether you went to the meeting or supported from afar ..... THIS is what America is supposed to be!

[JLStorm]

Originally Posted by Emptymag

Yes, that's the law. (But it's not the point. Know what I mean?)

I know what you mean and I think pushing that issue would only entice the state to change the law, I just wanted to make sure that I hadnt missed some major change in the law itself.

[larrymeyer]

Letter sent to OCB Corporate

I was going to commend your managers for their actions in the OCB on 5/9/08 when the police ousting us for no legal reason. I would still like to commend them for their actions on behalf of law abiding citizens.

However since that time I see a sign on the door prohibiting firearms in the OCB I'm sorry to see either corporate are the Dickson City management taking that stance. It send the wrong message to a lot of gun abiding citizens. If that continues to be your policy and since I didn't get to eat dinner on that night all I can say is it will be my family and myself last visit to any OCB

Thank you for listing to my reply to the NO Firearms sign I truly hope that no robber or thug reads that sign and realizes he has a free rein in that restaurant

[Penguini66]

I'm thinking it would be nice to have a separate thread for "Dickson City news stories, links, videos, and radio links" but I'll post in here for now.

I'll be listening to Corbett on http://www.wilknetwork.com/index.php this afternoon (assuming his show starts at 3:00 after Rush...

But I stumbled on this news article on the WILK website that I don't think I've seen on PAFOA yet:

http://wilknetwork.com/Pack-More-Bra...epower/2186256

Posted: Wednesday, 14 May 2008 11:08AM

Pack More Brainpower And Less Firepower

Steve Corbett Reporting
corbett@wilknewsradio.com

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Pistol-packing pals recently bellied up to the buffet table at a Dickson City restaurant to make a pistol-packing point.

This was no chicken wing eating contest.

If these boys – and some women, too – wanted to, they could do more than merely wing an assailant who stumbled into this fine eating establishment intent on doing the same deadly damage as cholesterol does.

These buffet buckaroos could plant an outlaw once and for all in a fuselage of lead and bury the bandito firmly in the far end of the salad bar.

Proponents of what is known as the OC or the open carry of loaded firearms seem more intent on publicly making their point that the practice, however showy, is perfectly legal in Pennsylvania.

Unless, of course, you are openly carrying your pistol in Philadelphia, where one caller to “Corbett” yesterday said cops frown on the practice and have made it known that they might very well shoot first and ask questions later.

Edgy trigger fingers remain an issue in Philly, where the most recent city cop to die fell under a hail of fire from an assault rifle.

But the rest of the state has nothing to fear when it comes to open carry advocates who made a public display out of their hobby – excuse me, their Second Amendment right – to tote big firepower while taking the family out for a nice dinner at a hometown buffet.

Friday night’s event in Dickson City brought men, women and children to the buffet table.

The children were not armed.

The right to publicly pack heat is only available to those who are 18 and older. Then, carrying a gun in the open to a buffet restaurant can be fun for the entire family.

Gramps can pack a loaded pistol on a replaced hip. Grandma can wear one over her Sunday-go-to-meeting dress. Junior can strap on a couple of heaters instead of joining the Army and heading to Afghanistan where Taliban kids have likely been packing for years.

But somebody spoiled the party on Friday night and called 911.

Police arrived at the restaurant and confusion reigned.
As it turns out, gun owners apparently are indeed free to wear loaded guns in public.

But most cops don’t like it and neither do I.

Society is making a paranoid spectacle of itself.

Buffet table regulars have a greater chance of dying of a heart attack and obesity-related disease than they do from an assailant’s bullets fired across a steam table loaded with chicken-fried steak gravy and biscuits.

Because state law does not prohibit the practice, advocates say open carry is legal. That can change, but it won’t. Lawmakers are petrified of the armed gravy and biscuits crowd.

Even U.S. Sen. Bob Casey fears gun owners and won’t take a hard line against assault rifles, dismissing pleas for help from fellow Democrats Gov. Ed Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, who want a renewed federal assault rifle ban.

Pro-life Casey does, however, favor the death penalty for certain heinous crimes.

That’s great news for the children of the latest dead Philly cop. Maybe Casey will even present them with a folded American flag that flew over the Capitol on the day daddy died.

Maybe he can get them front row seats at the next cop killer execution.

Better yet, maybe he can show some real leadership and courage under fire.

Casey and other lawmakers must realize that regular death and destruction comes from the barrel of a gun.

We need fewer displays of firepower and more displays of brainpower.

Lawmakers worry more about losing the next election than about losing more lives on the streets of America. Lawmakers concern themselves more with their own political survival than with the survival of victims gunned down on a regular basis.

I have two suggestions until lawmakers come to their senses: If you see someone wearing a handgun in public, call 911. And if you own a restaurant or any other private business, ban all guns from the premises.

Using your head is always better than using your trigger finger.

No comments block but his email is listed in the beginning of the piece. You can't argue that he's not an entertainer.

[Statkowski]

The chief says if his officers did make a mistake, it was in the name of public safety. He said the case was now closed and that the two officers responding to the restaurant would face no disciplinary action.

PRIVATE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST THE OFFICERS !!!

[mongose99]

Like just about everyone on the forum, ive been reading and re-reading and looking for updates on this whole situation. It really makes me feel good to be a part of this forum and be able to learn my rights and have the people here do such a good job or helping to educate others. Im proud of the actions being taken and the people taking them. Good job guys