[CholeraJoe]

An armed society is a polite society.

[Sterco]

There are neighborhoods in Denver where a few at the table might have shown you theirs.

[CholeraJoe]

ping

[Arkie2]

Why would you expect peace and quiet at 430 am on a weekend? Maybe you should just scramble some eggs in the kitchen.

[lemura]

This ought to be fun; the RKBA is based on the principle of self-defense. A public place, no threat of physical safety, no one breaking the law - just a person annoyed by loud noise. One can imagine that he could be arrested for threatening other customers.

[kendu]

nothing like fresh "STFU" for breakfast

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Joe, I would have left. The tone and deportment in the restaurant is the owner's business. He might prefer ten raucous twenty-somethings to one dyspeptic fifty-something.

These kids were probably drunk, drunks do stupid things. At least they have an excuse.

[T Minus Four]

I think that was over the top. I don't believe the open carry laws were devised to enforce someone's version of good manners.

The threat was implied. What would you have done if they had continued to carry on? Shoot them? If not, what was the point?

P.S. I have a concealed carry permit

[ConservativeMind]

Excellent to hear!

[nerdwithamachinegun]

Been there too.

I'm 5'8" and chubby. Not threatening at all.

You can get a lot more with a kind word and a gun than a kind word.

There is no excuse, especially "kids being kids", for behaving like loud idiots in public.
Nothing ruins eating out like other people's inconsiderate behavior.


I'm glad you were able to finish your meal in peace.

[Bommer]

Would have been interesting if you came up against one of the drunks who also had a 9mm and told you to sit down and shut up. Would it have been the OK Corral?

[dakine]

Billy Bad-ass? Chip on shoulder?...or both...

[Ludicrous]

"All I wanted to do was eat my breakfast in relative peace."

Certainly the bakery would wrap your breakfast for take-out!

Using your rights to step on the rights of others - seems like you were the rude one.

[tomakaze]

complete farking idiocy.

[Jim_Curtis]

You should probably avoid petty confrontations while wearing that thing.

[dangerdoc]

A weapon is used for self defense, not intimidating a bunch of drunk kids. What would you have done if one of them got in your face. What would you have done if they kept on talking. What if one of the idiots wanted to take a swing at you. In this case, you have become the aggressor. You would have killed somebodies kid,who for all you know is a good person, just a little drunk and trying to get some breakfast.

I am all for carry, either open or concealed. But, I believe that if you choose to carry, you have an extra responsibility to avoid confrontation.

Kids have a right to be stupid and survive. Heavens know that I didn't survive on my judgment alone when I was that age.

I think what you did was a mistake and if you had discharged your weapon, you have destroyed your own life.

[usnjay]

The fact you circled the table twice definitely makes it sound like you were the aggressor. If you have the right to threaten people for being obnoxious most of us won't make it out of puberty.

Who decides when you're being too loud in public? Who gets to judge when using the cell phone is impolite? Anyone with a gun? What you did was wrong.

You enforced the negative image of guns and made it tougher for those of us who want to carry them peacefully.

[Labyrinthos]

What gives you the right to eat in quiet at 4:15 a.m. at someone elses place of business? They were the only other patrons at the diner until you arrived, and there is nothing in your vanity post to indicate that they were threatening the waitress, the chef, or anyone else. I would have told you to "stuff it" and "if you think a bit of noise at 4:15 a.m. is worth unholstering your sidearm, then go ahead and make my day." What an a-hole.

[MaryFromMichigan]

If the kids hadn't quited down, the implication is that you would what, shoot them?
Ten drunk, obnoxious 20-somethings making a lot of noise.

I'm all for gun rights, but that's not a hill I'd choose to die for.

[RFEngineer]

"An armed society is a polite society."

Your statement is correct, but your implementation was completely flawed. As your story demonstrates, you modified your behavior when carrying a sidearm.

If it is a dumb idea to confront a bunch of drunks that are simply being annoying without a gun......then it is a dumb idea to do so with a gun. That you do not understand the difference, or how this could have been handled better, is why I offer this advice (without malice or mocking): You should not carry a gun.

[little jeremiah]

Very fine inspirational story. Thanks for sharing.