Editor: "Stupid is as stupid does." This is a quote from the movie, Forrest Gump. Basically, it means people are as stupid as their actions. It appears that there are a lot of stupid people managing companies in the area. How many times have you seen a sign on a businesses’ door that states, "No weapons allowed inside this building"?

Actually this sign yells out, "Attention criminals, this is a defense-free crime zone. All law abiding patrons of this establishment have been disarmed for your convenience." Do these establishments actually believe that people intent on committing mayhem will leave their guns at home? These signs simply encourage criminals by signifying that these locations are available targets.

Property owners who want to keep themselves and their patrons safe should post signs that say, "guns welcome."

Every terrorist attack in the U.S. has been in a "gun free zone." Gun bans don’t disarm terrorists and criminals; gun bans attract them. The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.

The largest percentage of mass shootings (45.6 percent) took place in a commercial environment (73 incidents), followed by 24.3 percent that took place in an educational environment (39 incidents). The remaining incidents occurred at other location types specified in a FBI study —open spaces, military and other government properties, houses of worship, and health care facilities. Twelve mass shooting were stopped by good guys with guns, not the police.

After passing their concealed carry law, Florida’s homicide rate fell from 36 percent above the national average to 4 percent below. In Texas, murder rates fell 50 percent faster than the national average in the year after their concealed carry law passed. In the first year after Virginia allowed concealed carry, the number of major crimes involving firearms at bars and restaurants statewide declined 5.2 percent. Sixty-six percent of police chiefs believe that citizens carrying concealed firearms reduce rates of violent crime. And there are many more examples of people being protected by a citizen with a gun.

Put yourself in a criminal’s shoes. Wouldn’t you feel safer robbing a bank or retail store displaying a "no weapons allowed’’ sign than one without it; and thus be assured no one with a gun will stop you—or worse, shoot you?

It’s not the citizens with a concealed carry permit you need fear, it’s the criminal. It’s time to make your patrons feel safer. Take those stupid signs down.

Len Calderone

Midway