TX Citizen Def. League aims to legalize Open Carry! They're up and running!

[MatthewVanitas]

Okay, I've had these folks in my sig for a couple months now, posted them up on ARF, GT, THR, and TFL, and handed out about 300 flyers at the SAXET Show.

At that point, they were just a startup, and had nothing more than a brief website. But I figured they weren't demanding anything, just gauging grassroots interest, I might as well get the word out.

In short: TCDL is the Lone Star answer to Virginia's _very_ succesful VCDL. For those unfamiliar, the VCDL goes about putting the smack down every time an LEO violates the rights of Virginians. This includes concrete examples in our very own community: a THR member was picked up by VA cops for open-carrying a Walther P22 into Starbucks. VCDL called the PD, the PD reviewed the appropriate laws, and the THR member's pistol was returned, and no charges were filed: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=87012&highlight=undertoad (posts #1 and #135 cover the main gist)


After a few months of petitioning, TCDL has issued their first newsletter. I'll quote a brief portion:

. As a spring-board for TCDL our first challenge is the decriminalization of Open Carry of hand guns in Texas. This issue has many facets and has garnered a wide range of support. Our basic premise is that Texas is behind the times in allowing its law-abiding citizens to openly carry their legal firearms. More than three-fourths of the other States in the Union allow their citizens some form of open carry. At the very least this will allow Texans who carry concealed to be free from worry should their firearm inadvertently become exposed or who worry that their chosen method of concealment is inadequate or “printing.”

Look, whether or not you think Open Carry is tactically preferable to Concealed, I think we can all agree that more freedom is better than less freedom.

I would encourage all Texans (and allies of Texas in the miscellaneous states) to check out the TCDL webpage. Membership is still free, so it costs nothing to add yourself to our overall numbers. Donations always help, and since I'm pretty busy with my own RKBA activity, I'll drop them $25.

Membership is up over 500 now! Just gotta spread some more word. If someone else could go cover this on ARF, GT, TFL, etc. that'd be great. Please post back to this thread and let us know which forums are covered, so we can I.D. gun/tool/liberty sites where this hasn't been announced yet.

Want to make TX the freest state in the Union? Let's get this tumbleweed rolling!

-MV

 

[Steve N]

MV,

What websites are ARF, GT, and TFL?

 

[Rev. DeadCorpse]

What websites are ARF, GT, and TFL?

My bets are on AR15.com, Glocktalk.com, and TheFiringLine.com.

I'd been wondering when folks would get around to this here in Texas. You'd think the whole "western" image thing would almost mandate a low slung Colt .45 on your hip. Imagine my surprise when I moved down here in 2000.

Theoretically, you can open carry long guns here in TX, although expect trouble with the gendarmes from panicky sheep calling in. It won't be a weapons charge, but more likely a "disturbing the peace" citation. Stupidity, yes. But until the liberal gun haters lose their grip on the media, changing the current "panic at the sight of a firearm" mentality instilled in the teeming masses will be difficult.

 

[Loucks]

I'm certainly in favor of this. I spent a year living in Texas recently and was amazed by how much more restrictive the laws were than those of my native Indiana. The most astounding thing was that Bowie knives could not be legally carried. Of course, they banned clubs as well, and anyone with half a brain knows that an improvised club is nearly always at hand. I simply wrapped one end of my "cheater" (a pipe used to improve leverage when removing tires--it's what I call it, anyway) with friction tape.

 

[BrennanKG]

We've been here since September, having come from CA, and my wife and I were both surprised over knife laws and moderately restrictive carry laws.

(Yes, still better than CA though).

Thanks for the info.



B.

 

[TX1911fan]

MV, you beat me to it. I got the first newsletter on Saturday and I was going to post here to get everyone to spread the word. We have only about 500 members now, so we need way more. Let's get Texas moving. Because the Legislature meets only every other year, we need to get on this quick.

 

[Leatherneck]

Congratulations, guys, from a longtime VCDL supporter. Work the issues one or two at a time, and get known in Austin!

TC

 

[Prince Yamato]

Just curious, how many of these bills are up for a vote in the state legislature. Would seem to have a good chance given that Rick Perry signs nearly every pro-gun bill that comes across his desk.

 

[MechAg94]

Perry signs all the TSRA bills that come to his desk. Not sure what he would do. Numbers speak volume at the state level.

Do they have any sympathetic legislators who could sponsor a bill? Now is the time.

All I ask of them is to not get in the way of the TSRA. They have been doing a good job IMHO, and I don't want to see some pissing match get started.

 

[Sistema1927]

Bravo.

I was in Texas for a family funeral last week, and had to remind myself that printing or flashing were verboten. We drove to Houston, via Amarillo and Fort Worth, spending a night each way in Wichita Falls, and with my NM and FL CCW permits I carried the entire time. Even carried in the church the funeral was held in as well as Sunday services at the church we belonged to while I was going to Seminary in Ft. Worth. (Has it really been almost 20 years since I graduated?)

I don't normally have to worry about inadvertently showing my weapon , living in a "Gold Star" open carry state, but needed to remember that my normal nonchalant practice might land me in trouble in the Lone Star state. It is so nice to carry any way that you darned well please. Best of luck to my neighbors to the East (and South).

 

[Henry Bowman]

Long live Texas! Amen to y'all.