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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I'll probably get in trouble for stating this, but I've "unlawfully" carried for years. Concealed on person as well as loaded in vehicles. I really believe that (an otherwise) law abiding citizen should be able to lawfully carry his possessions about. So I guess I don't have any grounds to criticize open carry advocates. That said, the only places I openly carry are outdoors, on my own private property, and or gun ranges. Open carry in an urban environment, to me anyway, is not only odd, it is a thin dime short of menacing~ if I ran a business dealing with the public I wouldn't allow open carry on my premises.
"I wouldn't allow open carry."
So, what other Right will you tell your customers they cannot use or display in your store, hmmm? Perhaps you'll limit their free speech, or ask to see their documents?
The owner doesn't have the right to his private property?
Thin line between private property and open to the public.
in Texas. that line you describe is pretty bold.
Absolute BS and private property rights should triumph individual gun rights every time within reason. Only the 2nd right nutjobs somehow think that it is the most importnat amendment or should triumph private property rights which are a bedrock of the American-style of gov't.
He's a bad man. Perhaps he'll even tell them to get their fuckin' redneck asses outta his store and to never come back.
Its his premises and I respect his right to govern it as he chooses.
But you would have to admit, open carry in places of business would likely be a great stimulus to a high customer satisfaction rating. The customer is always right...and packing!
Free speech can't kill you.
Well, first off, it's every Citizen's RIGHT to carry arms. Secondly, the day I stop seeing cops carrying fully automatic weapons in airports and stadiums...well, get back to me then.
And next, so what. I've been open carrying my .45's into every store in town for years, including Walmart and Starbucks. So get it over it, Obozo.
First responders aren't cops, they're US Citizens, with open and conceal carry (no permits, please).
Open carry = deterrence.
Conceal carry = backup.
Heck, open-carry of long guns is legal in Canada. Handguns are a different story.
Open carry is fine but I would rather conceal carry... surprise!
Big wow......lived in Arizona years ago, and they had open carry.....Strange sight to see people walking around the grocery store packing heat.....
You get used to it after a while, and its no biggy......Just like motorcycles driving between cars in California......Once you realize that you are no more threatened by it than anything else, you don`t pay it much attention......
Except it makes you acutely aware of the motorcycles, and you watch out for them more than usual....and with the open carry, you tend to not cause trouble in public, for obvious reasons......
Open carry has long been the law here in AZ... it is very rare that you see someone walking around with a firearm in view, and if it is a long gun, let alone a AR/AK type, they will be approched by Cops quickly. This is NOT a BFD. I will say that TX and AZ are far more down to earth than some other places, shitholes like all of CA, Chicago, DC, Baltimore, Detroit, etc...
I was in Bakersfield, CA at a 7/11 convenience store with a gentleman wearing a shotgun strapped across his back. No big deal.
California had open carry until the Black Panthers open carried at the state house.
A friend of mine would fly commercially to go hunting in Montana and he simply sat in the airplane seat with his rifle.
Good to see!
If you can't go to the local deli without carrying a machine gun then you are a total pussy.
And Texas is supposed to be a consevative state. This never should have been illegal.
Im only going to wear a sidearm when riding my motorcycle or when in the wilderness in case I stumble across a wild hog.
For now....
I wish people would realize that ONCE YOU OWN THE GUN IT IS A PROPERTY RIGHT NOT A GUN RIGHT!
1-Adam-12
Be On The Lookout For A White
Coward With A Gun.
Given the propensity nowadays for police to shoot unarmed persons, their family members and even pets, that's a lot of suspects to "Be On the Lookout For", wouldn't you agree?
Drug War Victims
Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America's Police Forces
Drug Warriors and Their Prey: From Police Power to Police State
Ok...enough fuss for now...let's go a year and see how the statistics play out...looks like a good testing ground...
Fucking awesome! Thank you Texas for having INTEGRITY and BALLS. The 2nd Amendment is our right that no government may infringe upon! To Craft Intl and all the black ops scum, we are readying ouselves. You might want to limit your false flags to soft target rich environments outside of Texas if you care about longevity in your "career".
Real power comes from the barrel of a gun. If you cat't carry said gun you have zero power against the feds with guns. Public protests become a much more powerful tool when the authorities are faced by legally carried weapons. Unlikely the cops are gonna start popping tear gas or water cannons against a bunch of guys with AR and AK rifles.
I live in East TX, open carry is no big deal. I do see the sense in carrying concealed. Bad guys can take your gun easily if they know you have it.
My general experience is that two types are very rabid about open carry handguns - people who don't understand the value of a concealed weapon and the 'look at me' dipshits who want to project some kind of power.
As for the guy in the picture, guys like him are just assholes. No reason to do that even if you have the legal right.
How much of this website has become just wholesale paraphrasing of articles from other new sites with no credit given?
(didn't i just read that comment on huffpo?)
Um, would that gentleman please re-sling his rifle so it's not pointing at the heart of his little boy?!
Also, the new law is about handguns. Picture of rifle (already open carry) makes no sense.
Can't do it, the kid is packing too, gotta keep him covered, he's eyeing that donut.
a fast thin bullet will take a lot of the energy thru a body, and out the back, a fat slowwer bullet may stop inside the body, delivering all its energy into the target! jst sayin
But I don't wanna get shot!
It could be apartheid occupied Palestine OR these folks might be on to something as Barry Obomber does his damndest to emasculate the rest of USSA.
An armed society is a polite society.
Squid
It's the world's most polite deli, that's fer shittin' sure.