In Texas when you have a license to carry a gun, you are required to keep it concealed, but that could soon change. The open-carry bill has been gaining some major traction, and now has plans to go to the full house for consideration. If this law is passed, then those that are licensed to carry a gun will be able to do so with said weapon in plain view. Most other states do have an open-carry law of some sort intact, in fact Texas is only one of seven states that does not have one. But just because everyone else has one, does that mean that we need to follow suit?
Rep. George Lavender, and other advocates, have stated that open-carry would help deter crime. I happen to disagree with that statement. If someone wants to reach for that gun, it would be that much easier to do so. If a person, not licensed to carry a gun decides they want to commit a crime of some sort, and are in need of a gun, it would be that much easier for them to gain access to one. They will be able to see who has taken opportunity with open-carry and make a decision on who their best target would be. In a state like Texas, that is so big and has so many highly populated cities, (Austin, Houston, and Dallas) the risk is just so big.
If an open-carry law is passed, it could also cause people to be on edge. Though a gun can't be carried everywhere, a gun being out in the open in the places that they are aloud could definitely cause anxiety to those that are around. I have personally lost someone who died because they were shot with a gun that the shooter was licensed to have, and I don't need to be put on edge when I see someone with a gun. Society associates guns with things such as crime, death, and murder. If you are not a cop, or in that sort of job field where it is required of you to carry a gun, why is it even necessary for one to be carried, especially unconcealed?
This bill has been gaining some ground, but I don't think that it is necessary. If someone has to carry a gun it shouldn't be a problem for them to conceal it. I can't think of any reason that someone would need to carry a gun out in the open.
You make some very strong points in this article. I am also against the open-carry bill. Allowing a person to carry their weapon in plain sight would put so many people on edge and create a huge amount of anxiety. I would be scared to go anywhere and would be scared of everyone that had a weapon on them in plain sight.
ReplyDeleteRight now there isn't this sort of anxiety because there is no way of knowing if someone has a gun on them. Some could argue that is greater reason to be on edge, scared, and curious if the person walking next to you has a gun or not. I don't believe that is the case because you don't really expect that many people carry a concealed weapon and it doesn't cross your mind. However, if it were in plain sight then it would be a thought in your head. That thought would turn into fear.
One thing I''m not sure of is if the fact that just because someone is carrying a gun that a person would be more inclined to reach for that gun. I think if a person is already thinking of hurting someone then they will have a gun on them. The biggest problem with this bill for me is people will be living and fear, and those who do carry them will have easy access to their gun and could more easily use it on someone.