Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,
I am so pleased to report that I have received an update on Target's refusal to have a policy against open carry. The update states:
Everytown: VICTORY! Target has asked all customers to leave guns at home. Big win for gun sense. Call TARGET to thank them: dial 1-888-885-3167.
I tried to call Target to say thank you, but a recording said they are so busy to please call back another time unless it's an emergency. So I'll call again later.
I haven't forgotten that their "team member" laughed at me, but I can forgive. It shouldn't take me more than a day or two to get over it.
If this post makes no sense to you, then you might want to read yesterday's post HERE.
SI. SE PUEDE.
I thank you for your loving and supportive comments. I'm quite relieved because now people who don't want to see guns can shop at Target without being exposed to them, and now I can shop at Target. The boys' kibble is less expensive at Target.
I also want to make it clear that, as far as I know, open carry is not a problem here in Jacksonville, Florida. I have never seen a gun in the Target where I shop. I participated in the effort against open carry in Target out of love and sympathy for the people in other states who couldn't shop without seeing guns on display.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
My motto as an editor: Authors are the authority on their work. I'm a full-service editor. For a reasonable fee, I'm your writing coach from the first suggested revision to the correction of the final typo.
I do understand both sides of the argument, but I'm of the opinion it's the education that's off, not the tool. I'm just afraid our society or government will ban gun carrying rights period, and then what recourse would we have against unlawful action? I don't own a gun and I probably never will, but it frustrates me that people want to weed them out of society altogether. The tool isn't evil. It's use can be.
ReplyDeleteSweetheart, people have worried for years that the U.S. will ban guns completely, and it hasn't happened. I don't picture it happening during my lifetime. But we need to set sensible limits. President Reagan said there was no reason for anyone to own an assault rifle. If you walk around with a gun in a holster, then what's going to happen if someone stronger and faster than you grabs your gun and takes off with it? The recourse against unlawful action is calling the police and behaving in a sensible manner. If you don't own a gun, then why are you concerned about it? What's your recourse against unlawful action? I know some people who carry guns in the glove boxes of their cars because they are afraid of carjackers. If someone attacks you while you're driving your car, especially if that person is armed, then how are you going to fight off the carjacker while leaning across your front seat in an attempt to retrieve the gun and shoot the carjacker? It doesn't make sense. It does make sense to put your foot on the gas, blast your horn, and scream for help. Or get out and let the person take your car. The Hurricane had a terrifying experience a few years ago. About 3 in the morning, a man started knocking on the door and windows of her apartment and screaming unintelligibly. She called the police. They said they had a lot of emergencies and they would send someone when they could. Then it occurred to her to call her landlord. He came over and found that the man was a drunk college student. The landlord took the guy to the nearest BART station and put him on a bench, knowing the BART police would find him. What if The Hurricane had had a gun and shot the guy because she was afraid? She would have killed a dumb, drunk student who was easily taken away by her landlord.
DeleteWorking title: "Janie and Goliath"
ReplyDeleteBullseye, JJ! Target knew you had them in your cross hairs and they came to their senses. Never underestimate the power of Janie Junebug to effect change. I still think you should star in the remake of Norma Rae!
I'm sure Target had quite a drop in sales and knew they had to give in. Besides, if people have concealed carry permits, then nothing is stopping them from carrying a gun in Target or any other place, as long as it's out of sight.
DeleteI read your post from yesterday. Open display of guns sounds ridiculous. I'm glad Target stood up to it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Target stood up because so many people began boycotting them days ago. I was late to the game, but I'm glad I said how I felt.
DeleteI've never had trouble going some place and seeing guns, unless on a security officer or in a gun range. I enjoyed shooting there and I'm a fairly decent shot, but it's scary as hell to have a bunch of armed strangers around you. Especially when they don't follow the "no rapid shooting" rules.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I'm glad they changed their policies. It just makes sense. Now, I can continue to shop at Target and buy super cute dresses there.
I'm pleased to hear that they have super cute dresses. I go there for big packages of paper products and for dog food at a reasonable price. I don't have to shop as often because of Target.
DeleteI thought of you when I saw the crawl on the morning news saying Target had made this decision. I'm proud of you for standing up for your beliefs and acting on them.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, Stephen, but many people fought for this much longer and harder than I did.
DeleteMaybe they were taking their name - TARGET - too seriously. (Insert appropriate smirk here.)
ReplyDeleteThis just makes sense to everyone on the planet.
Cherdo
www.cherdoontheflipside.com
smirk
DeleteOPEN CARRY is not legal in Florida, but CONCEALED carry is. If open carry was legal, I still would not carry a gun that could be seen. It presents fear to most, and a likely target for thugs looking for an easy 'grab and run'.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the information and the common sense, Dana. I have a friend whose grandparents were jewelers. She is very wary of wearing the most expensive pieces of jewelry they have given her. She knows there's a time and a place for diamonds, and she doesn't wear them out grocery shopping or in a bar.
DeleteI'm sorry I did not comment. I'm in a complicated power outage. Well done.
ReplyDeleteI hope you aren't without air conditioning. No need to be sorry. I am sorry for you. It's awful to be without power. I can't go anyplace because my car battery is dead.
DeleteUpdate: Willy Dunne Wooters charged my car battery this evening, so I can go gallivanting around tomorrow.
DeleteGood to know! And I'd consider reporting that employee to his supervisor. That's not customer service. Even if your complaint was ludicrous, he should've politely agreed to pass it on to the appropriate people.
ReplyDeleteIf I'd gotten his name, then I would write a letter to the CEO of Target. I was so shocked, though, that I didn't ask for his name, nor did I ask to speak to his supervisor, as I usually do when I have a customer service problem.
DeleteI just got done reading your last post (a little behind) and then read this one. It's satisfying to see this issue resolved so quickly (it did happen in the two minutes I was commenting on the last post and then clicked over to this post, right?).
ReplyDeleteGood job to you and the others who fought against this.
As I mentioned in my last comment (two minutes ago...I live my life two minutes at a time), guns make people aggressive. It's called "the weapons effect". When you see a weapon, it puts you on edge and more aggressive.
These open carry people are so cravenly afraid of having their precious toys taken away that they're misunderstanding that just because you have the right to do something doesn't mean you should. I have the right to fart in my spouses face during dinner, it doesn't make it a good idea. (My art is being able to reduce any argument to a fart metaphor. Some people are born with the ability to play the piano like a virtuoso, I, on the other hand, am an idiot savant of fart metaphors.)
I would like to be an idiot savant of some sort, but, alas, I am merely Janie Junebug, defeater of Target. For months many people begged Target to develop a policy against open carry. Yesterday I say I'm boycotting Target, et voila! vous y ete. They give up. Willy Dunne Wooters and I were chatting about guns this evening. I said that if I became so angry that I lost my senses and wanted to kill him AND I had a gun in my house, then I just might use it. But I don't have a gun in my house so I'd have to apply for a permit and wait for it to go through and then purchase a gun. By the time I had the gun, I probably wouldn't be angry anymore. I don't know how to ensure that gun owners cannot have access to their guns when they've taken leave of their senses, but I suspect more difficult access would cut the number of crimes of passion and accidental killings.
DeleteAwesome! That is so good to hear. :) :)
ReplyDeleteThe Daily Show did a skit on this whole open carry thing. A white actor and black actor were talking about the right to carry guns into restaurants without concealing them and the white man was basically going through tips on how to hold your gun--all of them were things that would freak people out. The black actor would step forward and say, "If you're black, don't even LOOK like you have a gun on you at any time whatsoever." It was hilarious, but true. Although I think I'd be a little nervous if ANYONE had a gun on them in a restaurant or store unless that person was law enforcement.
ReplyDeleteWow... that was a quick update. ;) I saw Dana's comment...that makes sense about the concealed vs open carry. Good job on the Target target!
ReplyDelete-andi
It's good to see Target made the right choice.
ReplyDeleteI agree especially with kids, carrying a gun openly can be scary.
ReplyDeleteWell that is good news because if I went to Target and saw someone with a gun I would be truly shocked since people in Australia don't own guns...................as a rule
ReplyDelete