Openly dumb? That’s dumb. But then it’s only a headline writer’s idea of pithy. The real stupidity here is the “argument” the San Antonio Express’ Editorial Board uses to condemn open carry – ahead of the Texas legislature’s determination to put a bill on Governor Abbott’s desk. “Say you’re at your local store or on a public street and a guy, obviously not a police officer, is walking toward you with a hoodie over on his head. Feel safe? We suspect not. Nor will the cop who encounters that guy in a traffic stop or tries to give him a ticket while he’s jaywalking.” I’m sorry. Did I say hoodie over his head? I mistyped. It’s “a gun on his hip.” But you see how that works. Here’s more . . .
At the moment, Texas allows open carry of most rifles, but not handguns. Permissive on guns generally, the state has long and wisely concluded that this really shouldn’t be the Wild Wild West when it comes to handguns.
mysa.com’s editorial board is seriously suggesting that the prohibition against open carry is all that stops Texas from slipping into some sort of retro-anarchy. Because it’s already happened in the 44 states that “allow” open carry. Said no fact checker ever.
The case for open carry is based on the premise that people have a right to defend themselves. To the extent folks are threatened by guns, it’s because there are already so many of them out there.
Handguns are for killing — people. Of the 8,896 firearm deaths nationally in 2012, 71.6 percent of them were by handguns. That equals 6,371 people, now dead. Handguns in particular have not made this state or this nation safer. Quite the opposite.
The only reason people need guns to defend themselves is because of other guns! Handguns that kill! Never mind the lives saved by handguns. Handguns kill I tell you KILL! So don’t let people open carry. Oooookay.
Bad enough that concealed weapons permits exist, but we have no confidence that the amount of training required for such permits makes holders able to use firearms in public with the kind of good judgment or accuracy necessary. This requires the kind of constant training given to sworn police officers. And if a bad guy intent on bad stuff sees this unconcealed weapon, maybe he starts shooting first.
Or maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t shoot at all! I don’t have any statistical evidence to back-up that position but it seems that facts have nothing to do with this “argument,” which concludes “these [open carry] laws make no sense on a more basic [i.e. non-factual] level. They may make us less safe. And this goes also for open carry’s first cousin: guns on college campuses.”
Is it me or are the anti-gunners just going through the motions these days? And that goes for anti-concealed carry in California, too.
Is it just me or do these types of comments from these people make your eyes bleed?
If we are right…and you know we are, we should embrace their argument with open arms…wait…that isn’t possible. Anyway, there argument is so weak that it is better than low hanging fruit. It is actually already made into a fruit salad and all that is left to do is grab a fork. Take this little morsel:
“Of the 8,896 firearm deaths nationally in 2012, 71.6 percent of them were by handguns.”
Easy to point out that the majority of those are suicide.
Actually no. That number is gun homicides. If we’re gonna debate the point with the antis, let’s make sure our facts are correct.
http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/united-states
Okay, then the writer of the blog should have said “firearm homocides” instead of “firearm deaths”.
Yeah, Michael, except the writers do not know the difference.
I think the no open carry law is the only thing keeping this writer from having heart palpitations every time he steps out of his apartment every day.
I think the writer (mysa Editorial Board) collectively must wear Depends because they seem prone to soiling themselves at the sight of pointy and/or heavy tools.
Nice Avatar!
“At the moment, Texas allows open carry of most rifles, but not handguns. Permissive on guns generally, the state has long and wisely concluded that this really shouldn’t be the Wild Wild West when it comes to handguns.”
You know, is might have some merit… I’m CCing right now, and I just lifted my shirt up and suddenly had the urge to challenge some cowpoke to a Shootout at high noon.
“Handguns are for killing — people.”
My handguns must be broken, because they haven’t killed anyone.
Hundreds of millions of lemons out there! It’s a travesty!
Handguns are pretty terrible at killing people. Buy a car, or even a swimming pool. They’re much more effective.
I wouldn’t worry too much about something that appears in the San Antonio Express News. Not many people read it much anymore. This is especially true of what appears on its editorial pages; those folks haven’t have had an original idea in years.
“Or maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t shoot at all! I don’t have any statistical evidence to back-up that position”
maybe because for some unfathomable reason, bad-guys don’t start shooting when they see an open-carrier around. If the opposite was true, wouldn’t we have had some examples to cite by now?
“Quite the opposite” ……..prove it.
Traditionally, it was concealed carry that was seen as nefarious. If you were hiding your gun, you had ill intent. If you had no ill intent, your gun was plainly visible on your hip.
Thugs and criminals don’t open carry. They rely on the element of surprise and having a gun on their hip visible makes them lose that edge.
It must be awful having to live life in a constant state of fear.
They feel self-righteous about it…
Like most Left, they feel good about feeling bad.
“… but we have no confidence that the amount of training required for such [concealed carry] permits makes holders able to use firearms in public with the kind of good judgment or accuracy necessary.”
So, a person can only do/be something if someone else has confidence in their abilities. Okay, I am an outstanding driver (with highly advanced training) and I don’t have any confidence in any other person’s training or ability to drive safely. Can I revoke everyone’s right to drive unless they have had as much training as me?
“This [being armed in public] requires the kind of constant training given to sworn police officers.”
When are the gun grabbers going to grasp the fact that many/most sworn police officers do not train, ever! Note: I do not count shooting a few rounds at a target once a year to “qualify” as training.
“This requires the kind of constant training given to sworn police officers.” – yes, bull**t.
I’ve seen the local PD guys recertifying – they go to one of the ranges I frequent. They aren’t bad – most of them are HORRIBLE.
And two of my shooting buddies are former police officers – and they’ve told me the same. “Anyone going to the range every other week and doing 100 rounds from 5, 7, 15 yards – and farther away – has 20x more experience and 50x better accuracy than any normal cop. Cops are HORRIBLE shooters”
But hey, I assume those writing these articles have absolutely zero idea of the kind of training and experience most cops have with their guns . . . Sh*t, I see a cop pulling a gun, I start digging a trench.
I was at the range one day and there was a deputy sheriff in practicing for her annual recertification, and was terrified that she would not qualify. I had the distinct impression that she had not fired her weapon since the last annual. This is actually kind of unusual around here–a lot of officers shoot frequently enough to manage a 50% hit ratio when they open fire for real. On the other hand, there have been a lot of complaints recently about .40 cal flyers from the city police range landing in an adjacent neighborhood, probably from officers trying to see how fast they can empty their Glocks.
On a local forum (floridaconcealedcarry.com) that I participate in, there’s a lot of LEO and trainers on there. They cringe at the lack of training in their departments. One instructor noted that a major municipal force in Florida hasn’t done nighttime training in over a decade.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry when I read garbage like that quote from the article. My department is pretty good about firearms training, or at least we were before Sandy Hook and our ammo supply disappeared.
I haven’t been issued practice ammo in about two years now. Used to be a staggering 100rds per month. I have an open offer to the men on my squad that any time I go to the range, they’re welcome to come and shoot my ammo. Why? Because if I need backup, I want them to not shoot me in the back by accident.
Shockingly, the guys who have taken me up on this end up shooting a lot better. Not so shockingly, not all of them bother to show up.
Back in the day, we trained and qualified twice a year with less than 200 rounds. Today, having a non-LEO job, I train once a week with a higher round count than before. When I think back to my younger years in LE, I cringe at how inadequate our training was.
“Bad enough that concealed weapons permits
exist, but we have no confidence that the amount of training required for such permits makes holders able to use firearms in public with the kind of good judgment or accuracy necessary. This requires the kind of constant training given to sworn police officers.”
Police officers…
Accuracy…
Wut?
It seems to be the mindset of every liberal dumbf#ck that when someone becomes a cop, they literally turn into Superman, morally just crusaders with skilled unmatched by any mere mortal.
If they really believed that, it would be easy enough to adopt the same qualification requirements for police or not. Not gonna happen, because police (union members) would be fired.
At least they get the number of annual firearms-related deaths right. They should probably get a medal for that.
Firearms related homicides, I hear, meaning they did NOT get it right.
Well, they pretty much let the cat out of the bag when they said “bad enough we have concealed handgun permits”. They just don’t like guns, period, certainly not in private hands. Even in Texas, the people that make up the editorial boards all went to “journalism school”, with all the attendant left-wing mush-mindedness that entails.
Cops end up shooting the wrong person 11% of the time: CC citizens about 2% of the time. So cops are over five times more likely to shoot the wrong person.
1.5% of cops are arrested for committing felonies. 0.5% of people with CCL’s are arrested for felonies. So cops are three times more likely to commit a serious crime than legally armed citizens.
Yep. Only the cops can be trusted to carry guns and use them to protect themselves and sometimes the rest of the population.
A good example of “left- wing mush-mindedness”.
Yep, pretty much. San Antonio in some parts like a little Mexico. Golden Retriever Rescue non profit org, has to get a police escort in & out so we don’t have grab a stray dog and deal with gang bangers. Once patrol cars are in place blocking off the block, we’re able to offer the dog yummies, put a slip lead on it, load it up in volunteer’s car and get it into care. Might want to make note that not all cops shoot dogs, some help save dogs. Anytime I’ve been pulled over with a Golden Retriever in my back seat, got a warning to slow down, instead of spreeding tickets. Some LEOs actually like dogs
The gun on his hip was so unobtrusive that my first reaction was “you can’t read and drink coffee at the same time? Daaaaang…”
LOL that was my first reaction too!…. i’m like hmmmm, ok guess you can’t loiter and read newspapers, you gotta buy them.
& He’s a LEFTY!
p.s. – don’t hurt me, I shoot left too.
Actually, he’s not a Lefty, the picture on the right was reversed to fit the frame better. (I shoot left-handed, also)
I fully support the Texas decision to outlaw left-handedness. That’s what we are talking about, right?
Now they want us to conceal Starbucks? Won’t that hurt?
The SA Express is the paper the police here own. Many instances of corruption being covered up. Wouldn’t doubt they are directing this editorial.
https://m.facebook.com/texasweek/posts/516994455014545
Quick scan of the San Antonio Express reveals the cognitive dissonance that is at heart of lefty panic on guns:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/crime/article/Sources-Mexican-Mafia-lieutenant-of-5919223.php
IOW- the local Eme is green-lighting cops, so because more guns = more bad, law abiding citizens carrying= bad.
I’m guessing the guy with the Sig 550 in the photo on the left was taken in Switzerland, and that is totally normal there and I believe Switzerland is located in the very progressive forward thinking area known as Europe.
Correct. That photo has been circulated for a few years, and was in fact taken in Switzerland.
This requires the kind of constant training given to sworn police officers.
One hour of qualification slow fire, shooting at a single target, from a static position per year?
The photo on the left is of a gentleman in Europe.
how are states allowed to ban open carrying of pistols?? if true that is.
isnt that a willful violation of federal law?? like the south secceding sort of.
They can. IF they provide for lawful concealed carry. Cant ditch both. THAT would be illegal to them. So one or the other in some of these states.
Currently. Although the constitution has not been amended to my knowledge, both concealed and open carry were illegal in Texas as recently as 1993. When you were born in 1946, that is recently.
“based on the premise that people have a right to defend themselves”
Wow, just wow.
Of course hand guns are for killing people. That’s why you have it. As a tool that enables you to kill someone if necessary, or to hopefully scare away a criminal so that neither one of you gets hurt.
I live in PA where no permit is required to open carry and obtaining a CCW requires no training at all. That being said I understand the responsibilities of gun ownership and gun carrying. I’m sure most of us do. I take it very seriously and I train constantly or as much as my budget allows to the tune of probably 800+ rounds a month. I am becoming more confident in my ability to use my firearm safely and effectively should god forbid the need arise. To say that it would only be reserved to the police or whatever stupid quote they made is ridiculous. I was at my local range with an officer and he was shooting a glock. I was really surprised at how badly he was doing. Granted he switched from a Sig to a glock so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt but I was not impressed by his display of skill.
Has this author been living under a rock the past 6 months? California is now pro concealed carry. Look up Peruta v. San Diego. That changed the states policy from leaving county sheriff’s in a “may issue” policy, to a “shall issue” policy. Meaning that now, anyone in any CA county who qualifies for ccw permit can get one.
Also, open carry IS stupid. It only works in places where everyone is doing it. If not, youre just a walking target. If I’m a psycho mass shooter and I see an open carrier at my destination to shoot up, I’m shooting them first. Point-blank in the back of the dome. With concealed carry, they have no way of knowing who’s armed and who’s isn’t, and as soon as they present a weapon to shoot they are prone to being ambushed by the concealed carriers. Just my $.02
“Also, open carry IS stupid.”
Ah, the old “State my ignorant opinion as fact” ploy. Gotta love what passes for logical thinking in the modern age. Aristotle would be so proud.
“If I’m a psycho mass shooter and I see an open carrier at my destination to shoot up, I’m shooting them first. Point-blank in the back of the dome. “
Got a citation of something like that actually happening, or is this just some late night masturbatory fantasy you decided to post on the Internet?
You assume OC-ers have ZERO Situational Awareness. Good luck trying that trick with some of the OC-ers I know. Hope your life insurance is paid up so your final costs are not a burden to your family.
“Also, open carry IS stupid.
Ah, the old “State my ignorant emotional opinion as fact” ploy. It is entertaining what passes for logic on the modern era. Aristotle would be so proud.
“If I’m a psycho mass shooter and I see an open carrier at my destination to shoot up, I’m shooting them first. Point-blank in the back of the dome. “
Do you have a citation of something like that actually happening, or did you just decide to post a late-night masturbatory fantasy on the Internet?
You assume OC-ers have zero situational awareness. This can be dangerous. Try that with some of the OC-ers I know, and you better have your life insurance paid up so your final expenses are not a burden to your family.
Not worth $0.02. If such a freak sees open carriers, he will take his business elsewhere. I have just as much evidence of that as you provided.
And I would hope that you are not serious about CA, since they were told you can’t do that, they have just invented 100 new ways to defy the constitution by twisting words and denying any understanding of the law. It will be years before an average citizen can obtain the permit that Feinstein had 15+ years ago. And she will fight it all the way, “fine for me, not for thee!”
Haters gonna hate. Lefties gonna bitch ‘n moan about anything and everything they don’t like.
The ENTIRE argument of anti gun hysteria is based on LIES. In EVERY state allowing second amendment rights violent crime is DROPPING daily. Every hysterical squeal of the wild wild west bloodbaths have been PROVEN outright lies. You can keep your “civilised” blood bathed city streets as they are SOOOO safe, see Ferguson, Detroit, Chicago, LA, New York etc. Common sense gun control is ANY American citizen choosing to be armed IS armed as they so choose (concealed, open long gun or pistol as per the constitution. If the mere sight of a gun frightens you get some psychiatric help.
“Bad enough that concealed weapons permits exist[.]”
So, the jerkwad tips his hand. NO GUNS AT ALL!
And, people are supposed to take his drivel seriously…..?
clint eastwood and cowboys dumb? no, just a sign of the times…dumb is the corrupted popular culture, the methods and desires for freedom and safety haven’t changed at all. It’s not dumb if badge and uniform attached? What if fake badge/uniform ? Felons are freq. caught w/ guns, would rather risk prison than death.