In a recent column about open carry, Houston Chronicle business writer Chris Tomlinson writes:
Texas law prioritizes property and employer rights over the individual’s right to bear arms, he [attorney David Barron] explained. Property owners may prohibit the concealed or open carry of weapons if they post the appropriate sign at every entrance.
According to Tomlinson, there is a conflict between property rights and individual rights, and Texas law gives priority to property rights. In truth, there is no such conflict–property rights are the practical implementation of property rights.
A right pertains to freedom of action in a social context. Our rights protect our freedom to act on our own judgment, so long as we respect the freedom of others to act on their judgment. Each individual can act as he chooses, and any interaction with others must be based on their voluntary consent.
If a property owner wishes to prohibit open carry (or concealed carry for that matter) on his property, he has a moral right to do so. Those who do not like that policy remain free to go elsewhere, whether they are consumers or employees. There is no conflict between property rights and the right to carry a weapon.