Dear Representative:

On Saturday March 19th the Officers and Board Members of the Oklahoma Rifle Association held our Board Meeting in Shawnee OK. At this meeting pending firearms legislation at the Oklahoma Legislature was discussed.

It was the intent of the Oklahoma Rifle Association to remain in a position of neutrality on the “Open Carry” legislation as many of our members support some form of open carry. The Officers and Board Members of the ORA are in agreement with the “Open Carry” concept but, after much discussion, the majority of the Board Members and Officers, voted to oppose Senate Bill 129 by Senator Russell and Representative Osborne.

This bill, in it’s present form, would allow those 18 years of age and older, to purchase and carry loaded Rifles, Shotguns and Handguns openly in a scabbard, with a sling, or a handgun in a holster, anywhere not in violation of Title 21, subsection A of Section 1277, without a back ground check and without training.

The Officers and Board Members are in opposition to SB 129 for these reasons:

First, The purchase of handguns by persons under the age of 21 is in violation of existing Federal Law.

Second, Allowing citizens, trained or untrained, to carry Rifles and Shotguns either in a scabbard or with a sling on city streets and into business establishments will create an atmosphere of hostility and distrust, not to mention create fear in those in our society who have an aversion to any type of firearm.

Third, The apprehension, created for the Law Enforcement Officers by the open carrying of long guns could create situations resulting in unnecessary use of deadly force.

For these reasons we ask you to vote against SB 129 when it comes to the floor of the House of Representatives. Sincerely,

Don Scott
President, Oklahoma Rifle Association

Paul W. Abel
Legislative Director, Oklahoma Rifle Association

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45 COMMENTS

  1. Finally, a gun enthusiast organization that shows some common sense and social awareness. I’m sure it will be punished severely by the gun loons as a result.

  2. Why is it that at 18 years of age, a person can operate a motor vehicle legally, buy a shotgun, chew or smoke tobacco, and vote for their local, state, and national leaders?

    We trust them with shotguns and SUVs, but not handguns?

    We’ll put a rifle in their hands on foreign soil to defend and represent our country, but no with a handgun here at home?

    Self defense is a right enumerated in the 2nd Amendment. That some people would feel fear and distrust and hostile because of a firearm in the vicinity does not mean that another person’s right to bear arms should be infringed.

    If you don’t like the way somebody is dressed, carrying, or smells, move away from them. But you do not have a right to tell them they can’t do it.

    • We trust them with shotguns and SUVs, but not handguns?

      It’s a federal statute, and an illegal one. It is a violation of ones rights to use the legislative process to deny rights to those who have reached the age of majorityhood. I can’t find any legal basis for saying “No rights for you” for adults.

      It’s also quite absurd…an 18 year old will go to prison for a 9mm self defense carry piece…but they are free to get a .50 BMG sniper rifle…and so far as I can tell, they can also buy fully automatic .50 BMG M2 machineguns.

      • It’s also quite absurd…an 18 year old will go to prison for a 9mm self defense carry piece…

        Clarification-they will go to adult prison for something that would not be a crime if they were 3 years to 1 day older.

      • I believe it’s 21 for NFA items such as a full auto M2. At 18 you can get payed to operate one in a foreign country though. Heck, if you end up in the right job in the military, they’ll pay you to carry a handgun. I can sign contracts, die for my country, elect its leaders, and more, but I still have to ask my parents to buy me handgun ammo to shoot at the range. And the local walmart considers .22LR to be handgun ammo. What am I supposed to do when I move out? My ability to exercise my rights will actually go down.

        • I believe it’s 21 for NFA items such as a full auto M2.

          I’m not sure but that appears to be correct. Aren’t there semi-auto M2s out there that aren’t NFA items though?

          • It wouldn’t surprise me. Though a semi auto M2 would just be too much teasing for me to handle.

  3. What? Those are the lamest reasons I’ve ever come across.

    1. 18 years olds can drive, vote and fight America’s wars but not but and carry a firearm or buy a drink. This country is in serious need of a logic check.

    2. Many people have aversions to many things, including Senator Lautenberg’s aversion to Constitutional rights for Republicans. Many people are opposed to free speech for those that disagree with them but that doesn’t mean we force people to shut up.

    3. “Law enforcement” needs to be made aware that the Second Amendment exists and that because they are “uncomfortable” does not mean they can go around shooting people. Train the cops on the law.

    The Oklahoma Rifle Associations need a logic check.

    • I totally agree. Their reasoning is stupid.

      Let’s hope their membership votes out the board in favor of people who understand that rights are not about feelings.

      My preferred method of carry is concealed. I open carry rarely. But I recognize that my preference should not define the rights of others.

  4. Why is the OKRA making Michael Bloomberg’s arguments for him? I doubt he or his minions would return the favor.

  5. The ORA is on crack! The bill does not give 18 year olds the right to purchase a handgun.
    I told the ORA V.P. this and he refused to change their letter.
    The ORA board is full old men that are to old to be around firearms.
    People read SB129 then read the letter from ORA.
    ORA has driven off just about their members. Their letter is their death yell. Read the bill!

  6. John says: “18 years olds can drive, vote and fight America’s wars but not but and carry a firearm or buy a drink. This country is in serious need of a logic check.”

    Makes perfect sense to me. That’s what 18 year-old males are good for. Good soldiers, laughably poor drinkers. I was an 18 year-old male myself once, I know. If I were king of the world, males between the ages of 14 and 24 would be kept in 55-gal. drums and fed through the bung holes until the age of graduation. Consider how many social problems would essentially cease to exist with this one simple albeit draconian measure.

    • If I were king of the world, males between the ages of 14 and 24 would be kept in 55-gal. drums and fed through the bung holes until the age of graduation.

      Thank you for the fascinating glimpse into your sick mind.

    • Do you see why we want guns to defend ourselves against freaks like you who want to sodomize us “for the greater good?”

      Why are anti’s so violent anyways?

      Incendiary quote of the day material right here.

      You call us freaks for being “paranoid and afraid” and now here you are advocating violence and deprivation of liberty on a large swath of people.

      Pot. Kettle. Black.

    • As a 23 year-old engineer who works for a Fortune 100 company, is happily married, has never been in trouble with the law, has never gotten anyone knocked up, doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t take drugs, drives responsibly, holds a college degree, owns firearms but has never misused any of them, donates to charity, and volunteers for Habitat For Humanity, I for one am glad you are not the king of the world. I am, however, glad you’ve revealed this delightful piece of information about yourself though, as it provides an excellent illustration of your thought process! Now I’m curious to know what your young adulthood was like to have left you with such a profoundly negative impression.

    • Is this a case of intentional plagiarism, or have you simply forgotten that you didn’t invent the ‘Bunghole Method of Parenting’ yourself? R.A. Heinlein took the words out of your mouth (or your keyboard) nearly fifty years ago.

      • Heinlein borrowed it from Bierce and I call it homage. But as you can see from the collected reactions, it’s probably best to eschew the literary for the literal here. It’s not the quickest crowd around.

        • The only reason you’d quote someone is if you support them and believe in their ideas, or you want to indicate it’s something you don’t like.

          In this case, you clearly haven’t done the latter. Game over for you, pal.

    • If you say so, but personally, I’ve never confused firearms for masculinity (or femininity for that matter). The only compensation I require is the green, folding kind. Come to think of it, I should be charging you for these little talks.

  7. I bailed on the ORA last year when they came out against open carry……they should re-name their org something like”Old Okies that like to hunt-n-shoot” or “Have yooouu seen maaaaa’ oxygen tank? I wanna go to the porch and have a smoke but need maaa’ oxy tank”.

    • Why? Can you demonstrate conclusively and statistically that allowing people to do so raises the level of danger to themselves and/or other innocents to higher than it otherwise would be?

    • the issue is more like, how strenuous should the training be?

      which is what everyone is worried about.

    • “It’s ridiculous to allow people to carry a firearm without proper qualification and training”

      Are you talking about the cops?

  10. You’d think that there was a whole line of people waiting to throw thier Barrett .50s over their shoulder and stroll around Wal Mart. We have open carry in my state, we always have. We have CCW and we have permit-less concealed carry. Any law abiding citizen can carry any legal gun they want, any way they want. Most people that do carry choose to carry concealed.

    Open Carry laws are primarily designed to provide umbrella protections to all of us in case our carry piece becomes visible, or we are hunting and need to cross a public domain, and things of that nature. These “Blood in the Streets” claims are never realized en masse. Most people are too lazy to even carry a gun in the first place, much less a rifle or shotgun…
    It’s a non issue….
    snoooooze

    • One quibble: open carry is not primarily designed to protect against accidental exposure. The first gun laws were against blacks then against carrying concealed. It was considered sinister (unfairly) by some states, to the point of being a breach of the peace. Open carry was seen as one of the highest expressions of freedom, and a strong deterrent of criminal behavior. Read state supreme court decisions outlawing concealed carry. Their attacking concealed carry is foolish but the defense of unlicensed OC is eloquent and convincing.

      • “open carry is not primarily designed to protect against accidental exposure.”

        Right. We have zippers for that.

    • Well said Travis.

      Hard to believe the folks in Oklahoma have lost their wits. I think I know where all the Katrina evacuees ended up. Strike that. Given the age of the ORA board it was probably hurricane Carla back in ’61.

    • The other important part of freedom to carry in a variety of methods is that often it is very difficult to draw the line on what is carrying and what isn’t. Transporting guns in your car is one of the major examples that comes to mind. Is in the seat next to me open, concealed, or not carrying at all. What about the back seat? On the floor? In the glove box? You should be able to transport and carry your firearms in whatever manner is most convenient and tactically beneficial to you and your situation.

  11. The ORA is incorrect in their claim that “The purchase of handguns by persons under the age of 21 is in violation of existing Federal Law.” Federal Law only disallows the purchase of a handgun from an FFL by those under 21. Any Oklahoma citizen of at least 18 years of age may legally purchase a handgun from a private party, provided the purchaser is not a prohibited person.

    Between their lying and their overt disrespect for the plain language of the Second Amendment, I can’t see why anyone would support the ORA. You may as well give your money to the Brady Bunch, since you’ll wind up with the same results.

  12. Question for hardcore 2A’ers: is there any place for a “tactical withdrawal” on open carry? I can imagine scenarios where open carry backfires with the broader public and leads to increased attacks on concealed carry and every other sort of gun right.

    • BC; MT, the wingnuts don’t need a reason to try to crush our rights, and the fence-sitters care more about the price of Happy Meals.

      • Ben Franklin had it right ‘Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety,
        deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” I hope magoo and mikey are paying attention.

        • I don’t consider you junior G-men an essential liberty. When my freedoms are truly threatened, there’s a good chance that you guys will be leading the parade. Gun loons will elect a fire hydrant if it’s endorsed by the NRA.

          • As opposed to wingnuts, who would elect Ted “Swim Coach” Kennedy, Michael “Let Me Tickle Your Prostate” Bloomberg and the O-dog?

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