Parties, Booze, Drugs and Firearms
Throughout the year there will be parties and there’s a good chance that you might be invited to one of these or you may be hosting one. In some cases you will be familiar with these places since you frequent them or it’s your first time visiting. You’re going to meet people that you know and there will also be those you’ve never met before.
A lot goes on at parties and you’ve got to be careful, especially if you’re carrying a firearm. Parties come in all different sizes where you may just have a small group, which is a little easier to predict when something is wrong, all the way up to a very large crowd, where your spidey senses will just go crazy. Predicting something that may go wrong will be very difficult in such a crowd. Depending on the type of event you go to, there will most likely be drinking, even at a child’s party.
If you’re going to partake in any festivities, the first thing you’re going to have to investigate is if you can legally carry a firearm on those premises. Is it at a house, a business, an establishment that serves alcohol like a bar, a school (like a high school reunion), is it on Federal or State grounds? Houses may be off limits in some states. For example, in Missouri, the resident can post signage showing that it’s a gun-free zone and this can be enforceable by law.
So what are the laws in your area? If you’re not up to date on the laws, you’ll have to quickly educate yourself before you attend. Give yourself a few days (if possible) to do your research. Will the location you’re going to allow firearms? If you frequent parties, you should be very aware the laws, if not, start getting familiar with them right now.
Once you determine the laws and if you can legally carry, you’re going to have to be on your very best behavior. You’re going to have to be the most responsible and nicest person there. I have been to plenty of parties where there are drinking and sometimes drugs are involved. Now you’re going to have to be aware of your surroundings (situational awareness) and you’ll have to stay away from the booze, so don’t drink and carry a firearm. And if there are illegal drugs involved, I would suggest that you leave immediately. Why? If something happens where the police are involved and you’re armed with illegal drugs within your vicinity, it can turn into a very bad situation. Avoid at all costs. You may end up with felony drug charges with a firearm, even though it’s not your place, you were invited by a friend and have nothing to do with those drugs. Don’t take any chances.
Since you’re going to be on your very best behavior, that doesn’t mean that others will be mirroring what you’re doing. Some people are there to party and get down. You’re going to see tipsy and drunk people and sometimes these situations can turn upside down. You may have fights and you may have people doing real stupid things. Try to avoid getting involved in stupid things and avoid those who are inebriated.
Word of advice, never open carry at a party. You’re asking for trouble when you do this. Someone can get stupid and go for your firearm and this can turn into a deadly situation. Keep it hidden and don’t advertise that you’re carrying a pistol. For my protection and my friends, they are unaware that I legally carry a firearm, unless they too carry concealed. It’s nice to know who has your back. I would hate to have someone that I am with that’s intoxicated, they try to start a fight and announce I am carrying a sidearm. Now I could possibly be a target and things can go sideways.
When I go to a bar or restaurant that serves alcohol, in my state it’s legal to carry concealed and legal to drink while armed, which I never do. If something happens and my firearm is involved in a situation while I was drinking, this won’t look good for my self-defense case. Some states do not allow firearms in bars, and some states have strange laws about what percentage the establishment makes on alcohol sales before you can carry in their place of business. For example, if alcohol sales meet or exceed a certain percentage, carrying a firearm is considered off limits. Here is a snippet from Texas law where carrying a firearm is considered off limits where: “51 percent or more of its income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption, as determined by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission under Section 104.06…”. So what does “Service of Alcohol” mean anyways and how do you turn that into a percentage? So what they’re saying is that you are not allowed to carry a firearm in that establishment.
But how do you know if the establishment makes 51 percent on alcohol sales? I am sure they don’t post it. It sounds like a ridiculous law, especially if you’re left in the dark guessing, but the law is enforceable. So maybe you should be allowed to ask the establishment to verify their financial records in case they aren’t meeting that 51% in alcohol sales so you’re allowed to carry legally. You can’t just take their word for it. Can you?
So when I am in a pub with a group of people, I tell the server that I am a designated driver for my friends and ask if they offer free drinks (coffee, soda or tea) while I keep an eye on my friends while they’re drinking. This enables me to drive them home safely while being sober. Some establishments don’t mind refilling your glass for this special reason. But if your friends start to get a little crazy, then it’s time to start wrapping things up, pay your bill and leave the establishment.
While I was overseas in the military, we would have our own policing for the safety of our service members and the locals that interact with us. For those veterans or active duty military, you may recognize the names like Military Police, Air Police, Shore Patrol, etc. While I was on this detail, at times we would have to deal with drunks and remove them from some of these bars since they were passed out or causing problems. I remember being trained with my partner on how to approach a person who had been drinking and slumped over at a bar.
We had to approach on opposite sides of this person and get control of their arms before they woke up. The reason for this is that out of a dead sleep sometimes they grab something like a beer bottle and use it as a weapon. People have been seriously hurt, especially with a broken bottle. The point of the story is that you’re not going to know what a person under the influence will do, especially if you try to wake them.
So while you’re out at any gathering where there are drugs and or alcohol, go with your gut feeling and make wise decisions while carrying a firearm. If it feels like the situation can turn into something harmful, work on getting out of there. You can go through a lot of scenarios in your head with any type of ending, but remember, it never happens the way you expect it.
Just to recap, be very cautious when you’re out with people that are drinking. Avoid confrontations, make sure you can legally carry at that party, keep your head on a swivel (situational awareness), keep you firearm hidden on your person (don’t off body carry) and if there are drugs involved, get the hell out of there.
Be safe out there, be the responsible firearm owner and always follow the “Concealed Carry Creed“!!!