A new restaurant which is named for Toby Keith in Woodbridge, Va. is under fire after its management posted a sign which read 'NO GUNS PERMITTED.'
- Dec 30, 2013
AceShowbiz - Toby Keith has sparked online buzz after a new restaurant in Woodbridge, Va. which is named after him shows a sign which reads 'NO GUNS PERMITTED' on the front door. Because of the sign, some upset gun-rights advocates took to the restaurant's Facebook to protest the no-gun policy.
"That sign on the door means that I will never try your restaurant ... It is a cultural thing among we Americans ... It is the fact that you seek to restrict a Constitutional Right that bothers the public. This is what will cost you," an angry Facebook user wrote. Another person said in a post, "I am now ashamed to say I was ever a fan of yours [T]oby. You truly are a hypocrite."
"While we understand and respect every person's right to own and bear arms, we at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill, with guidance from the State of Virginia and based on insurance regulations, have adopted a no weapons policy. It is our desire to provided a safe, enjoyable and entertaining experience for our patrons and staff," the restaurant's management said in a Facebook post on Saturday, December 28.
While some people got upset by the rule, others said that they could accept it. "I think it's a good thing no guns are permitted in a restaurant," Jean Sutts from Woodbridge told WTOP. Sutts' friend Mike Miskin who is a gun-right advocate additionally commented that "alcohol and guns do not mix. I believe that you should be allowed to carry your gun with you but not into a bar."
Virginia is a gun friendly state which allows citizens to openly carry firearms into restaurants and bars. Drinking while carrying a concealed weapons, however, is prohibited. The state law also permits establishments to ban weapons as long as they display the sign at a prominent spot.
