The latest thing to piss conservatives off? Chipotle issuing a ban on bringing guns into its restaurants after a group of knucklehead gun extremists went into a Dallas-area Chipotle over the weekend with semiautomatic rifles strapped to their backs to make a point about open carry laws and Second Amendment. The saga between people who just want to eat some freakin‘ burritos without being intimidated by gun-nuts is a future South Park in-the-making.
Hey! Here’s some pics from the demonstration of people eating casually at Chipotle brandishing weapons just because they can. Via Firebrand Progressives:
On the other side of the spectrum, this infuriated levelheaded people who don’t want to be around powerful semiautomatic while enjoying a burrito bowl with brown rice. Customers took to Chipolte’s Facebook:
This outrage and intimidation tactics from Second Ammendment freaks at their restaurants prompted Chiptole to finally take a statement taking a stance on the issue. Via Business Insider:
The issue of gun ownership or gun rights has become one of the most contentious debates in the country. Chipotle has never taken a position on this issue, as we focus instead on our mission to change the way people think about and eat fast food. Recently participants from an “open carry” demonstration in Texas brought guns (including military-style assault rifles) into one of our restaurants, causing many of our customers anxiety and discomfort. Because of this, we are respectfully asking that customers not bring guns into our restaurants, unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel. Historically, we felt it enough to simply comply with local laws regarding the open or concealed carrying of firearms, because we believe that it is not fair to put our team members in the uncomfortable position of asking that customers refrain from bringing guns into our restaurants. However, because the display of firearms in our restaurants has now created an environment that is potentially intimidating or uncomfortable for many of our customers, we think it is time to make this request. We acknowledge that there are strong arguments on both sides of this issue. We have seen those differing positions expressed in the wake of this event in Texas, where pro-gun customers have contacted us to applaud our support of the Second Amendment, and anti-gun customers have expressed concern over the visible display of military-style assault rifles in restaurants where families are eating. The vast majority of gun owners are responsible citizens and we appreciate them honoring this request. And we hope that our customers who oppose the carrying of guns in public agree with us that it is the role of elected officials and the legislative process to set policy in this area, not the role of businesses like Chipotle. We always welcome the exchange of ideas and opinions: it is one of the many things that make our country such a special place. But this issue is not central to the operation of our business, and we do not feel that our restaurants should be used as a platform for either side of the debate.
Of course, this infuriated the Drudge Facebook comment section, with many gun activists calling for a Chipotle ban. Considering that almost all New York City Chipotle locations (…where, by virtue of local law, you can’t carry a firearm anywhere… THANK GOD) have lines practically snaking around the block 24/7, I’m sure Chipotle could care less. Their bottomline won’t suffer from a handful of gun nuts insisting on “hurting Chipotle in the wallet.” Here are some of the highlights from the Facebook thread:
Remember when you could just have a burrito and it wasn’t a “thing”? It’s unsettling that we don’t live in an America where we can just pay extra for our guac in peace without getting up-in-arms about it.
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