Petition to Allow Open Carry in Texas

[AEA]

An earlier post suggested that OC was juvenile and silly. Another said it was mostly impractical. And another said it was practical only in that it would allow comfortable carry during summer months without fear of printing. I guess I see each point of view... but I support OC on the premise that it is my 2nd Amendment right. Licensing and taxing for a right actually makes it not a right. And those are certainly infringements on my right to bear arms. Would I OC? Not if I could comfortably conceal. But I certainly don't want to force another citizen to conform to my personal opinion of how to carry their weapon. I only want my politicians to protect our rights.

Well said!

[jmra]

I would love OC. What I would love more is to be able to CC anywhere an off duty LEO can CC. If I had to pick between the the two, it would be no contest. I would much rather see effort and resources poured into the latter.

[Jim Beaux]

Just curious, why the preference to oc? Anything specific? Personally Ive never given it much thought. Learn me sumpten guys.

[Heartland Patriot]

Just curious, why the preference to oc? Anything specific? Personally Ive never given it much thought. Learn me sumpten guys.

I was thinking of a "comfort" factor, perhaps. Yes, before I get this posting replied to 10X about good holsters, belts and proper clothing, etc., I already understand all of that. And I don't have a problem with it to make CC work. But having a simple OWB holster on a belt, just putting it on and going has got to make it EASY. Like I said, in an urban/suburban situation, I would stick with CC.

[anygunanywhere]

These OC threads....

Yes OC needs to be legalized in Texas. Actually we need constitutional carry. Citizens should be legal to carry open or concealed anywhere LEO can carry.

It is a basic right.

If you would never carry, that is OK. You do not have to. If you are a 2nd amendment believer, support constitutional carry for all.

What it boils down to is restoration of our freedom the way it was before common sense gun laws and reasonable restrictions took over.

Are you for us or against us. There is no gray area. Black and white!

Anygunanywhere

[Oldgringo]

FWIW, we've been in Montana, a Gold Star OC state, since 2 May and I have yet to see anyone OC in any town.

[anygunanywhere]

FWIW, we've been in Montana, a Gold Star OC state, since 2 May and I have yet to see anyone OC in any town.

Why don't you do so and set a trend?

Anygunanywhere

[74novaman]

Someone asked about why you would want to OC:

Lots of people will give all kinds of reasons.

For me, it boils down to this. As Americans, we should be able to if we want to.

Its really that simple.

I would like to state once again that if you do support open carry, this online poll signed by out of state folks is worth exactly nothing.

Join the NRA and the TSRA and let those organizations know you want them to work towards open carry.

Considering how short our legislative sessions are (which is a great thing), this next session I want campus carry passed. That is my number 1 gun rights goal right now. But I believe open carry and constitutional carry in Texas will eventually be a reality. Laws just change slowly in Texas, and I'm okay with that.

Our rights to bear arms have been infringed upon since Reconstruction. Its been over 100 years of very strict gun laws in Texas, and every single session since the CHL law got passed we've make those gun laws disappear or improved them thanks to the work of Mr. Cotton and others. That is something worth remembering when we complain about how slowly our rights are being restored.

Just remember: We're winning. Work hard, help out, and we will continue to do so.

Just a bit more of a long winded .02 on the subject than my original post.

[Razorback]

Someone asked about why you would want to OC:

Lots of people will give all kinds of reasons.

For me, it boils down to this. As Americans, we should be able to if we want to.

Its really that simple.

I would like to state once again that if you do support open carry, this online poll signed by out of state folks is worth exactly nothing.

Join the NRA and the TSRA and let those organizations know you want them to work towards open carry.

Well stated. We should not have to continue to compromise our rights.

[fickman]

I want OC and among those who doubt I would use it very often. The principle is important. The options are important.

In an ideal world, we'd have:
- unlicensed concealed carry while in Texas
- unlicensed open carry while in Texas
- inexpensive, accessible licenses for those wanting reciprocity with other states
- no 30.06 law for concealed carry without oral notice (concealed is concealed)
- allow 30.06 law for open carry (respect property rights)
- licensed concealed carry with same rights as off duty / retired LEO
- campus carry
- employer / city / county / public school preemption
- laws that put criminals who use guns away for a long, long time - tripling, quadrupling, or more the minimum sentences for crimes when a firearm is used or when a felon (or other banned person) has possession of a firearm*.

*IMO, when you increase freedom and relax the laws, you need to equally increase the penalty for breaking the laws that remain. I always thought about this when I was in school: in elementary school, there''s a rule for everything. . . but the average punishment is something like a warning or a 5-minute detention after school. By the time you get to high school and college, there are drastically fewer rules, but the punishments for breaking the ones in place get significantly steeper.

We CAN discuss this with civility. I'd encourage the ones who aren't ardent open carry supporters to consider that - just because you may not plan to exercise the right - doesn't mean it's not a valid freedom for somebody else. There are lots of anti's who would deny us concealed carry on the same premise.

I'd most likely use open carry discreetly, like if we were in a restaurant in the winter and I was using a jacket as a cover garment. . . I could remove my jacket while I'm sitting in the booth.

[Whatthaduece]

This is not just about open carry but its about our right as LAW ABIDING CITIZENS to own firearms and protect ourselves and our families from any threat set out harm us. whether that threat is an individual(s), the UN, state or federal government(s), etc... this is our right as a citizen of Texas and the United States.

Law abiding citizens cannot cater to politicians who want to dictate what type of guns we can own, what guns we can carry, and how we carry those guns. It's a slippery slope! If the elected politicians start to dictate controls on our gun ownership they will enforce stricter and stricter gun laws. We cannot cower to these threats or our country will end up like so many other European nations which have severely limited the gun rights of the law abiding citizens.

[Oldgringo]

FWIW, we've been in Montana, a Gold Star OC state, since 2 May and I have yet to see anyone OC in any town.

Why don't you do so and set a trend?

Anygunanywhere

I've never been a trendsetter 'lo these many years and don't need to start now. I kinda' think it's best if the BG wannabe's don't know if the old coot eyeballin' him/her is packin' or not. You know what I mean, Any?

We've been invited, and are going, into BC tomorrow to visit new friends. All our hardware and ammo will be left behind in the RV here in Montana. I hope "nothing" gets us?

A hiker got et by a Griz in Denali Nat'l Park this weekend. I don't think a Griz can eat, or outrun, our Dodge Ram.

[Hoosier Daddy]

FWIW, we've been in Montana, a Gold Star OC state, since 2 May and I have yet to see anyone OC in any town.

See. It doesn't cause any problems when states stop infringing on the right to keep and bear arms.

[lbuehler325]

I want OC and among those who doubt I would use it very often. The principle is important. The options are important.

In an ideal world, we'd have:
- unlicensed concealed carry while in Texas
- unlicensed open carry while in Texas
- inexpensive, accessible licenses for those wanting reciprocity with other states
- no 30.06 law for concealed carry without oral notice (concealed is concealed)
- allow 30.06 law for open carry (respect property rights)
- licensed concealed carry with same rights as off duty / retired LEO
- campus carry
- employer / city / county / public school preemption
- laws that put criminals who use guns away for a long, long time - tripling, quadrupling, or more the minimum sentences for crimes when a firearm is used or when a felon (or other banned person) has possession of a firearm*.

I agree 100%

Both the wifey and I signed the petition online. We each marked that we were TX residents and registered TX voters, but it listed us as "No's" for those parameters. I then looked at the other signatures, and I couldn't find a single "Yes". I think there is a glitch in the code where everyone is listed as out of state.

[anygunanywhere]

FWIW, we've been in Montana, a Gold Star OC state, since 2 May and I have yet to see anyone OC in any town.

Why don't you do so and set a trend?

Anygunanywhere

I've never been a trendsetter 'lo these many years and don't need to start now. I kinda' think it's best if the BG wannabe's don't know if the old coot eyeballin' him/her is packin' or not. You know what I mean, Any?

We've been invited, and are going, into BC tomorrow to visit new friends. All our hardware and ammo will be left behind in the RV here in Montana. I hope "nothing" gets us?

A hiker got et by a Griz in Denali Nat'l Park this weekend. I don't think a Griz can eat, or outrun, our Dodge Ram.

Even when on foot and being chased by a griz, you only have to outrun one person.

Anygunanywhere