As has been widely reported, Texas governor-elect Greg Abbott wasted no time in letting it be known that he’ll be only too happy to sign an open carry bill that makes it to his desk. As I was making my way from the Austin airport to RF’s heavily fortified, secluded compound yesterday, I heard the local NPR station’s report on the soon-to-be Gov’s proclamation. Naturally, they counterbalanced that with a statement from a local Moms Demand Action harpy who intoned that open carry shouldn’t be considered in the Lone Star State unless and until a system of universal background checks is in place. But as a practical matter . . .
the Texas legislature enacting full-on Constitutional carry — in which anyone with a gat can gallivant around with it for all to see — is about as likely as Jessica Chastain bleaching her hair blonde. In fact, if and when an open carry bill does make it to Governor Abbott’s desk, it will almost surely allow only those who have a Texas CHL to carry conspicuously. License holders who, by definition, have already undergone a background check.
If that’s the case then, we guess the we’re-not-anti-gun types at MDA will be just fine with the new law, right?
Once Texas joins most of the rest of the country in providing for at least some kind of open carry opportunities and hipsters with hoglegs are seen strolling down 6th Street in Austin, will open carry beget more open carry? Will the sight of pistols on hips encourage more people to do the same?