Businesses that don't support our second amendment rights

[MiniJenny]

I wanted to get word out that Whole Foods in Baton Rouge has recently put up signs stating that firearms are not allowed on premises. As a result of this my family will stop shopping there and I wrote a letter to their manager about my disappointment with this new policy. Below I have included the reply for the assistant manager. I hope you all spread the word of this infringement of our rights and stop shopping there.

From Whole Foods:
Thank you for the feedback regarding Whole Foods Market's "No Firearms" policy.

Our policy restricting handguns in the store is driven around providing a safe working environment for our Team Members - and our intent is to extend this safe environment to our customers. In our Whole Foods Market General Information Guide (employee handbook), we state that:

"Whole Foods Market has adopted a policy that no one, including Team Members and customers, may bring firearms, concealed weapons or the like to any Whole Foods Market location. This prohibition applies, but is not limited to, any public areas of our stores, back rooms, break rooms, Team Member lockers, central kitchens, distribution centers, parking lots and garages: only commissioned law enforcement officers or other law enforcement personnel are permitted to bring firearms onto Company premises."

Again, Whole Foods Market's "No Firearms" policy is in place for safety reasons only; while individuals in the company may have personal opinions regarding the 2nd Amendment, Whole Foods Market does not take a political position on this issue, nor is our policy intended to infer a lack of support for the 2nd Amendment. Whole Foods Market's policy is based on state law, which allows businesses to establish and enforce a "No Firearms" policy in our stores as part of state criminal trespass laws.

We recognize that you have a choice in where you shop - and appreciate your business. I hope that this clarifies some of your concerns regarding our reasons for this policy.

Thanks very much for the feedback,
Heidi

Heidi Morgan
Associate Store Team Leader│Baton Rouge
Whole Foods Market│Southwest Region
7529 Corporate Boulevard | Baton Rouge | Louisiana | 225.218.0452

 

[dantheman]

It always pisses me off when they use " safety " as an excuse for their anti 2A policies .

 

[dwsonar]

Guns at Work in Louisiana
Tuesday, July 8th, 2008
Close on the heels of Florida and Georgia, Louisiana has become the third southern state to recently enact a new *guns at work law*.

The new Louisiana gun law grants properly-licensed individuals the right to store firearms in their privately-owned, locked vehicles in any designated parking area, including employee parking lots and garages provided by employers.

It also prohibits property owners, tenants, businesses, and private- and public-sector employers from interfering with that right, except under certain circumstances.

For example, the new guns at work law allows businesses and employers to require individuals to conceal firearms stored in vehicles or more specifically, to conceal firearms in locked storage compartments within vehicles.

It also allows businesses and employers to create policies that prohibit individuals from storing firearms in their vehicles in parking areas that have restricted access, such as through the use of gates, fences, signs or security stations.

However, if businesses and employers do create such policies, then they must also provide facilities to temporarily store unloaded firearms or alternately, separate parking areas to store firearms in privately-owned, locked vehicles.

The new guns at work law does not apply to employer-provided vehicles, unless employers require employees to transport or store firearms in the normal course of their duties. It also does not apply anywhere that weapons possession is forbidden under Louisiana or Federal law.

Lastly, the new guns at work law does not specifically grant employees the right to carry firearms or any other weapons into the workplace.

Governor Bobby Jindal signed the related bill on July 2, 2008. The new gun law becomes effective on August 15.

This is just a summarization of the Act that will become the new gun law, which is subject to forthcoming regulations. For the exact wording of the Act, see SB51 (Act 684). For legal advice, consult an attorney

 

[biggie1447]

Did that become legal in 2008 or is beginning this year?

 

[LSUSMC]

I agree that "no carry" rules for most places of business are pure b.s. All it does is make that business a target rich environment, a place where criminals know they will not be challenged by law abiding citizens who carry firearms.

That being said, it is not an infringement of your rights by any means. It is private property after all...

 

[Cat]

Sorry. I'll still support them. I don't take it personal.

While I do honestly, solidly agree that gun free zones are not beneficial to us. They fail to prevent crime. The thugs aren't going to listen to the rules so it is only harming the "good guys".

I get it. I do.

However, it's business. As an owner of a largely visited commercial property I would NOT want an incident on my property during this media frenzy on public and mass shootings. As a small boutique owner, I wouldn't want a person I did not know bringing firearms into my store. I don't trust everybody with firearms. Very few in fact. It's logical from a owner's perspective, however gun friendly they might be, to say nope, sorry. WF has a large liberal customer base. It is what it is. At the end of the day, you protect your margin.

Personally I view this as a CYA. the chances of them creating a big to-do over a very discreet CHP is likely zero to nill. The ability to protect themselves in a situation? It works. I'm not necessarily saying conceal means conceal. Just pointing out my impression.

My single individual rights do not trump corporations. As bad as it burrs under people's saddles, that's life. We own our own business. You do what you have to, to protect yourself. I just don't take WF decision on a personal level.

 

[soontobetwo]

Jared's at the mall of la has a "no firearms policy" also. It's stopped a friend of mine from doing business there. I agree with previous poster, this makes a target rich environment