OCT: Proposed OC ACT for 2015

[mgood]

I believe that, unless you are prohibited from possessing firearms for some reason, one should be able to carry any gun he chooses in whatever way he sees fit...constitutional carry so to speak. But, by saying 'any gun he chooses', I mean exactly that...any gun. NFA needs to go away as well as any kind of license requirement for the carry of anything. Aside from due process determining you shouldn't carry a gun, it must be assumed you can.

In the long run, it would be easier to just go the whole nine yards from the get go rather than the small steps. Like driving a nail...rather than 'tap tap tap' with a 14oz hammer, give it one good shot with the 28oz hammer and be done. Either way, society (the wood) has to alter itself to accept the nail (constitutional carry). The end result will be the same...the wood will never have to yield a hole any bigger than the nail.

It will all regulate itself if given a chance. Take NFA for example...get rid of it and the guns will self-regulate. Folks will scream about how just anyone can buy an M-60 machine gun. And I say, "so?". If Joe Schmo wants to spend $10k on an M-60, let him. He has to be able to afford to feed the dang thing before it matters...and at $500/min in triggertime, it will regulate itself.

The whole process will not be without pain and that's where the gun control people cause problems. Just like a nail that has to be driven by force by repeated impacts with a steel hammer, the move to constitutional carry will have it's growing pains. Once the nail is flush, nobody will worry about it. Making people understand about the growing pains is the problem.

I agree with all of that, RogueUSMC.
But the general feeling is that society is not ready to accept such all-encompassing deregulation. At least our legislators are not ready to stick their necks out that far.
So we're fighting a war of baby steps. Lately we've been winning, one little step at a time. I'm not sure we should rock that boat just yet.

EDIT:
Just as the anti-gunners (the sane ones, anyway ) know they can't pass legislation that would outlaw all guns all at once. So they come after us piecemeal. They're going to outlaw scary-looking rifles and high-capacity magazines. Then semi-auto anything. Until eventually they've legislated us back to muskets - or throwing rocks.
Most of us don't think we can repeal all firearm regulations all at once. It would be nice, but I don't think it's realistic at this time. We can keep pushing in that direction though.

[jimlongley]

As much as I would like to see "Full Constitutional Carry" I agree that the best way to eat the elephant is one bite at a time.

[RottenApple]

When I'm out on the ranch it's my preferred method of carry, but I do not like the idea of openly carrying in town.

I gave it a go in Oklahoma, and I did not like it whatsoever. Just imagine walking down the street and having EVERYBODY look at you. I personally don't like being stared at wherever I walk.
After about 20 minutes I went and got my coat out of the truck.

I don't care for it in town, but I think folks should go ahead and do it if they get a wild hair.

I'd say you were probably self-conscious about it and most likely imagined that EVERYBODY was staring at you. Or, being self-conscious, you may have subconsciously acted in such a way to draw people's attention.

I've OC'd in both OK and MO. The only person who noticed was the police officer (in uniform) who was behind me at the register in a store and his only comment was, "Hey, is that a Kimber?" It led to a very interesting conversation and, once we were both checked out, we went to my vehicle where I disarmed, unloaded (to be safe), and he got to check it out. No muss, no fuss, no funny looks from anyone. Just one really cool cop who had been thinking about getting a Kimber and loved handling mine.

[locke_n_load]

I support the choice to open carry but do not support the tactics that are being used by some of the OC folks. I would rather see legislation passed that gives CHLers the right to carry everywhere a LEO can carry passed then OC passing.

I would suggest small bills to accomplish the goal.
1) OC option for CHLers
2) CHLer carry where LEO can.
3) Reduce Fees for new CHLer so OC supporters can join
Even though, I do support constitutional 2ndA, carrying in the public where there is potential for more conflicts and interaction with other strange people/events.
I still value,
A) The CHL course (laws of use of deadly weapon and deescalation)
B) The shooting qualification
C) The more training that comes with the responsibility of carrying a deadly weapon.

The main point OC'ers push is that you shouldn't need a license to exercise a right, it doesn't matter if the license costs $100 or $1. It's the principle of the matter.

[mgood]

The main point OC'ers push is that you shouldn't need a license to exercise a right, it doesn't matter if the license costs $100 or $1. It's the principle of the matter.

And I agree with that too. But one of the prerequisites of the CHL program was that it would pay for itself. That was a bone we had to throw to get it passed at all.
I don't think I should have to carry a card in my pocket to exercise my 2nd Amendment right, let alone pay for it, but it's better than where we were in 1995.

[gdanaher]

Legalizing open carry would simplify life for the concealed carry guys who display a plumbers crack from time to time. And if the stereotypical open carry candidate was presented publicly as your friendly neighborhood professional, with suit and tie, or at least a golf shirt, looking civilized and intelligent, it might go a long way to passing the legislation. What I see on the TV news though is a group of guys who appear to need a run through the local car wash, and a spell checker for the text on their T-shirts. They just don't impress me that they are the ones capable of influencing the legislature in the direction they are hoping.

[JR's 12 Valve]

When I'm out on the ranch it's my preferred method of carry, but I do not like the idea of openly carrying in town.

I gave it a go in Oklahoma, and I did not like it whatsoever. Just imagine walking down the street and having EVERYBODY look at you. I personally don't like being stared at wherever I walk.
After about 20 minutes I went and got my coat out of the truck.

I don't care for it in town, but I think folks should go ahead and do it if they get a wild hair.

I'd say you were probably self-conscious about it and most likely imagined that EVERYBODY was staring at you. Or, being self-conscious, you may have subconsciously acted in such a way to draw people's attention.

I've OC'd in both OK and MO. The only person who noticed was the police officer (in uniform) who was behind me at the register in a store and his only comment was, "Hey, is that a Kimber?" It led to a very interesting conversation and, once we were both checked out, we went to my vehicle where I disarmed, unloaded (to be safe), and he got to check it out. No muss, no fuss, no funny looks from anyone. Just one really cool cop who had been thinking about getting a Kimber and loved handling mine.

I would normally say as such, but it was not the case. I didn't imagine everyone staring at me, almost all of them would look down at my pistol, then look at me. I got about 10 that asked me "Hey what kind of glock is that (hahaha)." I was walking normally, and didn't do anything to draw attention to myself.

It could be because I was in a well populated area, and OC was new at the time, but still, I did not like it.

[nightmare69]

I know I wouldn't want the attention and I seriously doubt I will ever open carry off duty. I'm sure there are some people though that crave the attention and get a rush knowing everyone sees their gun. I know 1 person in particular that OC a rifle when going on walks just cause he can and there is nothing LE can do to stop him plus he loves the attention.

[OldCannon]

The folks that drafted that know NOTHING about the legislative process.

I fixed your sentence.

[Cedar Park Dad]

It was just posted on OCT fb.
By CJ Grisham:

This is the legislation that Open Carry Texas is sponsoring to get open carry passed in Texas. It accomplishes several goals: legalizing the open carry of ALL firearms; removing exemptions of where off-duty officers, legislators, judges, prosecutors, etc can carry (If a citizen can't carry to a particular place, neither can anyone else); clarifies the disorderly conduct statute to ensure that open carry in and of itself isn't an arrestable offense; removes TABC laws that bar people from carrying into establishments that sell alcohol (for example, I do NOT drink at all and should be able to defend myself while eating at the Olive Garden in spite of the fact they sell alcohol); removes restrictions on types of knives that can legally be carried; and enjoins state agencies with municipalities under state pre-emption of firearms regulation (in other words, DPS can't just decide to ban the bearing of firearms on capitol grounds). Please contact your state senator and representative and ask them to support this legislation.

Doc of proposed act is attached:

I'd vote against that, like instantly.
1. The concept of carrying into a bar is utterly stupid. Sorry but it is. The 51% sign is perfectly fine
2. How does a property owner bar OCers? If its just a sign or a 30.06 then this should be insta killed like bambi vs. Godzilla.

[Cedar Park Dad]

I support the choice to open carry but do not support the tactics that are being used by some of the OC folks. I would rather see legislation passed that gives CHLers the right to carry everywhere a LEO can carry passed then OC passing.

I would suggest small bills to accomplish the goal.
1) OC option for CHLers
2) CHLer carry where LEO can.
3) Reduce Fees for new CHLer so OC supporters can join

Even though, I do support constitutional 2ndA, carrying in the public where there is potential for more conflicts and interaction with other strange people/events.
I still value,
A) The CHL course (laws of use of deadly weapon and deescalation)
B) The shooting qualification
C) The more training that comes with the responsibility of carrying a deadly weapon.

Brilliant!

[nightmare69]

I support the choice to open carry but do not support the tactics that are being used by some of the OC folks. I would rather see legislation passed that gives CHLers the right to carry everywhere a LEO can carry passed then OC passing.

I would suggest small bills to accomplish the goal.
1) OC option for CHLers
2) CHLer carry where LEO can.
3) Reduce Fees for new CHLer so OC supporters can join

Even though, I do support constitutional 2ndA, carrying in the public where there is potential for more conflicts and interaction with other strange people/events.
I still value,
A) The CHL course (laws of use of deadly weapon and deescalation)
B) The shooting qualification
C) The more training that comes with the responsibility of carrying a deadly weapon.

I dont believe you should have to go through training to exercise a right. You don't have to have a permit to exercise freedom of religion and it's responsible for more death over human history than anything else. Training is a great thing but it should not be mandatory to carry.

[scottmeador]

In the long run, it would be easier to just go the whole nine yards from the get go rather than the small steps. Like driving a nail...rather than 'tap tap tap' with a 14oz hammer, give it one good shot with the 28oz hammer and be done. Either way, society (the wood) has to alter itself to accept the nail (constitutional carry). The end result will be the same...the wood will never have to yield a hole any bigger than the nail.

In the words of a famous Western Author: “Victory is won not in miles but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more.” ― Louis L'Amour

[nightmare]

As much as I would like to see "Full Constitutional Carry" I agree that the best way to eat the elephant is one bite at a time.

A lot of the OC legislation seems complicated for the sake of being complicated. What's wrong with repealing 46.035(a) without doing a whole song and dance?

[jbarn]

It was just posted on OCT fb.
By CJ Grisham:

This is the legislation that Open Carry Texas is sponsoring to get open carry passed in Texas. It accomplishes several goals: legalizing the open carry of ALL firearms; removing exemptions of where off-duty officers, legislators, judges, prosecutors, etc can carry (If a citizen can't carry to a particular place, neither can anyone else); clarifies the disorderly conduct statute to ensure that open carry in and of itself isn't an arrestable offense; removes TABC laws that bar people from carrying into establishments that sell alcohol (for example, I do NOT drink at all and should be able to defend myself while eating at the Olive Garden in spite of the fact they sell alcohol); removes restrictions on types of knives that can legally be carried; and enjoins state agencies with municipalities under state pre-emption of firearms regulation (in other words, DPS can't just decide to ban the bearing of firearms on capitol grounds). Please contact your state senator and representative and ask them to support this legislation.

Doc of proposed act is attached:

Good grief. Even his little statement is full of "misstatements".

The attitude that he wants to limit current exceptions if he cannot have it.

The assertion that one can only defend oneself with a firearm

Just wow....

His belief that he cannot carry in Olive Garden