I think the anti-open carry folks are scared to open carry much like the anti-gun folks are scared of guns. You see the same nonsensical arguments from both groups. The anti-gun people are afraid of guns so they want them all banned. The anti-open carry people are afraid to open carry so they want to limit or ban open carry.

If no one can open carry then they don’t have to admit they’re afraid.

I think Open Carry is a poor choice in populated areas when you have other options (CCW) to be armed for personal protection. I vehemently believe that you should NOT carry a gun for political reasons, but solely as a means of defense.

Besides being full of shit on open carry, Rob runs a mall ninja training school. His website is chock full of “elite operator training”. Trainers have a vested interest in more people needing to get trained so I tend to question their motives when I hear bullshit like this from them.

So Rob, if I’m not supposed to open carry for political purposes am I also not supposed to write for political purposes? Or have a meeting for political purposes? Do you think Rosa Parks got on that bus just to take a ride home?

I’ll carry for any reason I want to, Rob Pincus and you’ll kindly shut up about it and quit handing ammo to the other side.

And by proclaimed, I mean a few people decided it would be fun to do.

Just because they can.

No other reason needed.

1. ZOMG! It might scare people into putting up a no guns allowed sign.

2. No one open carries where it’s legal anyway so why bother.

3. The current bill isn’t good enough, I’ll support open carry when there’s a good bill. (but don’t bother asking me to help write a better bill)

That’s some pretty weak sauce.

The two big TSRA backed bills this session were the Parking Lot bill and Campus Carry. Representative Lavender specifically asked the TSRA for support on HB2756 and was turned down. They can claim they’re not against open carry all day long, but the reality is that no open carry bill will make it through the legislature without the support of the TSRA.

Texas will not have open carry unless and until the TSRA supports it.

Pardon me while I don’t hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

(Thanks to Joseph Kerr for the update in comments here.)

The next legislative opportunity for open carry in Texas will be in 2013.

*I still haven’t heard a good explanation why the TSRA doesn’t support open carry. I’ve been told “it’s not a priority” or “the members don’t support it” but I’ve also heard that the CHL training establishment is very much against open carry since it would presumably hit them in the wallet. Regardless, the TSRA did NOT support HB 2756.

Time is short. If we can’t get this bill onto the floor by May 12th we wait until 2013 to try again.

So much for blood in the streets.

The House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety wants to take the concealed part out of concealed handgun licenses.

The committee voted 5-3 in favor of a bill that would remove the word concealed from the law that allows Texans to have a handgun license. The so-called “open carry” law would allow license holders to carry their weapons in plain view wherever they would be allowed to carry a concealed handgun. The rules for getting a license would not change.

Hit those phones, people. Call your reps and make it happen.

It was only the second time for me. The great state of Texas doesn’t allow it so my open carry experience to date has been the Middle Of Nowhere, CO and Pittsburgh. I even bought a new holster for the occasion. (A Comp-Tac paddle holster just in case I had to disarm at some point.)

I was a little worried before going because I’ve been in Philadelphia, PA before and it is a very unfriendly open carry city. I had visions of getting proned by the cops and having to call Alan Gura to rescue me. Fortunately Pittsburgh isn’t Philadelphia, and other than a couple of glances from cops there was no “official” interest in the gun on my belt at all. One vendor at the show assumed I was a cop which seems to be the case just about everywhere. (That needs to change. Open carry shouldn’t equal cop in anyone’s mind)

Now I want Texas to have open carry even more. It’s just too damn convenient to be able to conceal or not as you like.