Mixing liquor and firearms not good idea

Even in the Old West, where guns were commonplace, it was recognized that guns and liquor don't mix very well, eventually leading to prohibitions of firearms in places that served liquor.

So Arizona's current law prohibiting guns in bars and other places where liquor is served is in line with that common sense recognition that the two don't belong together.

Yet, a number of state lawmakers want to change that law so at least some with guns can take them into establishments serving alcohol. They believe law-abiding gun owners can potentially head off attacks by criminals or others if they were to occur.

Whether the lawmakers will be successful or not remains to be seen. The bill failed in the Arizona Senate Monday, but it could be revived later due to the tie vote on it passage.

The chief sponsor of the Arizona Senate bill - Sen. Jack Harper, R-Surprise - allowed several provisions to be added to SB 1113 which are intended to help dispel concerns about mixing guns and liquor.

First is a requirement that those carrying guns into liquor establishments have a state concealed weapons permit. Holders of the permit are required to be trained in the state's gun laws, as well as safe and responsible gun handling.

Equally importantly, it would still be illegal for anyone who is armed to drink when in the establishments. This addresses the main objection that armed people won't act responsibly if they are drinking.

One key stumbling point has been the issue of private property rights, and that too has been addressed in the law. Any business owner impacted by the change could still post a sign saying no firearms are allowed. That is the same standard applied to other businesses in Arizona in regard to allowing weapons on their property.

Even with these protections there remains reason for concern. There are penalties for drinking while armed, but they have been made less severe in the proposed law. Some lawmakers see it as a minor offense.

And some business owners are still concerned about their property rights, believing the assumption should be that property owners do not want to allow guns rather than them posting signs to disallow them.

Generally, we fall on the side of gun rights, but the logic of not mixing liquor and guns is strong. It is better to put the safety concern first in this instance - drinking can be a strong counter force to responsible actions.