OCT Pro-Gun or Pro-Gun Control?

[TXBO]

Just because it is a different approach doesn't mean it is effective. Cooperation, or at least not acting like extremist lunatics, would be better than throwing temper tantrums in public like a 5 year old wanting more ice cream and wanting it NOW.

Very true and all indications are that their approach was not only ineffective but detrimental. I'm neither endorsing nor defending their approach. I'm simply stating that frustration with lack of progress in Austin feed it.

I agree with you on this point, but we need to realize that OCT was created 1) because people were upset that Grisham was arrested; and 2) the alleged lack of progress was limited to not passing open-carry. We have made tremendous progress in expanding Second Amendment rights in Texas as the vast majority of Texas gun owners understand and acknowledge. Only a self-centered few claim otherwise and it's solely because their particular priority item or goal has not been achieved. Contrast the tactics and divisive rhetoric used by OCT with the statesmanlike approach used by Students for Concealed Carry. SCC does not attack other people or organizations and they don't act like the failure to pass campus-carry means Texas and all of our elected officials are anti-gun.

Chas.

My priority is accessibility. I'd like to see the number of people that can legally carry in Texas multiply. This stems from a very personally humbling experience. It's not self-centered at all.

[A-R]

Duplicate post

[A-R]

I'm sure you're pretty steamed up at my comments, but let's switch to "my Bill," HB308. In my view, HB3218 last session and HB308 this session are the two most important bills filed on behalf of Texas gun owners in 20 years. We've passed many great bills and have made great strides in expanding Second Amendment rights, but I believe that HB308 should have been the cornerstone of the 2015 Texas Legislative Session -- but it wasn't. I'm mad and I'm sick that HB308 went nowhere; it is no better off than HB195 or SB342 and I'm not happy. However, I understand why neither the NRA nor TSRA put their political muscle behind HB308. To say it was a controversial bill would be an understatement. The media would have had a field day with "guns everywhere, guns everywhere!" It's right up there with "the British are coming, the British are coming!" The primary reason HB308 was not a priority bill is NRA and TSRA were using huge amounts of political capitol to pass open-carry and to a lesser degree, campus-carry. I still believe we should pass campus-carry because it is the right thing to do even though it differs from our standard procedure of supporting bills that provide the most benefits to most people. At this point in time, HB308 would have worked to the extreme benefit of 846,000+ Texas CHLs and this number will continue to grow. That's how strongly I feel about removing off-limits areas for CHLs, but you haven't heard me lash out at NRA/TSRA for not making MY priority their priority. That's not how you build strong and effective relationships; you don't abandon friends who share your goals but not your priority list. Contrast this approach with the OCT approach of attacking, condemning and lying about anyone and everyone who does not share both their goals and their tactics.

THIS. THIS RIGHT HERE.

This is how mature adults push pro-gun legislation.



Amateur hour needs to be over. I get the sinking feeling that tremendous opportunities to pass important, impactful pro-gun rights legislation in this state are slipping away while political capital and effort is spent on the petulant desires of an immature few.

This time the squeaky wheel got the grease. Next time the engine needs a tune up.

[Ruark]

This lack of progress isn't NRA"s fault. It's the millions of gun owners in Texas's fault. Had there been millions of calls from rational, civil gun owners, it might have drowned out some of the crazies.

True. It's unfortunate, but true that there are many "gun owners" out there who are "rational and civil," but really aren't interested in OC issues or even CCW, and don't keep up with the latest "HBXXX" and "SBXXX" and "Amendment 191B" going through the WhoopeeKipperedHerring Committee, beyond what they read in the headlines.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Just because it is a different approach doesn't mean it is effective. Cooperation, or at least not acting like extremist lunatics, would be better than throwing temper tantrums in public like a 5 year old wanting more ice cream and wanting it NOW.

Very true and all indications are that their approach was not only ineffective but detrimental. I'm neither endorsing nor defending their approach. I'm simply stating that frustration with lack of progress in Austin feed it.

I agree with you on this point, but we need to realize that OCT was created 1) because people were upset that Grisham was arrested; and 2) the alleged lack of progress was limited to not passing open-carry. We have made tremendous progress in expanding Second Amendment rights in Texas as the vast majority of Texas gun owners understand and acknowledge. Only a self-centered few claim otherwise and it's solely because their particular priority item or goal has not been achieved. Contrast the tactics and divisive rhetoric used by OCT with the statesmanlike approach used by Students for Concealed Carry. SCC does not attack other people or organizations and they don't act like the failure to pass campus-carry means Texas and all of our elected officials are anti-gun.

Chas.

My priority is accessibility. I'd like to see the number of people that can legally carry in Texas multiply. This stems from a very personally humbling experience. It's not self-centered at all.

I'm not sure why you say "it's not self-centered at all." I was talking about OCT's attitude that little progress has been made in terms of expanding Second Amendment rights in Texas. If that's your feeling also, then you're as wrong as is OCT. I don't know, nor am I asking, about your personal issue, but it doesn't change legislative history. I'm on record as supporting the repeal of some of the arbitrary and unnecessary eligibility requirements, but those changes are not a top priority because, as I stated earlier, a driving legislative philosophy is to promote changes that have a positive impact on the greatest number of people.

Chas.

[TXBO]

Just because it is a different approach doesn't mean it is effective. Cooperation, or at least not acting like extremist lunatics, would be better than throwing temper tantrums in public like a 5 year old wanting more ice cream and wanting it NOW.

Very true and all indications are that their approach was not only ineffective but detrimental. I'm neither endorsing nor defending their approach. I'm simply stating that frustration with lack of progress in Austin feed it.

I agree with you on this point, but we need to realize that OCT was created 1) because people were upset that Grisham was arrested; and 2) the alleged lack of progress was limited to not passing open-carry. We have made tremendous progress in expanding Second Amendment rights in Texas as the vast majority of Texas gun owners understand and acknowledge. Only a self-centered few claim otherwise and it's solely because their particular priority item or goal has not been achieved. Contrast the tactics and divisive rhetoric used by OCT with the statesmanlike approach used by Students for Concealed Carry. SCC does not attack other people or organizations and they don't act like the failure to pass campus-carry means Texas and all of our elected officials are anti-gun.

Chas.

My priority is accessibility. I'd like to see the number of people that can legally carry in Texas multiply. This stems from a very personally humbling experience. It's not self-centered at all.

I'm not sure why you say "it's not self-centered at all." I was talking about OCT's attitude that little progress has been made in terms of expanding Second Amendment rights in Texas. If that's your feeling also, then you're as wrong as is OCT and your personal problem doesn't change legislative history.

Chas.

And I was simply stating that I'd like to see advancement in accessibility and my reason is not "self-centered".
I got my first license to conceal in AZ in 1996 and have carried ever since. My desire has nothing to do with me or anybody close to me.

[v7a]

@lmcgaughy tweet:

@OpenCarryTexas holding rally at @APDInfo HQ on May 6 to "educate" @ArtAcevedo about #opencarry #txlege #gunbills

[Ruark]

What many OCT people fail to grasp is the simple concept of "knowing how to work with the legislature."

[Charles L. Cotton]

@lmcgaughy tweet:

@OpenCarryTexas holding rally at @APDInfo HQ on May 6 to "educate" @ArtAcevedo about #opencarry #txlege #gunbills

We're trying to get this finished and OCT wants to poke Austin PD and Acebedo in the eye. That will make keeping the Dutton/Rinaldi Amendment on the Bill harder.

Chas.

[Pawpaw]

Maybe we each need to send Grisham a book...

[G.A. Heath]

Maybe we each need to send Grisham a book...

[ Image ]

Dear lord no, he will consider it a manual for what not to do.