Open Handgun Carry in Texas? If not, WHY not?

[matefrio]

Again, open carry your firearm and see what happens....lol What's all the fuss about if you think the.police will do nothing if you open carry.

Go ahead and open carry then. Someone once said the difference between genius and stupidity is genius has limits.

So to prove to you that folks don't go open carrying down the street to test cops you propose someone goes down the street open carrying to test LEO's reactions?

Seems this has been asked and answered. I've walked in downtown Houston with a rifle open carry.

A better test would be if you tested this yourself.

I think we've lost focus of the issue. Regardless of the results of how and where folks choose to lawfully carry their guns we should have the right to open carry licensed or not.

 

[MPA1988]

I am finished with this thread. My posts in this thread clearly explains my position on OC. Have a good day.

 

[Younggun]

I am finished with this thread. My posts in this thread clearly explains my position on OC and you keep countering with facts. Have a good day.

Fify

 

[matefrio]

Because I voice an opinion different than yours? Shoot the messenger because you don't like the message. Gotcha. Bye.

The whole reason the founders wanted us to have rights that were protected is to keep us safe from tyrannical folks who feel uncomfortable and threatened at the very sight of guns and who would as soon take them away or heavily restrict the right to bear arms because of these scared and uncomfortable feelings and their apologists who own guns but get embarrassed seeing their uncomfort like you.

By the time we absolutely need the right to walk in Downtown Houston with a rifle on our back and a pistol on our side we'd better have already kept, defended and exercised that right during times when it was easy.

 

[hellishhorses]

Ukraine anyone?

 

[hellishhorses]

I am finished with this thread. My posts in this thread clearly explains my position on OC. Have a good day.

 

[Whistler]

When I lived in Colorado for a while they "allow" OC though I also had a CHL. There were times I chose to OC and other times I chose to CC - that's sort how it is with a right. Did the streets run with blood? Of course not and few people bat an eye at OC, the times anyone mentioned it was to ask "what'cha carry?" I'm no Rambo or in-your-face activist and thought nothing more of it than wearing my boots or carrying a pocket knife.

I don't believe in ANY restriction to my right to carry beyond personal property rights that permit the property owner to ask me to leave. It's their property and their right and I will respect that as I expect them to respect my rights. Signage in Colorado does not carry weight of law, you can be asked to leave by the property owner or their designates (sign or not) though refusal is a trespassing violation. It did have the (perhaps unintended) consequence of letting me easily decide what businesses I would patronize.

Espousing minimum training, OC with permit, municipal restrictions, etc. fall into one of two areas; fear (call it paranoia, ignorance, jealousy, whatever) and an attempt to rationalize it with "common sense" restrictions or control (I should carry but you shouldn't because I'm better trained, smarter, LE, whatever). Background checks, licensing, 4473s, "gun-free zones", mandatory training, FFL transfer, etc. are all useless attempts to control and define who should have a weapon from our own individual perspective and are irrelevant to a Constitutional affirmation of an unalienable right to defend oneself. That is the hardest part about freedom, letting the other guy have his. None of these restrictions can stop a crazy or a criminal and are nothing more than baby-steps to a total ban to allay irrational fears and political pandering to those plagued by them. Using a gun, an ax, a baseball bat, a knife or your bare hands to harm an innocent is illegal and simply wrong and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. No need for the rest of it.

 

[Iamntxhunter]

When I lived in Colorado for a while they "allow" OC though I also had a CHL. There were times I chose to OC and other times I chose to CC - that's sort how it is with a right. Did the streets run with blood? Of course not and few people bat an eye at OC, the times anyone mentioned it was to ask "what'cha carry?" I'm no Rambo or in-your-face activist and thought nothing more of it than wearing my boots or carrying a pocket knife.

I don't believe in ANY restriction to my right to carry beyond personal property rights that permit the property owner to ask me to leave. It's their property and their right and I will respect that as I expect them to respect my rights. Signage in Colorado does not carry weight of law, you can be asked to leave by the property owner or their designates (sign or not) though refusal is a trespassing violation. It did have the (perhaps unintended) consequence of letting me easily decide what businesses I would patronize.

Espousing minimum training, OC with permit, municipal restrictions, etc. fall into one of two areas; fear (call it paranoia, ignorance, jealousy, whatever) and an attempt to rationalize it with "common sense" restrictions or control (I should carry but you shouldn't because I'm better trained, smarter, LE, whatever). Background checks, licensing, 4473s, "gun-free zones", mandatory training, FFL transfer, etc. are all useless attempts to control and define who should have a weapon from our own individual perspective and are irrelevant to a Constitutional affirmation of an unalienable right to defend oneself. That is the hardest part about freedom, letting the other guy have his. None of these restrictions can stop a crazy or a criminal and are nothing more than baby-steps to a total ban to allay irrational fears and political pandering to those plagued by them. Using a gun, an ax, a baseball bat, a knife or your bare hands to harm an innocent is illegal and simply wrong and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. No need for the rest of it.

Great post brother.

 

[Whiskey_Rocka_Rolla]

Saying you "don't support" OC is not exactly a clean cut statement. Does this mean you wouldn't do it yourself, but believe the choice should be up to the individual....or do you just believe anyone OC'ing should be arrested and charged with a crime (which is what would happen right now if I OC'd my Glock in Houston).

If the latter you're a flaming hypocrite if you claim to support gun rights, just saying.

 

[franzas]

Hell, unlicensed OC works well in many states. I don't see a problem why Texas, arguably the most pro-gun state, would have a problem with it. In VA the police are well versed in the laws regarding OC and because of that, it is not a big deal. Never have I been hassled about OC, nor have I read a news story stating that OC was the reason some crime was committed. With responsible citizens and competent police, OC is nothing more than walking around with a handgun on your hip. Let the liberals bitch and moan all they want. It doesn't hurt them, it doesn't cause crime and it doesn't impose a threat.

My $.02 from living in a permissive OC state with preemption laws.
I fully support permissive (unlicensed) open carry. I open carry. I'm not the one to say "well other people should have the choice..."

 

[Hoji]

Hell, unlicensed OC works well in many states. I don't see a problem why Texas, arguably the most pro-gun state, would have a problem with it. In VA the police are well versed in the laws regarding OC and because of that, it is not a big deal. Never have I been hassled about OC, nor have I read a news story stating that OC was the reason some crime was committed. With responsible citizens and competent police, OC is nothing more than walking around with a handgun on your hip. Let the liberals bitch and moan all they want. It doesn't hurt them, it doesn't cause crime and it doesn't impose a threat.

My $.02 from living in a permissive OC state with preemption laws.
I fully support permissive (unlicensed) open carry. I open carry. I'm not the one to say "well other people should have the choice..."

Texas is pretty far from being the most pro gun state.

 

[Mreed911]

Texas is pretty far from being the most pro gun state.

This. If anything, Texas was one of the first to start regulating it out of what, at the time, seemed like necessity. It is a "but" state, allowing regulation to criminalize the carrying of a weapon vs. simply allowing it and enhancing penalties if a weapon were used, e.g.:

Sec. 23. RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS. Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defense of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime.

 

[matefrio]

About the time slaves were being freed and Democrats wanted to keep arms out of their hands. The laws, at the time, were put on the books but not uniformly enforced.

 

[Saltyag2010]

I like the idea of oc in Texas. I think a start would be to push cc with the option to oc with the same class. Why not?

 

[nlghthawk]

Two reasons I see for not open carrying is 1. It is a target of theft, unless you are quick draw mcgraw you are advertising potentially hundreds of dollars in high quality pistol in a pretty holster. A person could do an armed robbery on you by getting the upper hand. Or they could do a snatch and grab. Both scenarios could be avoided by pulling a shirt over your pistol. Second, people don't do a great job on educating themselves on carrying so they wouldn't be expected to learn techniques for pistol retention in an altercation. Again you are advertising the fact that you have the ability to use deadly force on someone and if you get in a fight, the first thing someone will go for is the pistol that could be turned on them. To me its not needed, but then again I don't like government telling me what I can and can't do and making me a criminal when I want to do something. I don't usually weigh in on it, but this is where I come down on it. People should be able to, but they should be given the knowledge to protect themselves from things they may not have considered.

 

[matefrio]

1. It is a target of theft snatch and grab.
Second, people don't do a great job on educating themselves on carrying

Your assumed fears haven't proven themselves in the real world.

Other states that allow open carry, including Wisconsin where I now live, these two points haven't become an issue. Open carry of rifles and pistols here hasn't been regulated yet no issues despite folks practicing it.

 

[Whistler]

I like the idea of oc in Texas. I think a start would be to push cc with the option to oc with the same class. Why not?

Two reasons I see for not open carrying is 1. It is a target of theft, unless you are quick draw mcgraw you are advertising potentially hundreds of dollars in high quality pistol in a pretty holster. A person could do an armed robbery on you by getting the upper hand. Or they could do a snatch and grab. Both scenarios could be avoided by pulling a shirt over your pistol. Second, people don't do a great job on educating themselves on carrying so they wouldn't be expected to learn techniques for pistol retention in an altercation. Again you are advertising the fact that you have the ability to use deadly force on someone and if you get in a fight, the first thing someone will go for is the pistol that could be turned on them. To me its not needed, but then again I don't like government telling me what I can and can't do and making me a criminal when I want to do something. I don't usually weigh in on it, but this is where I come down on it. People should be able to, but they should be given the knowledge to protect themselves from things they may not have considered.

Both of those project your own bias on what shouldn't be regulated at all.

What does the class of firearm have to do with anything, where did such a bizarre notion as "class" come from to start with and why should I have to ask the .gov for permission to exercise a Constitutional right?

Snatch and grab is nearly a non-occurrence in states that allow OC, let's not fix things that aren't broken.

Your idea of what training I need is okay for an opinion, not so much for a law. Fear of someone with a firearm not trained to personal standards is a personal issue.

 

[Saltyag2010]

Whistler I'm not big on regulation. I just don't think the gov is gonna go from the current system to no system or at least without a step in between.
Nighthawk - if someone is willing to risk getting shot to grab at the tool that would potentially shoot them Darwinism will catch up with them and bring their genes out of humanity's pool. I'm pretty sure oc would have a potential thief move on to a less dangerous target - like a bed wetting liberal or Piers Morgan.

 

[Mreed911]

I like the idea of oc in Texas. I think a start would be to push cc with the option to oc with the same class. Why not?

Read back from Post #1 in this thread. It's been discussed. The three current sides seem to be:

it's my weapon and my right and I'll do what I want
it's my weapon and my right but I concede the ability to license and limit that right to the state
it's nobody's right and completely subject to state regulation

I don't think anyone is actually converting people between camps and I don't know the relative size of each camp. I'd say in Texas, based on the Texas constitution, position #2 is most in line with current legal approach, though I don't think the state has justified AT ALL the legal restriction on bearing arms as related to preventing crime, e.g. the laws on the books don't prevent criminals from carrying but do prevent citizens wishing to remain non-criminals from carrying without a licensure process, etc.

 

[Das Jared]

Because I voice an opinion different than yours? Shoot the messenger because you don't like the message. Gotcha. Bye.

your opinion is based on you still living in kalifornia.

For the record, I am a native Texan from Lufkin. Just to make sure you and others are aware of that fact.

You are no more a native Texan than Obama is an American.


sent from Jennifer Lawrence's bedroom