TexasCHLforum.com

I have said in the past that now that I am a CHL holder, I would always be on the lookout for another. Kind of a game. I saw my first one, pointed it out to a friend who doubted me, and then confirmed it with the same friend and my wife when the person clearly was displaying his weapon. He was printing really bad, and that is what made me take notice.

I thought I would be excited about catching someone, and actually, I am a bit let down by this person. He was wearing a Polo style shirt that was too short and too tight. I saw the imprint, and my first thought was a 1911. Not only did I think I could see a gun, but I was actually seeing the type. He sat down on the ground in front of an attraction (we were at a very popular farm attraction near Houston). When he stood up, he was totally uncovered...steel frame 1911 style gun..I was pointed to it by one of the other parents that I was there with.

I was carrying, as was one of the other parents. We were just in awe that he was so....so....sloppy.

If you were at a farm event, wearing blue jeans and a blue polo style shirt, you failed.

Might have been one of the 50 or so kinds of law enforcement officers or elected officials that can legallly carry and are not obligated to conceal.

- Jim

The gun was fully exposed and no SWAT team showed up?

And no news helecopters?

I'm a little let down.

Even if he was a LEO, open carry with a badge would of been better. Where we are from, that would of been a non-event.

I conduct my personal carry practices to a much higher standard, and this guy was not even trying or giving a rats patutuie (sorry modds if this too extreme)

Most people at the event were trying to locate "little Jimmy" much less than looking for a firearm, but come on. It is no reason to be this obvious.

I am just saying, I was carrying, had two kids there, another parent with one kid and two neighbor kids was carrying too. Neither of us were anywhere that out there.

I was carrying a 9mm and my friend had a Kimber 45. I suspected he was carrying and he suspected I was carrying, but after we both saw what we saw, we both asked the same question...."am I that obvious???"" Both answered "No"

I try to be non-descript, but carry all the time. Am I overly focused on this?

Why does it matter?

People are gonna do what they're gonna do. If it's illegal, they might get arrested, or they might get away with it. They might know the secret police handshake. Who knows?

- Jim

Respectfully, if you moved forward with that opinion this forum would have no purpose. It's a learning experience. Motivation to put more effort into concealment.

seamusTX wrote:Why does it matter?

People are gonna do what they're gonna do. If it's illegal, they might get arrested, or they might get away with it. They might know the secret police handshake. Who knows?

- Jim

Personally I think it makes the rest of us look bad....

Also, if "little Jimmy" as mentioned earlier happened to walk behind this guy at the wrong time, and grab the gun, that would not be a good scene.

Hobby Airport in Houston,many years ago, I took a friend (Police Officer, off duty) and his wife to the airport for their flight.
The officer/my friend had a note from the chief saying it was ok for him to be armed on the plane (yeah this was pre-9/11, but they had metal detectors etc)
Anyway, this friend usually had his weapon in his wife's purse, instead of carrying it himself.

We three, me, the officer and his wife, as we approach the metal detectors, the officer friend in plain clothes, holds up his note and a gun ... (His ID was in his pocket.)

There are some experiences you just never forget, it's funny now, but was a bit harrowing at the time.

Point is, to some LEOs, it's not a big deal to conceal off duty, nor have a badge showing near the gun. (Though it might be a good idea, that particular friend was a super great LEO, fantastic crime solving instincts too, but didn't know you EVER needed to change oil in a truck.)

IMHO, we need to consider the right to bear arms an inalienable human right—not evidence of criminal activity. But that's just my opinion.

In all the debate about open carry, no one has documented a "gun grab" other than when police officers are trying to arrest someone.

The opposite has happened a few times, where the good-guy victim got hold of the criminal's weapon and used it to defend himself. This is largely due to the fact that criminals don't use holsters and for the most part don't have a clue what they are doing. They think having a weapon will make their victims cower in fear and submit to their demands.

- Jim

The State of Texas has laws that regulate concealed carry. They do not have any laws that allow for open carry of handguns in public.

Like it or not that is the way it is. If you want to change the law, work towards that goal, but just because you don't like a law doesn't mean it shouldn't be followed or that it should be overlooked because you don't agree with it or it didn't hurt anyone.

That type of thinking is for criminals, not law abiding citizens who have taken the time and effort and spent money to get their CHL.

If you think your a super fabulous driver should speed limits not apply to you? If you think you can handle drugs or alcohol better than the average person does that mean you should be given a pass on public intoxication or drug charges?

When some CHL holders get lax on obeying the laws, that gives all CHL holders a bad reputation. Once we start down that road the ability to have a CHL or even open carry one day may all be in jeapordy. Do we really want to start reading stories about folks trying to carry into secured areas of airports, court rooms, into schools, bars or other places and getting caught, then using the defense, well I wasn't hurting anyone, and besides it shouldnt' be against the law anyway.

I don't.

As I wrote earlier, many people can legally carry a weapon openly or concealed, including state and federal LEOs, judges, and district attorneys. I don't know how many are in this category. It might be several million nationwide.

As for pushing the edge of the envelope on one's rights, I'm not signing up to do it at this point in my life, but if someone hadn't done it, this would be our flag:



And we would have the face of Queen Elizabeth on our coins and stamps:



Heller and McDonald were both won in court, not in legislative bodies.

- Jim

texasjeep44 wrote:Like it or not that is the way it is. If you want to change the law, work towards that goal, but just because you don't like a law doesn't mean it shouldn't be followed or that it should be overlooked because you don't agree with it or it didn't hurt anyone.

That type of thinking is for criminals

Like Oskar Schindler. And the Underground Railroad in the USA.

snorri wrote:

texasjeep44 wrote:Like it or not that is the way it is. If you want to change the law, work towards that goal, but just because you don't like a law doesn't mean it shouldn't be followed or that it should be overlooked because you don't agree with it or it didn't hurt anyone.

That type of thinking is for criminals

Like Oskar Schindler. And the Underground Railroad in the USA.

You're seriously comparing helping jews escape the holocaust and slaves gain their freedom to... concealed vs open carry?