Gun advocates praise Starbucks for open carry policy with appreciation day, including in Newtown
Published: Friday, August 09, 2013

Gun rights advocates across the country plan to openly carry firearms at Starbucks coffee shops on Friday in appreciation of the company's policy that allows gun owners to do so in states that it is legal.

Some gun owners in Connecticut said Thursday they plan on open carrying their firearms at a Newtown store on Friday.

On the Facebook group, "Starbucks appreciation day," the event's organizers say, "Starbucks is allowing us to lawfully carry firearms in their store. Recently, they have been the target of unjust attacks from certain groups that do not support our right to bear arms. We will thank starbucks (sic) for standing up for our right to bear arms by going there on Friday...

"We ask that if you choose to carry a firearm during this event that you follow all local, state, and national laws; and if you choose not to carry that you wear pro-gun rights apparel," according to the page.

The page bears a recreation of the Starbucks logo showing the mermaid holding two guns and bearing the slogan "I love guns & coffee."

Matt Bottali, a gun rights advocate from Ridgefield, posted on his Facebook page, and the CT Open Carry group page, that he will be openly carrying at the Newtown Starbucks on Friday.

"Yes, folks, it's true. I will be at the Newtown Starbucks tomorrow. I might even bring my family to show you how human i am. Come down, meet me and my friends. I guarantee there will not be a safer public place in all of CT," Bottali posted on Thursday.

Open carry is legally allowed in Connecticut.

The post was picked up by media outlets include Ridgefield Patch and the Hartford Courant, as well as the Newtown Action Alliance, which called for gun rights advocates to not come to Newtown on Friday.

The alliance, started after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Dec. 2012, where 26 students and faculty were killed, posted on its Facebook page, "We wonder why it isn't okay to appreciate Starbucks at the same time appreciate the sensitive nature of the gesture in our neighborhood half a year after our community was ravaged by ‪#‎gunviolence‬. There are 5 other Starbucks locations within about 15 miles of ours to choose from."

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Quote: Justme wrote in post #2

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Starbucks has denied requests from several groups, including the Brady Campaign, and most recently Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, to change its policy and ban open carry in its stores.

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It's not often I say good things about liberals, but this is cool.

Imagine a liberal run organization allowing for differing views and honoring laws it doesn't like.

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Yes, I was actually more than a bit surprised when I read this one!

I have to admit that I was shocked to see Yuppie Friendly Starbucks was bucking the statist trend.

Thanks for posting this pleasant surprise.