Is there something in the water in Texas?....

[Protected One]

Why do so many Texans seen determined to shove open carry down the throat? Last week - Chipotle, this week - Home Depot. It's like they're the Capital of "lets piss off the anti-gun crowd".

Open Carry group holds rally at Home Depot in North Richland Hills | Dallas Morning News

 

[Waywatcher]

I have conflicted feelings about this. They want to be able to open carry a handgun, but can't, so they carry a long arm to illustrate the ridiculous laws.

I'm glad they're doing it, or at least part of me is, but I also feel awkward where guns are being artificially inserted into social situations where they don't normally exist. I understand that they want to change that sense of normalcy, but that also hasn't happened yet.

Honestly, I'm conflicted. It's interesting to watch, though.

 

[Badquaker]

Failure to exercise your rights is de facto loss of those rights.

 

[moxie]

Sad but true. The OC fanatics are hurting gun rights overall. Scaring people having lunch in a restaurant or shopping is a violation of their rights. This is not an effective form of political activism.

 

[Texas40]

Im not a fan of OC or these so called activists (aka idiots). Evennif OC was legal Id still CC why let the bad guys know who is and who isnt packing. Let the find out the hard way.

 

[Henry O]

Hard for me to support open carry. Along with others I would rather keep all my options open and not have someone else going for my weapon the primary issue. Advertising is a means of telling people what you want them to know. There are times I would rather not be advertising to others what they may not need to know.

 

[phantom9]

I think if you're trying to protest the oc laws, there is a far more tactful way to do so. It is irritating, although I prefer cc, because all they did was stir the pot in a negative way. So many people are becoming selfish in the way they protest in that they hardly think of the greater ramifications of their actions.

 

[4barrel]

There are 175000 more people moving into the metro in the Dallas area every year. We have a problem that is not going away. There is too much free stuff. 3/4 don't speak English. I wouldn't open carry if it was ok. Just mind your own business & be ready at all times.

 

[GerSan69]

Failure to exercise your rights is de facto loss of those rights.

You know, I hear this all the time but most of the folks saying this refuse to consider that there might be consequences: Starbucks, Chipotle, and Sonic all were visited by OCT members "exercising" their rights, and as a result each chose the opposite of what OCT assumed they'd do. In fact, I read a post on OCT's site asking that no more long-gun "demonstrations" take place because they were having an adverse effect.
There are many ways to educate people about firearms, but now that we've seen the disastrous results of "in your face" actions, it's time to try something else.

 

[shouldazagged]

It's idiotic and unhelpful. Want the anti's screaming for more diminution of our Second Amendment rights? Keep doing stupid stuff like this to rile them deliberately, and watch how many anti-2A people they vote into office. They do vote, especially when pissed off, and they can quite posibly elect those who make the laws we're forced to live by.

How many times have I read it here? The fact that I can do something doesn't mean I have to, or that it's necessarily a good idea.

I'll go put on my Nomex suit now.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I see you're in Michigan. Check your water filter lately?

Michigan Open Carry supporters to hold march, rally at Capitol today | MLive.com

 

[The Big D]

NRA weighs in...with a surprise (?) opinion.

How 'bout this viewpoint from the NRA?

NRA calls 'open carry' rallies 'downright weird' - WTOP.com

I see a public breakup forthcoming.

Be safe.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I have conflicted feelings about this. They want to be able to open carry a handgun, but can't, so they carry a long arm to illustrate the ridiculous laws.

I'm glad they're doing it, or at least part of me is, but I also feel awkward where guns are being artificially inserted into social situations where they don't normally exist. I understand that they want to change that sense of normalcy, but that also hasn't happened yet.

Honestly, I'm conflicted. It's interesting to watch, though.

I think in some ways it is no more complicated than human nature. Authority says you can't have or do something, so then ya just got to have or do it!

In this case it's a Constitutional right. So no matter if the actions of OC protesters are viewed as helpful or not, they are on the right side of the issue to make handgun OC legal in Texas.

In other related OC news.... Tennessee Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill allowing OC by anyone legally owing a gun. No Hangun Permit Required. Unfortunately, a House committee killed it. Permit holders, over 400,000 of us, of course can carry open or concealed.

OC is coming. Anti-gun folks and gun-owners suffering hoplophobia at the sight of anyone not in uniform carrying a gun.... best get used to the idea.

 

[Badquaker]

since we are have the same discussion on two different threads....

I am a proud Texan, but why are my rights worth less than those who live in states that allow open carry?

Have gun fights erupted in the streets where strapping a six gun to your leg is allowed in broad daylight?

Has the pansification of society caused grown adults to cower in fear at the mere sight of a gun?

Businesses have the right to limit access to law abiding gun toting customers, just as much a private home owner. That same law abiding gun toting customer has the right to spend their money where they want. I am happy that chiles/sonic made their opinions public. I am not offended by their stance. I don't want to cause them any heartache, I will simply spend my money somewhere else.

It's all about choice.

And as for the OP's original question(which I find somewhat insulting)... is there something in the water? Yeah, it's gives most of us a backbone. Maybe those cowering in the corner should try it sometime.

 

[twobit601]

Well I am pro open carry, but carrying long guns in public group demonstrations is just downright stupid and is hurting the open carry cause more than anything else that could happen. I think they are trying to hurt the open carry cause! It is just a publicity stunt that ticks people off! Read Texas Penal Code 42.01 (8)...disorderly conduct, displays a firearm or other deadly weapon in a public place in a manner calculated to alarm. I argue that this is exactly what these people are doing in order to "shock" or alarm the public into paying attention to them. This law can and will be used by some prosecutors to put a stop to this media seeking stunt.

 

[Protected One]

Well I am pro open carry, but carrying long guns in public group demonstrations is just downright stupid and is hurting the open carry cause more than anything else that could happen. I think they are trying to hurt the open carry cause! It is just a publicity stunt that ticks people off! Read Texas Penal Code 42.01 (8)...disorderly conduct, displays a firearm or other deadly weapon in a public place in a manner calculated to alarm. I argue that this is exactly what these people are doing in order to "shock" or alarm the public into paying attention to them. This law can and will be used by some prosecutors to put a stop to this media seeking stunt.

Glad to see someone in Texas gets it!

 

[gm272gs]

From the article:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mark Thompson, 54, of Garland said:

"We're fundamentally changing America and changing Texas," he said. "We're letting people know they're free."

Although his weapon's chamber was empty — all those at the rally were instructed to clear their guns' chambers — Thompson's gun had a loaded magazine attached. That, he said, was a matter of being prepared for any hostile activity.

"Every now and then we get some aggressive people toward us," Thompson said. "We get so much hate, it's incredible."
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

"being prepared for any hostile activity" is scary to me. I wonder what constitutes "hostile" to these folks. What exactly is going to make one of these ding dongs un-sling their AR-15 and pull back on the charging handle?

I "get" what they're doing. I think it's nutty, but I get it.

My approach is to take every "anti-gun" person I meet out to the range with me. We shoot - they have fun - and they start to understand that guns are not as scary as they once thought.

If everyone did that, we could cut the number of "antis" down to size, in a hurry.

Hey, a guy can dream.

 

[-db-]

Scaring people having lunch in a restaurant or shopping is a violation of their rights.

Can you explain this further? Ever since you've posted this yesterday I've been trying to figure out exactly what rights you're referring to and keep coming up empty. I wasn't aware of some apparent right we have to not be scared or offended. Thanks.

 

[phantom9]

From the article:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mark Thompson, 54, of Garland said:


Although his weapon's chamber was empty — all those at the rally were instructed to clear their guns' chambers — Thompson's gun had a loaded magazine attached. That, he said, was a matter of being prepared for any hostile activity.

"Every now and then we get some aggressive people toward us," Thompson said. "We get so much hate, it's incredible."
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wait a second... Was this guy carrying in condition 3? Clearly he doesn't read this forum often ^_^

 

[Doug M.]

These people are hurting us, and they are hurting us terribly. We have enough trouble with discreet carry and the lunatic fringe hoplophobes' response to that.

Having gone to an LE call (thankfully, only one, as we quit responding to those as a general rule) about an OC in the grocery store, and listening to the rant of the (obviously sissified A/C 360 resident) complainant when we told him there was no action for us to take, I went from somewhat unimpressed with OC and its adherents to really concerned about the damage they are doing to us. If you have not dealt with the aftermath of such an event, it's really hard to understand the hatred that is being generated by these incidents. The backlash from the merchants is just the tip of of the iceburg.

I think that the disorderly conduct type enforcement actions against OC adherents are clownshoes, and likely to end up with LE getting in a bunch of trouble too (one does not have a right not to be offended), but some officers and their bosses do not have the sense to tell complainants to bug off. Having had a fathead complain to LE about being scared of my dog (and he would be dangerous if he were ever near them, but he never has been and won't be) and the completely stupid response of the officer, I know what it's like to be subjected to that sort of crud. That officer made sure I lost all respect for him and did not do anything good for his agency. The complainant then lied to LE a few months later and said he was running loose and trapped them in the car when we were hundreds of miles away, so it is a real sore point. (Handled better by an officer with a clue.)