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Bellingham VFW definitely unfriendly

heresolong

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
1,318
Location
Blaine, WA, ,
Stopped by for their pancake breakfast. As I sat quietly reading my book and waiting for my breakfast I was approached and told I'd have to leave because they don't allow firearms. I asked if they were serious, then picked up my stuff, got my money back, and left.

Before I left though...

"Excuse me. Could I have everyone's attention please. I am being asked to leave because I am carrying a firearm. Apparently at the VFW, an organization devoted to those who fought to defend our freedoms, I am not welcome to quietly eat breakfast and read a book if I am exercising my Second Amendment rights. I think that's pretty disgusting. Have a great Memorial Day."

The old fellow in charge didn't like that I was speaking out and threw in his own "with a gun" a couple times but the rest of the room was dead silent.

I won't be back.
 

decklin

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
758
Location
Pacific, WA
That's funny since they start off every meeting with their oath to support and defend the State Constitution. I was with one of the VFW chapters here for a year and was in fact a vice commander. I left because I couldn't put up with their nonsense anymore.
 

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
Stopped by for their pancake breakfast. As I sat quietly reading my book and waiting for my breakfast I was approached and told I'd have to leave because they don't allow firearms. I asked if they were serious, then picked up my stuff, got my money back, and left.

Before I left though...

"Excuse me. Could I have everyone's attention please. I am being asked to leave because I am carrying a firearm. Apparently at the VFW, an organization devoted to those who fought to defend our freedoms, I am not welcome to quietly eat breakfast and read a book if I am exercising my Second Amendment rights. I think that's pretty disgusting. Have a great Memorial Day."

The old fellow in charge didn't like that I was speaking out and threw in his own "with a gun" a couple times but the rest of the room was dead silent.

I won't be back.

Great job on standing up and saying something. +1
 

jbone

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
2,230
Location
WA
All the VFW's and American Legions I've been to sell booze, perhaps they are just exercising extra caution with their license.
 

Vitaeus

Regular Member
Joined
May 30, 2010
Messages
596
Location
Bremerton, Washington
The P.O. VFW is effectively a bar, since all the rest of the meeting hall is PAST the bar. The one in Bremerton had signs up, but not sure it has been a while. It would not surprise me that the policy is no firearms.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
The P.O. VFW is effectively a bar, since all the rest of the meeting hall is PAST the bar. The one in Bremerton had signs up, but not sure it has been a while. It would not surprise me that the policy is no firearms.

Drinkin kinda early in the day though for this to be applicable .... glug glug glug ...

I have never been in a VFW .. always thought of them as being WWII vet hangouts talking about their adventures in B-52s and all their buddies who bit the dust while fighting the Nazis .... shame that they have this policy...
 

Jeff Hayes

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
2,569
Location
Long gone
Drinkin kinda early in the day though for this to be applicable .... glug glug glug ...

I have never been in a VFW .. always thought of them as being WWII vet hangouts talking about their adventures in B-52s and all their buddies who bit the dust while fighting the Nazis .... shame that they have this policy...

B-17s, B-24s maybe but the B -52 did not go into service until 1955.
 

hermannr

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
2,327
Location
Okanogan Highland
I don't remember there being a sign posted by the LCB "21 and over only" at any VFW I've seen, and I took my Hunter safety class at a VFW (but that was back in 1960, I must add)

Even though I am a Vietnam Vet, I am not a "joiner" when it comes to organizations like the VFW, and I really am not the best source of information that way...but do they have a "21 and over only" sign at the entrance to the building? I'll bet they don't.
 

papa bear

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
2,222
Location
mayberry, nc
you know it just hit me, that a couple of the VFWs in this area sponsor gun shows. i have never thought to ask if they had a policy against carry
 

DocWalker

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
1,922
Location
Mountain Home, Idaho, USA
The P.O. VFW is effectively a bar, since all the rest of the meeting hall is PAST the bar. The one in Bremerton had signs up, but not sure it has been a while. It would not surprise me that the policy is no firearms.

It is almost humorous that stats show veterans have a higher level of people becoming addicted to drugs and alchohol with a lot of veterans in AA and recovery for alchohol; yet most of these veteran organizations are "BARS". This is the reason I quit going to my American Legion as people where just getting drunk day after day.
 

BigDave

Opt-Out Members
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
3,456
Location
Yakima, Washington, USA
A lot of our vets from WWII, Vietnam, Korea that make up the greater membership of the VFW suffer from what today known as PTSD and was not treated or understood as well as we do today with many, many more young vets are dealing with today.

Many of those vets know and deal with still those issues today and likely the reason they resist carrying of firearms in their post today, shame on anyone being critical of them today.
 

Vitaeus

Regular Member
Joined
May 30, 2010
Messages
596
Location
Bremerton, Washington
A lot of our vets from WWII, Vietnam, Korea that make up the greater membership of the VFW suffer from what today known as PTSD and was not treated or understood as well as we do today with many, many more young vets are dealing with today.

Many of those vets know and deal with still those issues today and likely the reason they resist carrying of firearms in their post today, shame on anyone being critical of them today.

Dave, they are welcome as individuals and even as an organization to have rules or make decisions about firearms. Just like any other organization I can choose to support them or not, with my time or with my money.
 

tombrewster421

Regular Member
Joined
May 25, 2010
Messages
1,326
Location
Roy, WA
Yes we criticize private organizations all the time and you say nothing until its something that you take offense to. We don't just have rights when it comes to government. We have them all the time. It's up to each individual to stand up for those rights. The bill of rights wasn't put in place to stop the government from trampling them. It's a reminder that governments exist to secure those rights.

And no my property does not have rights. I have a right to keep my property. Big difference.
 
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