Dallas had a significant open carry event on Sunday with dozens of gun owners participating. myfoxdfw.com estimated the total at 60. “The demonstration by about 60 members of Open Carry Texas was meant to bring awareness to their cause, which is for the Texas Legislature to allow any citizen to carry a pistol in the open just as the law allows carrying of long guns.” Weird that the reporter didn’t mention that both likely candidates for governor, Greg Abbot (R) and Wendy Davis (D), have come out in support of open carry . . .

But dfw.cbslocal.com did a better job:

More than 70 people with the group Open Carry Texas participated in an open carry walk Sunday afternoon in the Uptown neighborhood in Dallas.

…

Sunday’s demonstration comes just days after Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis told the Associated Press she supports open carry.

Her position aligns her with Republican gubernatorial candidate Gregg Abbott but puts her at odds with many in the Democratic Party.

While most people may see though Davis’s political pandering, it appears that the tactics of the open carry groups are working. The candidate challenging Davis for her Texas State Senate seat, Konni Burton, is reportedly a strong open carry supporter. From opencarry.org:

The primary reason Wendy Davis suddenly discovered she ” supports ” open carry is that she is worried about losing her Texas State Senate seat to her challenger KONNI BURTON who has been on board for OC all along. Davis knows she has no chance of beating Gregg Abbott.

It’s clear that Wendy Davis’ gubernatorial campaign is in serious trouble. Is it possible that a Second Amendment supporter could win her Senate seat, SD-10, as well? Texas is one of only five states that bans the open carry handguns.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Gun Watch

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62 COMMENTS

  1. Good for them. I’m glad they’re doing this in force.

    Those uniformed Texas jack wagons who think they can flout existing law and bust everyone for disorderly conduct need to get bent.

  3. They can get the rifle carriers “off the streets” in one of two ways.

    The California route, ban it.
    The Wisconsin way, allow open carry of hand guns without permit.

    This is a case where open carry of rifles just may push legislators to allow a more discrete method of carry. Doing it enmass allows observers to know it is a protest and educate them that a hand gun carry is not allowed.
    When only one protester does it, they do not know his intentions and freak out.
    Once you can carry handguns though, put away the rifles except for battle.
    Hand guns=personal defense against criminals
    Rifles = national defense against tyranny.
    Gotta have both.

    • Open carrying en masse makes the assembly fall clearly under the category of protected speech. The First Amendment get a lot more respect from the courts than does the Second.

      • So when are we arranging a massive open carry demonstration into Washington D.C.? It should be safe to do since it would be a giant application of our First Amendment right to freedom of expression, right?

        • No, not at all. Open carry is legal in Texas. Not in DC. So don’t try to be a smartasss, since you come across as none of the former and all of the latter.

        • Thus both the First and Second Amendments are irrelevant in our nation since politicians, police, and attorneys will say or do whatever suits them … even if it royally screws/kills citizens who have harmed no one.

          It’s a damn good thing most of us are good, decent people who don’t think or operate like politicians, police, and attorneys. Our nation would be an utter and complete hell hole if we did.

          I won’t return your insult Ralph because I have more class.

    • I still like to see rifles open carried & I’m from Wi(Mil). Nothing says don’t F with me or my rights like an AR with a 60 round Surefire hanging off it.

    • The right to keep and bear arms furthers the cause of security of a free state. I’m sure I read that somewhere once. I don’t recall, however, any scenario-specific formulae matching firearm with circumstance. Sometimes, public defense from criminals rises to the rifle level.

      In Texas, I may need to open carry my AR-15 as I travel around in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane to survey the status and apply stop gap repairs to my properties and those of evacuated relatives. I’ve done it before and I’d do it again. It can get a little dicey out there with looters abundant and officers scant.

    • “At least 50 more than an average Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (a wholly owned subsidiary of Mayors Against Illegal Guns) rally.”

      • Fixed it for ya – “At least 57 more than an average Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (a wholly owned subsidiary of Mayors Against Illegal Guns) rally.”

  6. From CJ Grisham –
    “Greg Abbott does NOT support open carry. He SAYS he does and even has a nifty looking campaign sticker showing the Gadsden flag, but it’s all image.

    I am the President of Open Carry Texas and we have had nearly two dozen Texans arrested for the lawful open carry of rifles (which is legal in Texas) and black powder revolvers (not considered firearms). We have had three separate government entities (committee chairs, department heads, etc) request an AG opinion on the Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Trespass statutes that cops keep using to prevent us from exercising our rights.

    The ONLY person that can issue that opinion is Greg Abbott and he has refused THREE TIMES! Meanwhile, Texans are being arrested by bully cops, thrown in jail, forced to post bail, and enduring the degredation of having to call in to their master bail bondsman each week while awaiting trial for a bogus charge.

    Greg Abbott is a politician and a liar”

    …and we know Wendy is too. This is why I am only supporting Kathie Glass for Governor.

    • This is why I am only supporting Kathie Glass for Governor.

      And that is why you’ll end up with Abortion Barbie as your governor.

      • and you said you weren’t a people person Ralph! 🙂 Bingo!

        The devil you know vs. the devil wearing Prada and claiming a bogus life story (sorta like the current (illegal) occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave in DC, eh?).

        • No, Totenglock. Abortion Barbie is her nickname, so I used it. The fact is that I’m totally in favor of abortion. Hell, in some cases, it should be mandatory.

          Just don’t give me that “right to choose” babble. Unless she was raped or her birth control failed, the woman exercised her right to choose when she chose to let the guy ride bareback.

        • You gave them the “out,” though…birth control failed. Since it cannot be proved either way…that claim can always be made.

        • @JR, I’m not giving anybody an “out” since I favor abortion, no questions asked, within time limits. Don’t ask me what time limits. I don’t know because I was out of law school on the day they taught medicine.

          I’m just saying that it shouldn’t be called “choice” since, in most cases, the choice was already made.

        • Sure Ralph, the only way a girl can get pregnant is because she chose too. Not because, she had no access to quality sex education, or she was raped, or her birth control method failed, or the guy lied and said he had a vasectomy, or she forgot to take her pill, etc, etc

          Come on now, you’re smarter than that.

        • Ralph covered rape.

          As far as quality sex education, I’m sure she has parents. Most people do. That’s their problem.

          The other cases you mentioned: I’m pretty sure “I would like to have sex” is a choice.

        • Yes but *getting pregnant* isn’t a “choice” now is it?

          Because if it were, there would be no need for abortion, would there?

        • Maybe your conscience should’t be so clear. If you stick your state with a snake like Wendy Davis, the only emotion you should feel is shame.

  7. Have you ever noticed that open carry demonstrators behave far better than the mindless mobs who invade shoe stores on the day a new Michael Jordan model is released? or the Occupy Wall Street jolterheads? or the sodomites who weep & wail because a Christian baker won’t make them a “wedding” cake? or the pail-beating poltroons who tried to get Governor Scott Walker recalled in Wisconsin? etc.

    • You mean responsible people behaving responsibly? This kind of behavior has no place in a civilized society. What on earth could they be thinking?

  9. I’ll be happy when the day comes that Texans can carry a hog leg(open) down the sidewalk. Giving the mothers with nothing better to do & the mayors for kissing bloombergs a$$ a thumb in the eye is something they sure have been asking for.

  10. Where are all the people who decry open carry as evil incarnate?

    It sounds to me like open carriers are gaining traction in Texas. Good for them.

    • I look forward to the day when all the people who claimed open carry of rifles was a disaster in waiting, a sure way to set us back from our goal of restoring the second amendment, proudly proclaim to all that they supported the open carry of rifles all along.

    • They’ll show. But I see this as a free, natural and healthy thing. We will NOT leave our modern muskets at home. There is danger, and the bad guys and shrinking violets both had better get the message through their heads:

      THIS IS LIBERTY. DEAL WITH IT.

  11. A technical point here…….

    Texas DOES NOT BAN open carry of handguns. That is a “blanket statement” which demonstrates a lack of familiarity with the state constitution and the legal codes of Texas.

    ON YOUR OWN PROPERTY (including leased or rented property) you may carry any firearm not otherwise banned or restricted in any fashion you prefer.

    A small distinction, in truth, it still needs to be understood by all involved in this arguement – who want to openly carry ALL firearms in MOST public places.

    • You can also carry while hunting, I believe. Perhaps I should have said “in public places”. But, then maybe I would have had to explain that black powder pistols are not considered “firearms” under the law…

      But then I would have to explain what the legal definition of a black powder pistol is.

      Still, you are correct, and I shall endeavour to do better in the future.

    • “ON YOUR OWN PROPERTY (including leased or rented property) you may carry any firearm not otherwise banned or restricted in any fashion you prefer.”

      Bwahahahahaha! Keep telling yourself that Texas is gun-friendly and full of freedom.

      None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.

      Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  12. Maybe when I return to Texas in the future I can legally wear a nice big bore revolver to just make a point. What point? That I have a nice big bore revolver.

  13. Bet there were dozens of cops, with MRAPs and plainclothes SWAT teams watching their every move. Unlike the Oakland gangbangers doing burnouts and shooting wildly.

  15. I like how the TV report is showing a rifle open-carry march and labelling it with a photo of a handgun. /sarcasm

  16. I wish the opencarry.org site would get their sh*t straight. In MS, we have had constitutional open carry for well over a hundred years. One would think that they would at least want accurate information on their site, especially since that is what the site is about. The Supreme Court decision in August was to clarify that a CCW holder wouldn’t be arrested for menacing if a soccer mom happened to get a glimpse of the carry piece.
    /rant off

    • “In MS, we have had constitutional open carry for well over a hundred years.”

      OMG! RIVERS OF BLOOD!! Mommy!!!

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