TexasCHLforum.com

steveincowtown wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote: I think that now that we already have OC, doing something about prohibited places will have a bigger impact on the lives of people who are already licensed than either it OR Constitutional Carry will have on the lives of people who have chosen at this point to not get a license to carry a firearm.

TAM, although I agree with most all of your 10,000+ post I have to take exception here. The reason so called Constitutional Carry is so important is because of all the folks who simply can't "choose" to get a license. I have a personal friend who wants her LTC. She is qualified, she simply does not have the money to do it. I offered to pay for it, and she simply doesn't have the time.

She is a single mother, broke up with a nutcase, and he has threaten to kill her. Why should money or time be a barrier in restricting her God given right to defend herself?

She is a Saint, a beautiful person, and yet can only sleep with a gun under her pillow and not carry it on her person right now.

I get it. Paying for an LTC wasn't a big deal for me. Probaly wasn't for you either. I own a great collection of guns that is probaly equal to what you forgot you have bought.

The Second Ammendment should not come with a price tag, none of the others do.

Steve, I agree that it should not come with a price tag. But it doesn't happen in a vacuum, so there is a price, and that price is measured in "dollars" of political capital. Is Constitutional Carry so important that you're willing to risk (A) not getting anything pro-gun passed in this coming session if Constitutional Carry doesn't pass; and (B) not getting anything pro-gun passed for the next several sessions? I honestly do not mean to sound like a cad about your friend by diminishing her plight, but remember that she can also carry a firearm on her person between her front door and her vehicle, in her vehicle on the way to work, and between her vehicle and work entrance if her place of work permits firearms. I would also add, if you are willing to pay for her class, and she wants badly enough to carry a gun, she'll make the time to take the class. Is she a single mom? How about offering to not only pay for her class, but watch her kids for her while she's at the class? Does she work 7 days a week? Surely, it is possible for her to find enough time to take the class if she wants it badly enough, and especially if you are willing to help her by paying for it.

So yeah, the 2nd Amendment shouldn't have a price placed on it, but the reality of the situation is that, for now, in Texas, it does have a price......and it is steep enough that trying to pass Constitutional Carry could derail other important legislation, and it could still fail to pass. I don't know if that's worth the attempt at this stage of things.

For whatever my opinion is worth, Constitutional Carry is the end goal, but I think that taking care of prohibited places is more important right now...... .....and I think it is the easier sell. It took a LOT of capital to get OC passed. My guess is that it took nearly as much as getting CHL passed in the first place. Taking on that big of a bite in two consecutive sessions may be less than wise. And frankly, while I'd like to see Constitutional Carry pass, I think that now that we already have OC, doing something about prohibited places will have a bigger impact on the lives of people who are already licensed than either it OR Constitutional Carry will have on the lives of people who have chosen at this point to not get a license to carry a firearm.