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Charles L. Cotton wrote:

Richbirdhunter wrote:Which brings me back to my point from a few weeks ago, none of these OC fears are happening where OC has been legal for a long time. People are afraid of the unknown.

This claim is often made by open-carry supporters and it's one of the most unfounded, unsupported statements one could imagine. Unless you have been present at every location where someone carry a handgun openly, you have no personal knowledge to support your statement. The most anyone can honestly say is that they have not witnessed a problem.

If open-carry was the Nirvana that its supporters claim, then there wouldn't be an organization (OpenCarry.org) created to support it. If you can put up with the crap, just read some of the horror stories in the various state sections. It's clear that there are problems with open-carry.

Chas.

There's problems with CC, driving, owning a home, marriage and life in general and we still do all of these things with large amounts of success. I'm sorry if I came across as OC would be a blissful and problem free. I am saying that OC won't be all doom and gloom. I am also saying that we should enjoy this restored freedom not hide it way.

Richbirdhunter wrote:

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

Richbirdhunter wrote:Which brings me back to my point from a few weeks ago, none of these OC fears are happening where OC has been legal for a long time. People are afraid of the unknown.

This claim is often made by open-carry supporters and it's one of the most unfounded, unsupported statements one could imagine. Unless you have been present at every location where someone carry a handgun openly, you have no personal knowledge to support your statement. The most anyone can honestly say is that they have not witnessed a problem.

If open-carry was the Nirvana that its supporters claim, then there wouldn't be an organization (OpenCarry.org) created to support it. If you can put up with the crap, just read some of the horror stories in the various state sections. It's clear that there are problems with open-carry.

Chas.

. . . I am saying that OC won't be all doom and gloom. I am also saying that we should enjoy this restored freedom not hide it way.

On this we agree and I pray that people who carry openly remember they are ambassadors for all Texas gun owners, even if t hey don't want the job.

Chas.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

Richbirdhunter wrote:

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

Richbirdhunter wrote:Which brings me back to my point from a few weeks ago, none of these OC fears are happening where OC has been legal for a long time. People are afraid of the unknown.

This claim is often made by open-carry supporters and it's one of the most unfounded, unsupported statements one could imagine. Unless you have been present at every location where someone carry a handgun openly, you have no personal knowledge to support your statement. The most anyone can honestly say is that they have not witnessed a problem.

If open-carry was the Nirvana that its supporters claim, then there wouldn't be an organization (OpenCarry.org) created to support it. If you can put up with the crap, just read some of the horror stories in the various state sections. It's clear that there are problems with open-carry.

Chas.

. . . I am saying that OC won't be all doom and gloom. I am also saying that we should enjoy this restored freedom not hide it way.

On this we agree and I pray that people who carry openly remember they are ambassadors for all Texas gun owners, even if t hey don't want the job.

Chas.

Agreed, thank you sir. That hamburger offer I made to you on another thread is open ended. I'd like to shake your hand and thank you in person for all you do for 2A.

Rich

Richbirdhunter wrote:
Agreed, thank you sir. That hamburger offer I made to you on another thread is open ended. I'd like to shake your hand and thank you in person for all you do for 2A.

Rich

That sounds like a pretty 'Wimpy' offer to me. (Sorry, couldn't pass up the pun)

Charles L. Cotton wrote:.....I pray that people who carry openly remember they are ambassadors for all Texas gun owners, even if they don't want the job. Chas.

At the end of the day, after all is said and done, this is what it boils down to.

Keith B wrote:

Richbirdhunter wrote:
Agreed, thank you sir. That hamburger offer I made to you on another thread is open ended. I'd like to shake your hand and thank you in person for all you do for 2A.

Rich

That sounds like a pretty 'Wimpy' offer to me. (Sorry, couldn't pass up the pun)

How about on Tuesday then?

C-dub wrote:

Keith B wrote:

Richbirdhunter wrote:
Agreed, thank you sir. That hamburger offer I made to you on another thread is open ended. I'd like to shake your hand and thank you in person for all you do for 2A.

Rich

That sounds like a pretty 'Wimpy' offer to me. (Sorry, couldn't pass up the pun)

How about on Tuesday then?

Ill gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today

It's only a distraction because the majority of people are terrified of firearms. All it takes is for CNN to do a news brief saying someone got killed by a gun and the common folk who don't know how to research become terrified. I have come across numerous people in plain clothes that were open carrying before. I would assume they were all some sort of law enforcement as open carry isn't in effect yet, but I never had a panic attack. I was more interested in what gun they were carrying and would frequently bring that up in conversation. If the business end isn't pointed at you, then you have nothing to worry about. I will agree that 2015 is the year of people being offended. You really can't say anything anymore without it getting blown up on social media. If my church isn't posted and I want to OC I am going to. It doesn't matter what you do, someone is going to be offended. Whether its my openly carried hand gun, or an old lady that doesn't approve that my slacks aren't properly ironed. I don't choose to live my life solely to appease others. It is my life, and I am entitled to do whatever I legally can, just as anyone else can do the same regardless of if I like it or not.

Well...... I'm on a break between services and have to be back for a sound check in a couple of hours. In the meantime, we do have 30.07 signs up at the entrances into our church building, but they are not compliant in two respects: [1] too small, and [2] white lettering on glass, so not contrasting background. I didn't see them when I got there early this morning, but I wasn't looking for them and had my arms occupied with instrument and pedal cases, etc. The security team member in the 11:00 service - an off duty LEO from a nearby jurisdiction - is the person who informed me that the sign is not compliant, but that they (the off-duty LEOs of the security team) will be enforcing the signs by giving effective verbal notice until the signs are brought into compliance. After that, staff is instructed to call police if/when someone open-carries past the signs.

As I stated earlier in this thread we are not posting at our church but we decided not to print the business size cards with 30.07 after all. We will give verbal notice if we see anyone OC. We all were sure that one or two particular individuals would OC this morning but they didn't - no one did.

Our church went overboard in my opinion. They put up large white signs with black letters at all entrances to the various buildings. We originally discussed just telling people to cover up or take it to the car if or when someone open carried. I think the executive pastor pushed until we ended up with the ugly compliant signs.

I bet if someone ran the numbers they would discover that OC is something most churches will seldom if ever encounter and spending a lot of time worrying about it is pretty much a waste of time.
I ran the numbers using some very liberal gestimates where firm data was missing and based on those numbers the probabilities suggested that, absent an announcement from the church welcoming OCers, we might encounter an OCer once every couple of years.
As others have stated, addressing these instances individually makes a lot of sense to me. Playing devils advocate (excuse the pun), I wonder how many evil doers would mistakingly assume that a 30.07 sign equated to a gun free zone making the posted church a much greater target than it was previously.

We may be posting this sign at our church entrance"
"We welcome both open and concealed licensed carrying of handguns. If carrying openly please keep your gun holstered in a holster equipped with a thumb break strap or other type of retention feature. Please do not shoot at any wasps or other bugs.
We offer prayer and special counseling for those who carry Glocks."

A big non-issue this morning at our congregation. Saw nobody open carrying. It was pretty chilly so most everyone had a jacket on. We'll see if things change as it warms up but I suspect it won't.

No signs at church , anyone OC comes in they will be invited to disarm or CC and join in the services . Very reasonable in my opinion . Talked to the pastor before church and he doesn't think there will be a problem .