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

[Old TexMex]

This guy doesn't speak for anyone other than himself, Phil. And maybe some political mouthpiece.
He's closer to Oklahoma than anywhere. How does OK get along with all those terrified women and children these NORTH Texans keep on and on and on about?
BTW, the Gubernatorial candidate in the pink sneakers...she's from up that way, they voted for her. May be something in the water in Texas, but the KOOLAID is up north of the Nueces.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

This guy doesn't speak for anyone other than himself, Phil. And maybe some political mouthpiece.
He's closer to Oklahoma than anywhere. How does OK get along with all those terrified women and children these NORTH Texans keep on and on and on about?

I think so.

Started off that gun owners don't care about OC and are perfectly happy without it, and why would a gun rights organization even bother to support it... Then in the next breath it must be supported to appease gun owners. Ok... I'm dizzy now.

 

[cyphertext]

This guy doesn't speak for anyone other than himself, Phil. And maybe some political mouthpiece.
He's closer to Oklahoma than anywhere. How does OK get along with all those terrified women and children these NORTH Texans keep on and on and on about?
BTW, the Gubernatorial candidate in the pink sneakers...she's from up that way, they voted for her. May be something in the water in Texas, but the KOOLAID is up north of the Nueces.

Close to DFW, large metroplex where the carrying of long arms is legal, but not customary. It is different in a little town where everyone knows everyone else. If Jim Bob brings his rifle into the cafe to show Joe Bob, nobody thinks anything of it... that may be fine in Lawn, Texas, population 353, but if Joe Bob and Jim Bob do that in Dallas where they are unknown, it causes a little different reaction.

 

[Vee Kay]

Well, I've sold my Target stock.... I am the biggest proponent for all citizens to carry, openly and concealed. However the idea of taking a legally carried long gun into businesses is not a well thought out protest. These poor choices are affecting the rest of us in areas where open carry is legal, and we are being requested now, not to open carry. THANKS BUNCHES!!
Come up with a better way to communicate to the Texas lawmakers they have put you in the same category as California, Illinois, New York and 3 other radically anti-gun states.
You are undoing a lot of progress. Yes, get your lawmakers to change the laws, please, do it in a way that doesn't make Bloomberg look like a reasonable person.

 

[cyphertext]

I think so.

Started off that gun owners don't care about OC and are perfectly happy without it, and why would a gun rights organization even bother to support it... Then in the next breath it must be supported to appease gun owners. Ok... I'm dizzy now.

Many don't care about OC of a handgun, and like me, are neutral. Many are against it. But most will vote against a gun control advocate politician to protect what they perceive at their rights, be it OC or CC.

I think the OC movement made many mistakes in the view of public opinion, but I wouldn't vote against them, or support a candidate that is publicly against them. After all, they are gun owners and we all want to maintain our rights, even if we don't agree about what those rights are.

I think I am done. Those who think the OC movement is activism and are doing things right will continue to believe so, and those who disagree with their tactics will also continue to do so. I guess this is why folks don't like to talk politics or religion...

 

[TexasArmed]

This guy doesn't speak for anyone other than himself, Phil. And maybe some political mouthpiece.
He's closer to Oklahoma than anywhere. How does OK get along with all those terrified women and children these NORTH Texans keep on and on and on about?
BTW, the Gubernatorial candidate in the pink sneakers...she's from up that way, they voted for her. May be something in the water in Texas, but the KOOLAID is up north of the Nueces.

I feel like a minority myself, and I am in North Texas. I am not taking sides in that debate because I do not open carry. I personally don't believe I ought to have to have a CHL to carry concealed because I am not a criminal. But I live with the reality that its the law in Texas. Now this Open Carry debate comes along. I don't open carry but like Phil said we accept the
morsels that have been thrown to us we are concerned about losing what we have. If open carry passes is Texas going to go full circle, and it gets back to the time we wear guns in the open and only a "sneak" carries concealed? Then our CHL's
gets revoked, and then when we ride into town on our donkey
with our cowboy hat and cowboy shoes, we have to check those
guns in with the local deputy?

Someone just tell me when its coming up for a vote and if its going to pass? Now if they do gets around to banning all our
handguns, or keeping them locked up somewhere like they
do in Canada, then our handguns will be in such high demand
mine will probably get stolen right before we have to register them. As for this north Texan I just want to be left alone and
I want my handguns to be left alone. Whoever said we will
vote against any politician who advocates any form of gun control has that part right and that includes me. At the same
time I do not want to lose what I have.

 

[ladder13]

Well, I've sold my Target stock.... I am the biggest proponent for all citizens to carry, openly and concealed. However the idea of taking a legally carried long gun into businesses is not a well thought out protest. These poor choices are affecting the rest of us in areas where open carry is legal, and we are being requested now, not to open carry. THANKS BUNCHES!!
Come up with a better way to communicate to the Texas lawmakers they have put you in the same category as California, Illinois, New York and 3 other radically anti-gun states.
You are undoing a lot of progress. Yes, get your lawmakers to change the laws, please, do it in a way that doesn't make Bloomberg look like a reasonable person.

Florida and South Carolina are radically anti gun?

 

[RevolverDen]

I do all I can to support our 2nd amendment, including opposition to gun free zones. However, I just don't feel open carry is a wise practice of gun ownership in today's society. 150 years ago, fine. I open carried for over 20 years as a uniformed police officer and my mind around others was the always to be ready for gun retention in the event someone went for my gun. I see concealed carry a huge advantage of self protection, which goes against those who say open carry tells others you are armed and they'll know better to mess with you. In fact, open carry may give cause for someone to target you. By open carrying you are giving up the advantage of knowing what a would be thug doesn't - that you are armed.

 

[Old TexMex]

I see a lot of "what ifs", none of which have happened in any of the other 44 states of the U.S.A. which have exposed their women and children to the horror and anguish of adult non felons exercising the Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

I have also seen contributors who are here for no reason OTHER than politics. Mostly in the mistaken belief that "if we're nice to the central planning types, they'll let us keep our guns (doctors, insurance, schools, religion, ranch....)"

The technique of argument has been: to denigrate the opposition by calling them small town hicks, uneducated fools and inarticulate misguided hillbillies. Because there is no logical support for their contentions that acquiescence to the panic merchants and being "moderate" will result in anything other than more restriction. Again: 44 states have OC.

If half the energy expended on condemnation of legal gun owners were directed at the real enemies of established Constitutional rights, nobody would bother demonstrating at a fast food joint, for heavens sake.

There is a reason people have chosen to protest, they are fed up with kowtowing, particularly by gun owners who should be supportive.

"In a pitched battle, varied methods may be simultaneously employed by one side and will often prevail over a large, centrally directed force that is overly distracted by a perceived need to maintain absolute order over its soldiers. This may be the platoon leaders initiative."

 

[keith44spl]

If open carry passes is Texas going to go full circle,
and it gets back to the time we wear guns in the open
and only a "sneak" carries concealed?

Then our CHL's gets revoked, and then when we ride into town on our donkey
with our cowboy hat and cowboy shoes,
we have to check those guns in with the local deputy?

Now, that thar is funny right thar!!!

No self respecting cowhand is gonna be riding a donkey, for crying out loud.

No, not even them boys from the piney woods........


When Texas finally sets her citizens free from these reconstruction era laws and folks go about their daily business,

I doubt you see anyone promenading around the metro-plex or the Stockyards in Ft.Worth with their sidearm slung low on the their hip.



But, in closing, it's not what's on a man's hip that counts...It's what's in his heart.


.

 

[Old TexMex]

I will also add that my personal experience in interviews with apprehended Mexican smugglers is: that the reason they have avoided invasions of ranches in south Texas (and when they do they they surrender immediately in most cases) has been, virtually every time, "Those guys have guns, and they will shoot you!"
It isn't because they think "maybe" the ranchers and citizens driving down the highway "might" be armed.

City dwellers in Austin and Dallas may be comfortable in their denial, pretending that the cosmopolitan culture affords security.
35,000 dead Mexican citizens just south of our border in the last few years should, but probably won't, awake them. After all, they're mostly just poor families and campesinos.

 

[hatt]

Cypher,

It's clear you don't believe that the OC groups have been successful in their activism. So let's hear it. Since most all gun owners in Texas apparently don't care about iegalizing open carry of handguns as you claim, and is just not needed, stupid and will only serve to terrify everyone, why do you think BOTH wannabe Texas governors, republican and democrat, have made it a point to go on record supporting OC? Is it because they think it will be a good political move to support terrifying mothers and their children with open carry? Or is it politically savvy to support that which few do and it's really not needed and stupid?

You lecture others here about not knowing anything about Texas politics. If this is such a non-issue among gun owners as you claim, and since it's not needed, stupid, and will only serve to terrify women and children, then why support it? Why can't these gubernatorial hopefuls just ignore it or say they are against it? Why is anyone even talking about it, eh? Any chance it might just have something to do with the OC guys making this a general 2A issue and shoving it in their face via media and stirring debate among the electorate?

And while you're at it.... Why are Texas gun rights groups supporting legalizing OC of handguns that gun owners don't want, think is stupid and will only serve to terrify women and children?

Have the activists been effective or are you wrong, or both?

Rick Scott in FL went on record saying he'd sign an open carry bill. Sadly it was all but passed until the NRA/USF killed it at the very last moment. Those ineffective activists hurting the cause sure seem to get a lot done. It appears they get stuff done so quickly the NRA must take drastic measures(killed the OC provision) to stay relevant(very next year talking about how we need OC, donate to the NRA, we're the only ones who can get it done).

 

[ladder13]

I do all I can to support our 2nd amendment, including opposition to gun free zones. However, I just don't feel open carry is a wise practice of gun ownership in today's society. 150 years ago, fine. I open carried for over 20 years as a uniformed police officer and my mind around others was the always to be ready for gun retention in the event someone went for my gun. I see concealed carry a huge advantage of self protection, which goes against those who say open carry tells others you are armed and they'll know better to mess with you. In fact, open carry may give cause for someone to target you. By open carrying you are giving up the advantage of knowing what a would be thug doesn't - that you are armed.

Thank you for your support of the 2nd A and your 20+ years serving your community. We here support our public servants, well at least the ones outside DC.

I've heard this argument that if one OC's they are a target for a person looking to commit mayhem. I may have heard of one story of this happening, but it's hardly common.
I don't see alot of evidence that OC'ers are targeted more than anyone else.

 

[hatt]

So Phil, Hatt, et al, are these guys still fighting the good fight, or are they creating issues for all of us? Images are from Kory Watkins facebook page. Leader of Open Carry Tarrant County, and running for office...

All we know for sure is that when no one was raising a stink OC was illegal and not even on the radar to be passed. Now that we have radicals/idiots/morons/attention whores/etc. running around, making good gun owners look bad, setting back gun rights 100 years, scaring the soccer moms, upsetting corporate boardrooms, OC is in the forefront with the major politicians proclaiming their support.

When I went to school, 1+1=2.

 

[cyphertext]

I will also add that my personal experience in interviews with apprehended Mexican smugglers is: that the reason they have avoided invasions of ranches in south Texas (and when they do they they surrender immediately in most cases) has been, virtually every time, "Those guys have guns, and they will shoot you!"
It isn't because they think "maybe" the ranchers and citizens driving down the highway "might" be armed.

City dwellers in Austin and Dallas may be comfortable in their denial, pretending that the cosmopolitan culture affords security.
35,000 dead Mexican citizens just south of our border in the last few years should, but probably won't, awake them. After all, they're mostly just poor families and campesinos.

Is anyone trying to change what you do on a ranch in south Texas? Every ranch I have been on is private property. When I am at my deer lease, I carry openly... We already have that law, you can carry any manner you like on your own private property... what does that have to do with the discussion at hand?

 

[keith44spl]

Is anyone trying to change what you do on a ranch in south Texas? Every ranch I have been on is private property. When I am at my deer lease, I carry openly... We already have that law, you can carry any manner you like on your own private property... what does that have to do with the discussion at hand?

The way I read the statutes,

If I came to visit....I couldn't open carry on your ranch...Now could I?

But when we get OC, I'll be with-in the 'law', to attend your BBQ
or hunt with my friends on their ranches, right?



.

 

[cyphertext]

So, Old Mex, Phil, Hatt... simple question, yes or no answer...

If a private business makes a request for you to not bring your firearm into their place of business, you would agree with those who continue to openly carry firearms into that business despite the owner's request?

Another one... simple answer, yes or no...

National chain stores and restaurants creating policies to either restrict guns or request guns not to be carried when such a policy did not previously exist is a win for gun rights?

 

[cyphertext]

The way I read the statutes,

If I came to visit....I couldn't open carry on your ranch...Now could I?

But when we get OC, I'll be with-in the 'law', to attend your BBQ
or hunt with my friends on their ranches, right?


.

Yes, you could if I gave you permission. Just the same as if we pass OC, if I tell you that you can not open carry on my ranch, then you couldn't.

CC works the same way today. I can either post my private property with a legal statutory sign, or I can verbally tell you that you are not allowed to carry on my property.

Guess the only difference is that you would have to wait until you got to my ranch to put on your fancy rig, because you can't currently open carry a handgun in your vehicle. (which is stupid since I can carry concealed in my vehicle without a permit)

If these guys would stick to protesting on public property, such as the capitol, the town square, county court house, etc., I really wouldn't have any complaint with them. Just quit dragging businesses into it....

 

[cyphertext]

Rick Scott in FL went on record saying he'd sign an open carry bill. Sadly it was all but passed until the NRA/USF killed it at the very last moment. Those ineffective activists hurting the cause sure seem to get a lot done. It appears they get stuff done so quickly the NRA must take drastic measures(killed the OC provision) to stay relevant(very next year talking about how we need OC, donate to the NRA, we're the only ones who can get it done).

Hatt, I am not familiar with what happened in Florida... can you give more detail? How did the NRA kill it? Was something being tacked on that made it not worthwhile?

 

[hatt]

So, Old Mex, Phil, Hatt... simple question, yes or no answer...

If a private business makes a request for you to not bring your firearm into their place of business, you would agree with those who continue to openly carry firearms into that business despite the owner's request?

Another one... simple answer, yes or no...

National chain stores and restaurants creating policies to either restrict guns or request guns not to be carried when such a policy did not previously exist is a win for gun rights?

If they posted a sign on the door telling me not to bring in my gun I would not go into the store. I'm not aware of any OCers violating posted signs so I'm confused with your angle.