Wolford v Lopez Aftershock

SCOPE wrote about the Wolford V Lopez Supreme Court (SCOTUS) lawsuit which challenged Hawaii’s law that it was ‘…unlawful for concealed-carry license-holders to carry firearms on private property open to the public without the property owner’s express authorization.’  (Gas stations, stores, restaurants, etc. had to post a sign that it was okay to carry on their property.)  This would also impact New York’s misnamed ‘Concealed Carry Improvement Act’ which contains a section that parallels Hawaii’s law.

SCOPE believes the attitude of the SCOTUS’ justices made Hawaii’s chances look bleak.  Apparently, Hawaii’s legislators agree with SCOPE that their outlook is bleak, so they have introduced Senate Bill 3041.  This bill would force businesses open to the public to “post a color-coded placard indicating whether the business or restaurant allows firearms or large knives to be brought onto the premises.” It would have to be posted where it is “clearly visible to the general public and patrons entering the business or restaurant.”  Failure to post the sign would shut down the business completely, because it is “unlawful to operate a business or restaurant unless the placard is posted.”

I wonder how many non-gun owners ask themselves if a business allows large knives as they enter?  As Mae West might have said, ”Are you glad to see me or is that a large knife in your pants?”

Guns and large knives would be legal but the business must make a public decision as to whether to allow them.  Of course, this is being proposed in hopes of creating a boycott of pro-gun businesses by sympathetic gun grabbers.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it worked in reverse for those businesses that are pro-gun and they get more people patronizing the business.

The sign must also be color coded: a “green placard shall indicate that the business or restaurant does not allow firearms or large knives:  a red placard indicates “that the business or restaurant allows firearms and large knives;”  a “yellow placard shall indicate that the business or restaurant allows either firearms or large knives to be brought onto the premises, but not both.”  

Criminals will be saying ‘thank you’ for making their decisions easier.  (Especially those that aren’t good at reading; they just can’t be color blind when picking out the easiest place to rob.)  I’ll bet that gun free establishments will get more crime than those allowing guns.  

The 1st Amendment includes a right to be free from compelled speech.  But hey, if you are ignoring the 2nd Amendment, why would ignoring the 1st Amendment bother you?

Demonstrating their usual deep thinking, Hawaii’s legislators leave blank the definition of a “large knife.”