Article: Myth and Reality of Self-Defense Law in Texas

[G.A. Heath]

I have recently engaged the author of an article on ammoland (My comment there had not appeared yet when I last checked it) in a brief comment discussion on his blog (where the article also appears). The title of the article is "Myth and Reality of Self-Defense Law in Texas" which in my opinion is about as wrong as wrong can be. I have as a result begun to correct the authors misconceptions of facts with complete and correct facts.

I would like to ask that if you post comments to the article please do so in a polite and friendly manner. The author is on our side, he just has some wrong information to operate off of. http://slowfacts.wordpress.com/2014/11/ ... -in-texas/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Cedar Park Dad]

The author's not on my side.

Thats an opinion piece without facts. Equating Texas, even anecdotally to New Jersey is not appropriate, for well anything.

Further, as near as I can tell this is a rant about prosecutorial discretion. Thats every jurisdiction and is not going to change.
Even further, its factually wrong.

[The Annoyed Man]

I answered.

[hounddog]

TAM, I'm glad you answered him. Cooler heads always prevail, unless you're dealing with those liberals. Any way, it sounds like he named his column right, he's just slow to get his facts. Too many people out there want to spout off without knowing what they're talking about. Not that I haven't been guilty of this on occasion. But it doesn't help us in the least bit to rant back at them. I need to take my own advice, the scripture says, "a kind word turns away wrath", and more often than not it's true. Thanks for being part of the solution.

[C-dub]

Still waiting for the reality part.

That guy has a serious lack of understanding of the broader picture.

[ELB]

It's just Texas bashing.

When confronted with something bigger, more powerful, and/or that stands out, it is human nature to try to diminish it with over-amplified criticism of real and especially imagined flaws. You see this in the international press about the US in general, and I ran across quite a bit of it when I was assigned to NATO. When talking about states in the US, Texas is an natural target. It is a attempt to deal with one's feeling of inferiority via lashing out. I made a politer reply at both the blog and ammoland, but I what really want to say is "Thbbbbbbt!"

[SewTexas]

not even going to bother.....y'all set him straight and that's enough.

[G.A. Heath]

I am going to address the article on my podcast, not because of the number of things he got wrong but because he has been given evidence of how wrong he was and he still has not corrected the article or issued a retraction. In my opinion the article is based on faulty information he got from California based sources, such as the claim that FFLs can not display a picture of a handgun in their store window. That particular claim was made by the Calguns Foundation in an article that was referenced on the Polite Society Podcast that he is a co-host of. Like Mr. Morse I too know how to get something published on Ammoland.

[C-dub]

I am going to address the article on my podcast, not because of the number of things he got wrong but because he has been given evidence of how wrong he was and he still has not corrected the article or issued a retraction. In my opinion the article is based on faulty information he got from California based sources, such as the claim that FFLs can not display a picture of a handgun in their store window. That particular claim was made by the Calguns Foundation in an article that was referenced on the Polite Society Podcast that he is a co-host of. Like Mr. Morse I too know how to get something published on Ammoland.

I haven't paid attention to store fronts or ads to know, but recently saw an article where some CA gun shops were suing over the prohibition from having pictures of handguns in their store windows or on advertisements. The article also stated that this was illegal in Texas, although rarely if ever upheld. You're saying it is not illegal in Texas?

[PBratton]

I am going to address the article on my podcast, not because of the number of things he got wrong but because he has been given evidence of how wrong he was and he still has not corrected the article or issued a retraction. In my opinion the article is based on faulty information he got from California based sources, such as the claim that FFLs can not display a picture of a handgun in their store window. That particular claim was made by the Calguns Foundation in an article that was referenced on the Polite Society Podcast that he is a co-host of. Like Mr. Morse I too know how to get something published on Ammoland.

I haven't paid attention to store fronts or ads to know, but recently saw an article where some CA gun shops were suing over the prohibition from having pictures of handguns in their store windows or on advertisements. The article also stated that this was illegal in Texas, although rarely if ever upheld. You're saying it is not illegal in Texas?

Oh my gosh! Someone needs to notify Academy and Carters Country!

[ELB]

..., such as the claim that FFLs can not display a picture of a handgun in their store window. .

Rats. I forgot to address that in my retort. (It has been published at the Ammoland site, but not his "slow facts" website.)

I haven't paid attention to store fronts or ads to know, but recently saw an article where some CA gun shops were suing over the prohibition from having pictures of handguns in their store windows or on advertisements.

For those interested, Eugene Volokh (and others) are helping CalGuns with this: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volo ... r-signs-2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[G.A. Heath]

I am going to address the article on my podcast, not because of the number of things he got wrong but because he has been given evidence of how wrong he was and he still has not corrected the article or issued a retraction. In my opinion the article is based on faulty information he got from California based sources, such as the claim that FFLs can not display a picture of a handgun in their store window. That particular claim was made by the Calguns Foundation in an article that was referenced on the Polite Society Podcast that he is a co-host of. Like Mr. Morse I too know how to get something published on Ammoland.

I haven't paid attention to store fronts or ads to know, but recently saw an article where some CA gun shops were suing over the prohibition from having pictures of handguns in their store windows or on advertisements. The article also stated that this was illegal in Texas, although rarely if ever upheld. You're saying it is not illegal in Texas?

Searching various resources leads me to find only one sourcee for this claim aside from Mr. Morse and that is the calguns foundation. To be honest I did search the state legislature's website and found no such law. In all honesty I suspect there is a city ordnance. Somewhere but it is not any state law I can find. Maybe I need to start dating a paralegal again...

[MechAg94]

Sheesh, I started to read the article. Got the first paragraph talking about Texas and see him complaining that Texas isn't the bastion of personal freedom he thought it was. Most of that I see online is from people who seem to perceive Texas as some big desert where everyone drives cattle and wears a six gun. Certainly not a "facts" article.