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Thousands sign petition to make Texas an open-carry state

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  • slim jim

    Official News Guy
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    Thousands sign petition to make Texas an open-carry state

    http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/715977.html

    By ANNA M. TINSLEY
    atinsley@star-telegram.com
    If Duane Suddeth had his way, he could strap on a handgun and wear it — anytime, anywhere — without concealing it.That day has not come in Texas, but the 42-year-old Bedford man is among thousands hoping it is on its way.
    "This is the public’s right," Suddeth said. "Whether they choose to exercise that or not is up to them."
    Texas, despite its independence and frontier reputation, is one of only six states where handguns cannot — in some form — legally be worn in plain view.
    Suddeth is among a group of residents wanting to change that who have joined a growing nationwide "open-carry" movement.
    Some say it harks back to constitutional rights and frontier days when settlers carried their weapons where everyone could see them.
    "It was considered part of everyday life back then," said John Pierce, co-founder of www.OpenCarry.org, a champion of the effort. "The concealed-carry part was what was looked at with disdain."
    In Texas, where residents may carry concealed handguns if they have a permit, more than 3,500 people have signed an online petition asking Gov. Rick Perry and the Legislature to make Texas an open-carry state.
    "Cowboys and Indians, and the Alamo — and many just assumed that Texas was an open-carry state," wrote Gary Williams, one of many Texans advocating for gun law change. "Clearly, there are some changes that need to be made."
    Gun safety advocates aren’t so sure.
    "What are they trying to do? Go back to Texas gunslinger days?" asked Richard Leal, a board member of the Houston-based Texans for Gun Safety. "Things are bad enough as it is, with people 18 and older being authorized to carry guns."
    The open-carry effort
    Many states such as Texas do have concealed handgun rules and permits in place.
    But many also have open-carry rules, unlike Texas, along with New York, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina and Washington, D.C., according to OpenCarry.org.
    Dozens of states either issue licenses for open carry or allow the practice without any license, according to the Web site.
    "The concealed-carry movement that swept the country in past decades has been a great benefit to law-abiding citizens to be able to protect themselves in an uncertain world," Pierce said. "But we are trying to re-educate people that open carry is . . . a basic gun right."
    The Texas Citizens Defense League, of which Williams and Suddeth are members, is trying to get the word out.
    Part of that is the petition that asks that all people who may legally buy a handgun also be allowed to carry it openly, except in places prohibited by law.
    "I can’t count the times I have been in some discussion about open carry in some Northern state . . . and somebody says, 'Hey, this is not . . . Texas,’ " said Mike Stollenwerk, co-founder of OpenCarry.org.
    "And I respond, 'Thankfully you are correct, as open carry is banned in Texas.’ "
    Texas reaction
    Any change to the law would come from the Texas Legislature, which is why the petition is to lawmakers and Perry.
    The issue is not on the governor’s plate yet, a spokeswoman said.
    "The governor is very supportive of conceal and carry laws," said Kristi Piferrer, a Perry spokeswoman. "Expanding that to open carry probably will take a lot of public deliberation and legislative guidance."
    Some law enforcers say they would be leery of an open-carry policy in Texas.
    "I really think it would cause a lot of uneasiness in the community, with people seeing so many guns," Tarrant County Constable Sergio DeLeon said. "It could create more problems than it would solve."
    Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, who as a state senator helped make concealed-carry law in 1995, said he doesn’t believe that open carry would create any problems.
    While he never considered proposing an open-carry measure, Patterson said he has seen the practice in Arizona.
    "I went into the bank, and a guy walked in with a .45 in his back pocket," he said. "I thought, 'Well, that’s unusual.’ "
    "You never know"
    Suddeth, an IT professional who does some travel for work, said he would like to openly carry a loaded handgun. In the past year, Suddeth said there was an elderly woman attacked, cars broken into, a home broken into and several assaults in his Bedford neighborhood.
    "You never know when crime is going to happen," he said. "I think eventually we will see open carry in Texas.
    "Eventually, it will happen."
    Online: www.petitiononline.com/texasoc/petition.html
    Open-carry states Texas is one of six states that either do not allow or highly restrict the open carrying of handguns in public. The others are New York, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida and South Carolina, as well as Washington, D.C., according to OpenCarry.org.More than a dozen states require a license for open carry, from Utah to Mississippi to Massachusetts. Eleven more, from Vermont to Arizona, allow it but don’t require licenses. Still more generally permit it but offer various restrictions. And two states, California and Illinois, allow loaded handguns to be carried in rural areas, according to the Web site.
    "OpenCarry.org believes that 'a right unexercised is a right lost,’ and increasingly gun owners are agreeing," according to the Web site. "It’s time gun carry comes out of the closet in America."
    Source: www.OpenCarry.org
    Lynx Defense
     

    Kerbouchard

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    I signed it. I'm not sure if I'll ever OC, but it sure would be nice to have the option in the Summertime. At least I wouldn't have to dress around my gun so much.
     

    DoubleActionCHL

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    Jun 23, 2008
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    I'm someone indifferent regarding open carry. My concerns have more to do with firearm retention and the proper equipment. Most people don't have (and without a government mandate, would never acquire) the training necessary to effectively and safely open carry and retain one's weapon in an encounter. I am NOT advocating a government mandate, by the way.

    However, if we look at this realistically, I believe very few people would open carry. If anything, for most people, it would be almost a recreational activity. Most employers will not allow open carry in the workplace. As much as we might hate 30.06, these restrictions will gain much more notoriety, and many more businesses and properties will begin posting 30.06 or the open carry equivalent. Most of us will only be able to carry after work and on weekends. Sadly, it will probably bring more attention to concealed carry and the posting requirements for 30.06, and we'll find ourselves unable to concealed carry in more and more businesses.
     

    sharky47

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    I signed it, and would open carry as much as possible - my employer would not only allow it, but encourage it.

    As far as 30.06 signs go, while I do not like it when businesses are doing themselves a disservice by making themselves and their customers defenseless, I also am a VERY strong supporter of PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS. It's just like the smoking laws, it should be up to the property owner which activities he/she deems acceptible on HIS/HER property. Not my place to complain, if I don't like the rules - I must go play somewhere else......
     

    mac79912

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    Signed it two weeks ago.Hope something will be done but I do not expect too much.Passing the word about opencarry web site.So far I have gotten my wife,her brother,and my parents to sign it via the web.I posted a flyer this weekend at the gunshow and passed out about 500 to people who wanted to sign.
     

    kville79

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    May 24, 2008
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    love the idea of open carry myself.... signed the petition and spreading the good word.

    But in all honesty I doubt it will become law.
     

    DopaVash

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    Kingwood, Tx
    love the idea of open carry myself.... signed the petition and spreading the good word.

    But in all honesty I doubt it will become law.


    Don't be so skeptical. It has much more precedent and statistics backing up than CC on Campus and they're pushing for that. I think this is a VERY good possibility with the current legislature. Texas claims the most loose Car Concealed carry law in the nation, which was passed last year. That can only be boasted by a pro-gun government. Proud to be a Texan, and Should Texas recognize OC as lawful, I'll be even more proud.
     

    kville79

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    May 24, 2008
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    I can only hope.... but if it passes, I'd have to have "casual pistols" and "dress pistols"... damn that would be nice though.

    But when also as far as legislature goes I believe having more places open to CC holders is more important. When I went to a local state park to camp I was suprised to see a "no guns" sign. I'd rather laws pass to make it so I can carry in a state park than have an OC law pass.
     
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