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"There is no distinctly American criminal class - except Congress." Mark Twain (1835-1910)

“Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for.” -Will Rogers (1879-1935)

"Stability in government is essential to national character and to the advantages annexed to it." -James Madison (1751-1836)

"Liberty must at all hazards be supported." -John Adams (1735-1826)


Sunday, April 5, 2015

Bullies: I Told You So!



The Texas Concealed Handgun License Law passed in 1995 and became effective January 1996. It seems to me that we are working now with almost 10 years of experience and data from the Concealed Handgun Law and yet we have not seen any real use of the legislation where a concealed carrier has throttled a threat of any major nature. We also have seen very little abuse of the systemproof that by enlarge most licensed concealed carriers are law abiding citizensa compliment to the license screening conducted by the State.

I felt very against the provision when it was initially debated and still feel the same way. Those that pushed through the legislation in the 90s were one contingent, but those pushing the further extension of the provisions are of another nature entirelybullies! They have divided both the Texas Senate and the House of Representatives right along party linesthe votes dramatize this phenomenon very well. How else does one explain this?

These Republicans cannot be that much smarter than their Democrat colleaguesif they were, they would be in business making real money instead of living in Austin for 140 days every other year.

The Bullies have taken over the Texas Senate and quite possibly the House of Representatives. What bills pass routinely do so on a party split vote 20 to 11 (Republicans over Democrats). I don’t think ether groups have their finger on the pulse of their constituents at all. It’s always the same few “fringers” who demonstrate and show up when the need arises. We saw that earlier this year with the questionable actions of those guys up in the Ft. Worth areatheir stories quickly changed when the microscope was applied.

Here’s the two questions I ask myself when the original legislation was proposed:

(1)   What if something does happen and some CHL holder helps stop the threat? Those pushing the legislation will proudly step forward and say: “I told you so!”

(2)   What if the legislation is not passed and down the road something does happen and nobody is there to help stop the threat? Those pushing the legislation will proudly step forward and say: “I told you so!”

After almost ten years, the “fringers” haven’t been able to point to a single Texas situation that really proves the need for their causea solution still in search of a problem. Oh, there have been the here and there problems around the country, in general, that have taken place and there remains doubts that a single hand gun in the area would have made anything but a marginal difference.
My original questions remain the same today as back in 1995. The question needs to be put in front of the everyday Texan. Of course there is no hope of that happening because the Repubs draw the voter boundaries and remain elected in spite of their records and value to Texas.

I wrote earlier about putting this in the hands of the people conducting business and their life in the public sector:

“I am not going to sit in a crowded restaurant with some yahoo who has a gun strapped to his belt (or shoulder) with my family. I am going to calmly get up and exit the establishment and never return until the owner recognizes that he has a business problem and does something about it.

I call on every right thinking Texan to let the businesses where they conduct their lives to know how they feel about guns in their surroundings.”
(See Guns, Guns Everywhere – 20 March 15 below)

Additionally, I would propose that we start proliferating our message using the HashTags: #OpenCarryDoNotGoThere and #OpenCarryDoNotGoHere

The message needs to get out.