Open Carry Activist C.J Grisham Finalist for Dallas Morning News Texan Of The Year

[Acala]

I'm not worried about whether or not a voter will take away my gun rights. They cannot. They are natural.

They can make your gun ownership illegal and throw you in the rape tank. But I guess you will still have your rights, for whatever they are worth at that point.

 

[phill4paul]

Not buying it. You said it yourself - if people want these guys to stop carrying rifles openly, they need to make concealed carry legal. So it is not only a protest, it is a kind of extortionate threat. It is not making friends for gun owners.

Exercising one's rights =/= an extortionate threat.

 

[presence]

 

[presence]

I, by the way, never claimed a Constitutional right to wear a gun on private property.

I disagree. The owner of private property can ask you to leave but he has no right to insist you to disarm before doing so. Where I go my talons go. If I'm not welcome... fine but my talons come with me.

 

[William Tell]

Not buying it. You said it yourself - if people want these guys to stop carrying rifles openly, they need to make concealed carry legal. So it is not only a protest, it is a kind of extortionate threat. It is not making friends for gun owners.

How is it a threat to carry a rifle? We have a concealed carry license law, and it needs to be repealed and replaced with constitutional carry. As it stands, a long gun or antique/replica are the only sorts of weapons firearms which may be carried openly without running the risk of being arrested or fined. I have no intention of getting a CHL.

As I pointed out above, the open carry movement has made great strides.

 

[William Tell]

Yes, if Texas repeals the bad gun laws, people will probably not carry rifles openly as much as they do now. But we should be able to carry whatever we want without fear of getting arrested.

 

[phill4paul]

I disagree. The owner of private property can ask you to leave but he has no right to insist you to disarm before doing so. Where I go my talons go. If I'm not welcome... fine but my talons come with me.

Certainly. I never meant to imply otherwise. Conversely, an owner can be up front and say that he will not allow guns on his property before you enter. Thus saving you the time and effort of doing business with them.

However, an interesting point of conversation, if a property owner explicitly forbids firearms then why are L.E.O.'s exempt?

 

[Acala]

Exercising one's rights =/= an extortionate threat.

As always, there is a mixture of motives among individuals. But some of these guys have SAID, and the same has been implied in this thread, that they are intentionally trying to make people uncomfortable with their open rifle carry so that those scared people will support concealed carry so they won't be scared anymore. THAT is an extortionate intent. Trying to scare people so they will do what you want is a kind of extortion. Yes, they have a right to carry a rifle. That isn't even part of this discussion. My point is that the way they are using their right HURTS the cause of rolling back legal impairment of firearms carry and use. It is a bad idea.

 

[Acala]

But we should be able to carry whatever we want without fear of getting arrested.

That isn't the issue. We all agree on THAT. The issue is, are these people helping the cause or hurting the cause?

 

[William Tell]

That isn't the issue. We all agree on THAT. The issue is, are these people helping the cause or hurting the cause?

They have helped tremendously overall. Constitutional Carry was added as an amendment to the TX GOP platform this year. And a bunch of pro open carry candidates won elections. And even establishment Governor Greg Abbot said he will sign Constitutional Carry legislation now.

 

[phill4paul]

As always, there is a mixture of motives among individuals. But some of these guys have SAID, and the same has been implied in this thread, that they are intentionally trying to make people uncomfortable with their open rifle carry so that those scared people will support concealed carry so they won't be scared anymore. THAT is an extortionate intent. Trying to scare people so they will do what you want is a kind of extortion. Yes, they have a right to carry a rifle. That isn't even part of this discussion. My point is that the way they are using their right HURTS the cause of rolling back legal impairment of firearms carry and use. It is a bad idea.

It's the beginning and the end. As far as I am concerned.

 

[DaninPA]

As always, there is a mixture of motives among individuals. But some of these guys have SAID, and the same has been implied in this thread, that they are intentionally trying to make people uncomfortable with their open rifle carry so that those scared people will support concealed carry so they won't be scared anymore. THAT is an extortionate intent. Trying to scare people so they will do what you want is a kind of extortion. Yes, they have a right to carry a rifle. That isn't even part of this discussion. My point is that the way they are using their right HURTS the cause of rolling back legal impairment of firearms carry and use. It is a bad idea.

Correction: Support open carry of handguns.

They are pointing out the absurdity that it is legal to OC long guns, but illegal to OC handguns.

 

[fr33]

I don't know if the activists are accomplishing their goal but I do know that both gubernatorial candidates campaigned on supporting open carry of handguns. (the democrat, after losing, reversed her position)

The reasoning behind the open carry activists with rifles is that everyone, including most Texans, think of Texas as a big pro-gun state with cowboys carrying six shooters on their hip. The activists are bringing up the fact that this is not true at all.

A Constitutional Carry Bill has been filed. Sign this petition supporting it. And contact your legislators. I want my open carry and I want it now!

 

[Weston White]

Just because you are free to do something doesn't mean you should. And, by the way, you DON'T have a Constitutional right to wear a gun on private property.

There are however, potential legal ramifications for private properties that are open to the general public, where being "armed" is not otherwise prohibited by public law.

 

[Acala]

There are however, potential legal ramifications for private properties that are open to the general public, where being "armed" is not otherwise prohibited by public law.

If you are talking about tort liability, you might be right, although I am not aware of any successful lawsuit based on a property owner's requirement that people not carry arms on their property - nor should there be.

 

[Weston White]

If you are talking about tort liability, you might be right, although I am not aware of any successful lawsuit based on a property owner's requirement that people not carry arms on their property - nor should there be.

When you think about, the subject is very similar to the recent case involving the cake baker who lost in the lawsuit for refusing service to same-sex partners--though in that case bearing more on the First Amendment, you could as well argue that the right to at all times defend yourself is just as much a religious issue as marriage existing as a union between only a male and female.

ETA:

If you are going to open your property for public access (for profit), you will also need to prepare yourself to open your mind up for expanding horizons, or else to open your wallet for impending lawsuits.