Well Or. wasn't well known. But now ?

[tony k]

I'm very leery of people carrying in bars. I know it's done anyway, legal or not, but in my mind, any more alcohol than a beer or two and guns just don't mix. A beer or two depends on a person's size, tolerance, and state of mind prior to drinking, and other factors. Maybe I should say being drunk or drugged up or whatever and guns don't mix.
I've seen people change drastically after a few drinks, people going from normally very friendly turning aggressive, and rude, some starting out cheerful, but near tears after a few drinks. And all sorts of changes in personality. Rarely does someone in a foul mood seem to "cheer-up", more often it seems like they usually just sit and brood on whatever their situation is, and possibly wait until an opportunity arises to get into a fight. Adding guns into this mix, is a very bad idea.
And some drink until the "blackout" stage, the stage you get when you won't be able to remember a thing after a certain amount of alcohol is consumed. That's the stage where they have to call their buddies to see what they did the previous night, or where their car is, find out why their significant other isn't speaking to them, and all that type of stuff. Someone in a blackout has no business with a gun, as logic and reason has long since departed, and emotion has mostly taken over.
Alcohol and it's effects are so unpredictable, that I just don't see any business of packing in a bar when you intend to have more than a "couple" of drinks. I don't want to be around people that I don't know, and are drunk or in a black-out and packing a firearm. These can be some very unpredictable people, that will sometimes start a fight over the smallest things. While others are happy to sit there drunk out of their minds, and just having a good time. If you can limit yourself to a couple of drinks, and then maybe 1 and hour or however long it takes a drinks worth of alcohol to leave a persons system, then that wouldn't be so bad, and I don't think I'd have any problem with that. It's those that set out to get good and drunk, and are packing that worry me. I don't drink or hang out in bars anymore, so it's really not an issue for me. But I had my share when I was younger and in better health, and I doubt much has changed since then, except maybe people less friendly and not as polite these days, but I find that everywhere.
Many of my favorite restaurants serve alcohol, but you don't seem to find many people drunk in those type places, except maybe the ones with a separate bar area, and later in the evening and sports bars tend to get a little rowdy on game days and nights. I'd hate to see someone shot because they were rooting for The Redskins, in a bar packed full of Cowboys fans. Some fans take the games way too seriously, and when their team is getting whipped bad and some fans are good and drunk and ready to fight by the end of the game, just because their team lost. There's no need to add guns to that mix.
I do suppose though, that if I should have to venture into some "get drunk" type bar, to fetch someone or something, I would surely be packing, because you never know what's going to happen in those type places. But I would be in and out as quick as I could.

What happened to innocent until proven guilty? Why should we preemptively take away someone's natural right for some perceived safety benefit? That's the same argument as for gun-free school zones, and we all know how well those work. I'm not denying that mixing booze and guns is not the best idea, but enough with the nanny state already.

There isn't an epidemic of drunken shootouts in bars here in Oregon (at least in Northeast Oregon where I live), and there are lots of people carrying, and lots of people getting drunk and rowdy in bars.

[TheTman]

I never said it should be illegal, I just said I was leery of people packing in bars, and proceeding to get drunk. And I don't think anyone can argue that being intoxicated (on anything) and guns mix. I carry into bars, but I no longer drink. So I know I'm not going to go on some drunken escapade and shoot the place up, or shoot someone over something stupid. I'm leery of others that might do something like that. I suppose if I did drink, I'd try to just have a couple, and stay within the limit to drive legally. But I can't speak for others, and how they are going to conduct themselves.
Bar killings or shoot outs must not be a big problem, or the anti-gunners would be plastering it everywhere, that some drunk shot up a place or killed someone in a drunken stupor or rage or whatever and trying to get it banned. We have shootings outside of bars occasionally, usually after the bars shut down for the night, but I can't recall any happening inside the bar. What can I say, I'm just leery of mixing alcohol with guns. Particularly in a group full of folks I don't know.

[tony k]

I see what you mean theTman. I personally don't drink or use drugs either (except my blood pressure medicine). If I was a drinker, I'd think twice about carrying when I knew I was going to really tie one on. Then again, when I carry, I generally try to be selective of the situations I put myself in, and try to be on my best behavior. I'm guessing most people who carry in bars while drinking also try to be on their best behavior.

I just don't like the idea of giving anti-gunners yet another straw man to go after.