For those members who feel that the wishes of the store owner should be absolute, I have a question. Does that extend to the customers thoughts and beliefs as well, while they remain on the premises?
When a restaurant posts "no shoes, no shirt, no service", it's a simple matter to glance at a person and see if they comply, although the details might be argued (is a tank-top a "shirt", what about flip-flops, etc.). However, if they posted "no atheists welcome here" or "no thinking about geometry" or "no entry to anyone who has ever visited France", compliance is not so obvious. We would reasonably expect them, if serious, to ask each customer to verify at the point of entry, or perhaps at the point of sale, and refuse further participation if a satisfactory answer is not recieved.
If a candy shop owner posts a sign that reads "no diabetics allowed", the customers who are diabetic are going to have to self-select for compliance, unless the store owner demands to see each person's medical records as a condition of entry. When considering pink underwear, or hidden tattoos, or CCW, or any other undistinguishable feature, is it reasonable for the store owner to believe that all passers-by will self-select for compliance?
In addition, we can reasonably believe that the store owner's intent in opening the doors for business is to conduct commercial transactions at a profit, not to change the beliefs of each customer to fit his/her own. As member Rockwell has asked (a number of times, with no answer that I've seen), how is the store owner harmed by the beliefs or actions of a customer that are completely unknown to him/her?
That is going to be the question in a civil action, when LEO's refuse to enforce "no CCW" as a criminal matter. And the store owner plaintiff will have to answer it in order to get anywhere.
Parker
divemedic: "By entering my store you agree to defer to my opinion on whatever subject we might discuss, even after you leave the premises. And buy me beer on Wednesday nights for as long as you live in this town." My store has been kinda lonely ever since I posted that sign...