Dale Welch走进位于弗吉尼亚州的一家星巴克，腰上别着手枪的他点了一杯香蕉星冰乐外加一份肉桂小面包。他称至少有一位顾客忍不住再次打量了一下他的枪，但咖啡师们并未做出偷看的举动。
Dale Welch recently walked into a Starbucks in Virginia, handgun strapped to his waist, and ordered a banana Frappuccino with a cinnamon bun. He says the firearm drew a double-take from at least one customer, but not a peep from the baristas.
Dale Welch突然光临这家咖啡店，此举是为了同许多枪支持有者一道，在几个允许人们公开携带枪支的州内，行使并宣传他们应有的权利。
Welch’s foray into the coffeehouse was part of an effort by some gun owners to exercise and advertise their rights in states that allow people to openly carry firearms.
即使是在几个容许“公开携带枪支”的州，许多商店还是可以拒绝携带枪支者入内。而那些对枪支说不的商家，也与枪支拥有者展开了政治对抗。作为最大的连锁咖啡店，星巴克显然不接受这套。星巴克在本月的一项声明中称，将遵循州及地方法律(容许公开携带枪支)，并表示其所有店铺都拥有自己的安全措施。
Even in some "open carry" states, businesses are allowed to ban guns in their stores. And some have, creating political confrontations with gun owners. But Starbucks, the largest chain targeted, has refused to take the bait, saying in a statement this month that it follows state and local laws and has its own safety measures in its stores.
枪支政策专家，密西西比大学政治学教授John Bruce表示：“星巴克之所以成为一个特别目标，是因为它起源于西海岸的嬉皮士文化，很多愿意花4美元来购买咖啡的忠实顾客，都期许星巴克会对枪支说不。但显然他们失算了。”
"Starbucks is a special target because it’s from the hippie West Coast, and a lot of dedicated consumers who pay $4 for coffee have expectations that Starbucks should ban guns. And here they aren’t," said John Bruce, a political science professor at the University of Mississippi who is an expert in gun policy.
71岁的Dale Welch生活在弗吉尼亚州里士满市，是一位已退休的物业经理。他认为携带武器喝咖啡，这没什么不可以的。
Welch, a 71-year-old retired property manager who lives in Richmond, Va., doesn’t see any reason why he shouldn’t bear arms while he gets caffeinated.