I'm bored, so I'll interject as well...
Here in Kentucky (yes, yeehaw, etc.) there are provisions allowing for the open carry of a handgun state-wide, and (with the proper permit) laws in place to allow for the concealed carry of a handgun. To buy one, you just need a valid driver's license and need to be 21 years of age. Having worked as a licensed dealer of firearms in this state, that is a terrifying prospect but it is the right of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the United States of America. I could deny a purchased with reasonable suspicion of being a 'straw purchase' (a purchase for someone who isn't legally able to buy one) but that's rather difficult in a state culture where firearms are tools in most of the state and are commonly purchased as gifts for friends and family members. I no longer work in that field simply because it's become tedious with the invention of the internet and everyone with a connection and a forum ID has become an 'expert' and Special Forum Operators are rampant.
Occupationally, I have to deal with these "We Ban Guns" signs. I carry a concealed handgun daily, mainly for occupational reasons but it has also become odd not to. I'd compare it to leaving you cell-phone at home, it just doesn't feel 'right'. Most places that serve alcohol have a 'no weapons' sign in place, and while they have no legal precedence a drunk with a firearm on his person will be viewed poorly in the eyes of the law. I personally disarm when entering a place that serves alcohol, as I typically consume some during my business transaction there and it seems like a good idea. If I am working, however, and I have to enter such a place, I simply don't consume alcohol or limit my intake severely.
The local big-box liquor store chain in my area has such a sign on the door as well, but I never disarm when entering (I'm sober when I'm buying beer) because 'concealed' is just that. Other people don't know you have it. "Buffalo Wild Wings" has a rather large sign that says "WE BAN GUNS ON THIS PREMISES". That's their right as a business. I think their wording is a bit too aggressive as they don't have the authority to 'ban' anything, but that's also my right to disagree with their statement. I've worn a concealed weapon into their restaurant numerous times (sober, mind you). About all they can do is ask me to leave if they catch me.
Open carry is a different story and legally a dangerous proposition unless you have the proper permit to conceal it. It's dangerous for the simple fact that if it accidentally becomes concealed, you're asking for a felony on your record. It's also not socially acceptable anywhere but gun stores. Wal-Mart, CostCo, etc will ask you to leave because the general public is uncomfortable around guns, or at least people who look unofficial with guns. However, the further you get from the major population centers, the more socially acceptable it becomes. During deer season in rural Kentucky it is accepted that hunters will walk around your Wal-Mart with slung rifles, simply because they don't want to leave them in their trucks and with to purchase provisions for their weekend of hunting.
I'll close with saying that open carry laws aren't always a bad idea and that mass shootings are undertaken by mentally unstable individuals or criminals. Arizona passed a similar bill before Gabby Giffords was shot, allowing anyone who can legally own a pistol to carry it legally concealed. One of the men on the scene was legally concealing a handgun, but he decided against using it because he didn't feel he was proficient enough in its use to deliver accurate fire. I use this example to demonstrate that not all who carry are Rambo, and that those who purchase firearms are typically much more educated about their safe and legal use than those who don't own them. It's a lot like owning a car: It's a potentially deadly machine you can use for socially acceptable purposes (Driving to work, school, etc) or for mass murder (Drive down the sidewalk at high speed during a crowded event and run over a dozen people). The vast majority of people use it as intended.
I prefer education and mutual understanding over flame-baiting arguments. I usually challenge naysayers to take a basic NRA safety class, or something along those lines. It exposes them to firearms in a safe and controlled manner, and provides education about firearms in general most naysayers seem to lack.
