Gov. Greg Abbott: ‘I will make Texas the 45th State to Allow Open Carry’

I agree with the CCW that is honored nationwide.
As to the comment on open carry, we differ. I believe that “an armed society is a polite one” and with your stated experience in law enforcement there is little doubt in your mind that the police are score keepers, namely who won and who lost. Sadly, how rare we hear of an officer present during the commission of a violent criminal act to intervene . Fact is, and always will be… There isn’t enough. You need an example ?? How many patients did you transport for a rape kit to be submitted?? Very little compared to the ER staffs at your local hospitals ! Extreme?? Look at the national numbers just for this type of violent criminal behaviors that far outlast the anguish of being mugged on the street.
Here is my point: open carry can and does influence criminal behavior not just for “petty crimes” as you would classify mugging, purse snatching, assault… It sure ain’t petty when your the “loser” in that scenario …. Agree ? Now factor in more violent crimes… Take that rape statistic for example… If she or someone in the vicinity has a firearm in open carry, wouldn’t you reason the prospective rapist would choose NOT to attack ? Either blind, unaware of the surroundings or with a death wish. Easy choice for me, a chl holder since Texas first started issuing them… Open carry increases the pressure for violent (and even the not so “petty” ones) to re-examine their choices on who and when they decide to violate. Yes. I’m fully aware that even justified use of deadly force will financially ruin me. Wouldn’t be any different for someone that has open carry. Hell, even police officers are not exempt: just look at Darren Wilson !
Unlike many readers and armchair lawyers, I KNOW the pain of a bullet in your body… Which is nothing compared to the anguish one goes thru when you made the decision to end another human beings’ life. For God and Country doesn’t excuse, recuse, or change it. I truly wish no one ever faces that decision, and even more so that no one causes that decision to be made towards them. It is MY opinion that open carry reduces that possibility. Dispute that with statistics. Not the cooked up stats, not a speculation…. Real stats. Here is a starting point: when was the last time you had a weapon displayed in your holster….. And a perp attempted a violent act after seeing you had a weapon ? That’s the point: they are very unlikely to. Think it’s your police hat that deters them? Really ??

And just how long were you in Law Enforcement, are one of these new types that believe there is only black and white ,or do you believe in the GRAY area. I have been retired for almost 20.I believe Americans should have the Right to chose In or Out carry. And why do you find it humorus about taking our county back, Presonally I think this county is in a world of SH&T. And if you think its just gun owners then I for one am GLAD you retired. You mean to tell me that you really can’t see all the stuff thats has happened since 2009? If we get out of this mess without having to fight our own gov it will be a miracle. I for one will STAND MY GROUND, Been doing it all my life. Also did you ever have to take you weapon out of its holster other thatn to Qualify? And I agree with Stiffer penalties for weapons violators,but not doctors giving info unless they send you for mental help that they can’t give. Give the politicians who think the good gun owners are the problem hell, because they are the wrong ones, like one commentator stated an armed society is a polite sociity, A person who intends to do harm to others, will think twice about dying at the hand of a regular JOE who is a responsible CCW, Just my 2 cents from an old time retiree!

Stiffer penalties for weapons violators seems like a good idea to me, provided we are talking about people who engage in a criminal act such as robbery or rape using a weapon, and not simply technical or clerical “violations” of regulatory law without intent to do harm to another party. There are so many convoluted and contradictory laws and executive “rulings” which vary from city to city and state to state, as well as from year to year at the national level, that any responsible gun owner might easily be in violation at any time without even knowing it and without causing or seeking to cause harm to anyone else, merely by traveling to a hunting preserve or shooting range or by not keeping abreast of current events in a given jurisdiction.

I have a few small problems with your suggestion to require medical professionals/institutions to report cases of mental illness and depression: Diagnosing these conditions is rarely as simple as a pass/fail selection. A huge percentage of Americans suffer from depression, but that depression takes many different forms and is caused by many different factors. Many people may suffer depression on a seasonal or temporary basis for any number of reasons, but very few of them would turn to violence, whether using a gun or any other means, as a result. Should those citizens lose their second amendment rights? What about the right to own or operate a car, or a kitchen knife? Can you suggest a reliable way to tell a mild, temporary case of depression from a severe (meaning dangerous) one? Are doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, hospital administrators, etc. infallible? Can you also ensure that they won’t falsely report someone because of some personal or political agenda? Perhaps some sort of review board would be in order, but then, can you ensure it will not become a political pawn or engage in selective enforcement or jurisprudence on the basis of race, color, creed, wealth, shoe size or hairstyle? How do you propose to enact such rules without coming into direct conflict with doctor-patient confidentiality rules and laws? Would any of this be feasible in terms of the additional staffing and paperwork necessary to ABRIDGE AND SUSPEND THE CONSTITUTIONALLY GUARANTEED RIGHTS OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LAW ABIDING AMERICANS without even mirandizing most of them, let alone following due process and trying them in a court of law (see amendments 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, & 14, as well as the second), and if due process is observed, how will the millions of hours of jury duty, attorneys’ fees and other employment necessary for this process be funded?

As for open carry in businesses, I don’t see any why reason it should not be left up to the individual business owners, much as is currently is in many states. I am a small business owner myself, and I very much prefer to have law-abiding legitimate customers open-carry on my premises vs. turning their business away or asking them to leave their guns at home. My shop is not in the nicest part of town, and I have observed a steady reduction in theft, vandalism, loitering and soliciting on and near my property since 4 years ago when I began to build a customer base largely comprised of responsible gun owners, many of whom do open carry. It’s my belief that some lawless and dishonorable individuals observe the visible presence of legal, privately held firearms at my place of business, and that after talking amongst themselves, they and their cohorts tend to take their trouble to other businesses which appear less able to defend themselves. I have also been shown, first-hand, that law enforcement in my town will NOT appear in time to prevent or mitigate a robbery or shooting. After a thankfully minor burglary a couple of years ago, local police took a full hour to respond to the alarm, and did virtually nothing to apprehend to perpetrator. This in spite of several patrol cars routinely operating within 5 minutes of my address and ample physical evidence being available at the scene. If that event was a robbery at gun or knife-point, I or one of my employees would likely be dead (as was a victim of a similar incident that took place a few minutes away earlier that year), unless we had the means on our person to neutralize the attacker.

I do think a nationwide concealed-carry would be a positive thing, if only to preempt certain states and municipalities from illegally suspending the rights of law abiding citizens within their jurisdictions, and to streamline and simplify enforcement and comprehension of concealed-carry, but here I still see the potential for the federal government to usurp those rights and/or privileges it is meant to protect by way of executive fiat, such as refusing to process applications or only granting licenses contingent upon unrelated concerns such as back taxes, bankruptcies, past-due medical bills, etc. Perhaps, instead of nationalizing the permit-issuing process, enacting a law which requires reciprocity between all of the states would be most effective.