Open Carry in Texas

Lately there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the Texas handgun laws. Right now we have a concealed handgun law which states that one can carry their handgun concealed on them if licensed by the state. There are some who would like Texans to be able to carry their handguns in public or that support an “open carry” law. This law would allow people to carry their guns openly in public. Some support this bill because it is our constitutional right to bear arms, however I believe that there are several factors and safety issues that most aren’t considering.

One of the less considered factors with Open Carry is the intimidation factor that it brings upon the people the carrier comes across. Imagine someone blatantly cutting in line at the grocery store wearing a pistol on his belt. Is the mother with two young children going to feel inhibited in addressing the gun toting offender?

Imagine to irate carriers arguing over a parking space. The fact that both have a pistol in plain sight escalated the altercation instantly.

As a store clerk, are you going to feel more threatened when the angry customer is not only complaining but also has a gun on his hip? Is he demanding service or threatening violence?

Many open carriers think that the fact that their gun is in plain sight is a deterrent for crime in itself. On the flip side, imagine a young thug seeing an elderly man carrying groceries with his gun on his hip. This alerts the bandit not only that the old man has a gun, but that by taking him by surprise; he could subdue him and take the gun.

With open carry, a criminal entering a bank with intensions of armed robbery, would first scan the crowd for any weapons in plain sight, and then proceed to disable the armed guard. In contrast, under concealed handgun laws, this same criminal would be taken by surprise by the gun carrying citizen.

One of the main reasons cowboys of the old west carried a gun on their hip was to allow them to be able to draw a gun and shoot it faster. The same holds true for police officers and other law enforcement official who are expected to protect people and keep them safe. Police officers face enough dangers and are expected to respond with proper force in a timely fashion. With open carry, their response time would be shortened with the threat of a suspect being able to draw and fire much quicker.

And how would they regulate the person who happens to rest his hand on his gun” Is he about to draw the weapon, keeping it safely holstered, or just resting his hand on the handle?

How is the average citizen going to verify the gun toting stranger has the right to carry the gun or if they are carrying with criminal intent?