Meanwhile In Texas: Celebrating The New Open-Carry Gun Law
As reported previously, in addition to celebrating the new year, starting January 1, Texans also celebrated a new open-carry gun law which took effect in the new year. Handgun license holders in Texas will now be allowed to carry their guns in visible holsters on their hip or shoulder.
Previously, Texans wanting to carry a handgun had to obtain a concealed handgun license and conceal their weapon. With the new law, the more than 826,000 state license holders will be allowed to openly display their handguns in most public places.
Proponents of the new open carry law say making guns more visible will deter mass shootings. The bill became law after a spirited debate.
However, not everyone was in favor of the idea to discourage violence through demonstrating weapons: a majority of the state's police chiefs opposed it.
"The question is: Does it make sense and is it good judgment to have a bunch of people running around with guns visible? And I think the answer is: Absolutely not," said Chief Art Acevedo of Austin.
Others are for it: Perkins owns Dallas-based The Slow Bone, a barbecue spot, and Maple & Motor, which specializes in burgers. He says his weapon of choice is a Glock 43, and he frequently carries it in his front pocket. He doesn't object to customers bringing concealed weapons into his restaurants.
"Carrying a concealed weapon is all about eventualities — things that might happen, and protection in that case," he says. "There's a lot of cash in my business. I have employees too. Restaurants get robbed, businesses get robbed, and I have employees that I would like to protect."
"Carrying a gun outside, on your person where it's visible, is at least an implied threat," he says. "If deadly force is your final threat, you're making it right away, visibly. ... I just really don't want that kind of threat feeling in either of the restaurants."
Even with the new state legislation, the number of people with handgun permits makes up only about 4 percent of Texas' population of more than 27 million. Out of these, Perkins thinks the number of people who want to openly carry weapons is pretty small.
Furthermore, private businesses are allowed to ban guns if they choose. In response, chains including Starbucks, Jack In The Box, Chili's, Sonic and Chipotle have asked customers to leave weapons at home.
If private businesses want to prevent people from bringing weapons inside, they are required by the law to display a sign with 1-inch block lettering. Separate signs are required for banning open carry and concealed carry. Perkins says he plans to put one up, but he doesn't foresee it causing any issues. "I don't think it's going to be a problem for us," Perkins says. "I don't think we're going to have confrontations."
Hopefully he is right and openly displayed weapons will indeed deter violence.
In the meantime Texans should get accustomed to sights such as this one which over the coming weeks and months will become increasingly recurring.
(18 votes)
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Thanks. Made me chuckle.
howz the weather there in Chicargo? Or is it Amsterdam?
You must live around Jasper. Lived there for 15 years,,, Non stop rain... Horrible...
Oh wow man, you sure do have an awful lot of issues.
BTW dude. If you're still looking for an honest man, I suggest you try Texas. They got lots of 'em there that'll look you straight in the eye and tell you the truth.
Is that your jealousy speaking? I was born and raised in TX. Live here now, too. Have lived in three other states, visited dozens of others but prefer Texas. I even lived in Japan for 8 years, and have visited many other countries, but Texas is still the best. Sure, I'm biased, but I have a job that allows me to live wherever I want. Can't imagine going anywhere else.
Come for another visit. Eat some brisket with me. Eliminate, with extreme predjudice, some feral hogs. Jump in the pond in October. You'll start liking this place more.
And in other Texan news...the number of people holding doors open for the next guy, and incidents of please and thank yous as well as good morning, good afternoon and good evenings have gone way up.
It's always been that way. People still wave to you on the back roads.
That takes care of line jumping. And when I say no pickles I mean NO pickles.
Stand back or the sandwich gets it.
The picture is misleading. Open carry of long guns was already legal in texas. The new law allows open carry of handguns.
"Absolutely not," said flaming liberal Chief Art Acevedo of Austin. Hmmm, only one person who is opposed? Show your sources or its bullshit. Back up your majority claim.
Authority does not enjoy contest.
I think that guy is asking for it with the AK slung over his back. One move with a knive from the back and it's gone. It's like a woman with her purse open in the mall. I think it should be "good smart guys with a gun". An idiot with a gun is always a problem.
It seems we will be always burdened with idiots claiming to represent our causes. It almost gives cause for sympathy for Muslims...almost.
Personal sovereignty, it's a beautiful thing.
*golf clap*
Now all Austin has to do is give Texans the authority to use their guns to liquidate the criminal classes of the Republic of Texas. Wake me when they get around to that.
California has done to Austin what Musloids have done to England
looks to me like the safety is off. not cool. If you're going to tote it, tote it right.
Stunned. If I'm in McD and everyone is waving a gun around I don't mind saying I would feel wtf and very intimidated. WHY do people need a gun in the supermarket is America genuinely that dangerous that you might get jumped at the frozen food aisle and need to defend yourself?
What if you were in a Luby's???
Not sure were you get your news, but from Paris to China people are getting killed in mass.We.have the added benefit of having 60,000,000 imports from Africa and South America...who commit 1100% more murder than the rest of us.
Why do you think frozen food makes you safe?
Hike your skirt down, Nancy. Your mangina's showing.
It's called prevention Funn3r. Why wait? Also, we need to get ahead of the curve on Osama.
Why is it that you can feel concerned about someone carrying a gun, when it is not the gun to fear but the person carrying it....someone who actually acquired a permit to do so. I would respectfully suggest if he is "waving a gun around" that maybe there IS something to fear, something that has NOTHING to do with legal carry.
People are what is to be feared, which is why people become licensed to carry. Most of the "mass shootings" have occurred in gun free zones, so further illegalization would seem to have little to do with anything. Further, even anti-gun proponents have to admit that NONE of Obama's proposals would have done ANYTHING to prevent these shootings.
Lastly, I would submit that many of us see a social breakdown, possibly a civil war coming. We don't know what will be the first shot, but we do know that we need to be prepared. I remain on the defense, not defenseless.
Discrimination! The law says your sign has to be in one inch block letters! You cannot write Arabic using block letters. How are Muslim terrorists supposed to know that they can walk into a place and blast away - if the can't read the Gun Free Zone signs!
This story has been all over the mainstream news outlets. What's the big deal? Texas is way late in allowing this. Here's a map of open-carry states from August, 2014:
http://blogs.wsj.com/numbers/map-where-is-open-carry-legal-1715/
My home state of Wisconsin has allowed open carry for years - far longer than it's allowed concealed carry. I think it's been allowed always in Wisconsin. I've never seen anyone do it. Maybe they do in the North country.
Yet the national media is making a huge deal about Texas allowing open carry. Apparently the Huff-Po crowd thinks Texans are all going to suddenly start carrying Peacemakers around in gun belts, slamming down some red eye, hollering "Yee Haw!" and shooting out the street lights?
I do expect more gun fights in Texas. Texas is not Wisconsin more like outback Road Warrior.
spoken like a true Massachussetsonianovich....
dunno, flysofree..... suburbs are about the same everywhere. the days of the john wayne movies are long gone, and you could be dropped into many parts of texas and have no clue what state you are in.
#Huff-PoDipshitsDon't Matter
In have a second home in Vermont where the its Constitution says"the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves and the State . . ." I have never seen anyone openly carry a firearm except while hunting or target shooting.
I live fully time in NJ, where only the State Police have the right to grant you a permit to purchase a handgun (processing time is at least 3 months). The same police decide if you can carry a handgun - very few permits are issued. You must have a compelling reason to carry.
I hope that thing doesn't have a round in the chamber, even if the safety is on
How useful is it for defense if it doesn't have a round in the chamber? When in a defensive situation, milliseconds count.
And how many milliseconds does it take him to reach back & pull it over his shoulder?
A bullshit argument.
That's BS that they need a permit to carry an unconcealed weapon. Actually, it's BS that they need a permit at all. Like Everyman said, it sounds like they need some new Police Chiefs. I bet if they surveyed the police officers they would be all for it. If not, they may need some new cops as well.
You don't need a permit to open carry long guns. Only pistols.
Yeah, weird, but it is what it is.
Teraq.
its not open carry if you need a permit/license. yes i get the diff between constitutional and 'open' but still.
texas has a LONG way to go to be truly 'free'
You don't know SHIT. Have you read our Constitution? No!
What i have a problem with is private businesses banning guns but allowing government agents to be visibly armed inside. FVCK YOU SBUX
If you ban guns, ban guns for everyone. Don't promote a 2-class system of people.
Why can't we all just be given stinking badges?
Just like a Cowboy
https://youtu.be/Gn_m7uFL7xQ
I live in Kansas. First!
There's really not a lot of people, in my area, that openly carry. But then we have a largely white rural population. Some of the dipshits that move here aren't even aware of the law. One of them got mad when I was on my 4wheeler stopped on the side of his road an 1/8th mile from his house and comes roaring down the road. Then yells at me for having a gun. Then steps out of his truck holding a knife. I told him one step closer and the saying 'dont bring a knife to a gunfight' was gonna get proven right here and now. Although I doubt I would really shot him. That's too quick. I probably would just beat him over the head with the stock until his walnut sized brain fell out.
Now we get to see what Osama is going to try to get away with tomorrow. I thought it would be impossible to ever hate a president as bad as Bush but this motherfucker gets the golden fucking award.
After the years and years of media spew about gun loving Texas and Chuck Norris bravado bullshit, I am shocked that they haven't been an open carry state forever. What a joke. God bless my truly free state of Kentucky.
Unfortunately, this pretty girl didnt take advantage:
Subject: UNT sorority sister, 20, shot dead in road rage fight on New Year's Eve - yes, usual suspects | Daily Mail Online
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3382758/Sorority-sister-20-shot-dead-road-rage-fight-New-Year-s-Eve-drove-friends-home-party.html
Must not have given up the respect:
Witnesses told police there were 'five or six African American males' in the SUV, and that at least two had been at the same party as Mutschlechner.
You think the brothers doing the shooting will lose their CHL?
Stupid law. Im sure this will go well when Mexican gangs are openly displaying weapons. Texans seem to think this is 1850... morons. I do own fire arms, but i dont need to walk around showing them.
To get a permit, you must first be fingerprinted, have a criminal background check and demonstrate an understanding of the law and basic ability to shoot.
Not a lot of Mexican criminal gangs get CHLs for their members. That is why police breath a sigh of relief when a person shows their "I am not a felon" card.
https://photographyisnotacrime.com/2015/11/austin-police-beat-up-men-for...
That's the same Austin Police Chief who defends his deputies for not raping women when arresting them for jaywalking. Maybe he's concerned women in Austin will continue jaywalking WITH A GUN!!!! A Capitol offense in Austin, no doubt. On what's the equivalent of Bourbon Street.
The pic is something that could have been seen prior to the law change, it's a RIFLE, Tyler. I also found it amusing that you chose the only socialist bastion in Texas to quote a police chief. Pretty much the rest of them would have said, the more guns, the better.