Open Carry Groups In Texas Not Getting Along, Will Hold Competing Capitol Demonstrations

Multiple groups in Texas advocating for more permissive gun laws in a state which already has lax gun laws, plan to hold demonstrations on the Capitol grounds. Their intention is to promote the passing of a House bill that would remove the state’s 145-year-old ban on the open carry of handguns. But, it is legal for them walk around with rifles strapped to their backs and that’s not good enough, apparently.

[su_center_ad]The groups are not getting along at all, with one finding the others too extreme.

Open Carry Texas, is asking its members to gather on Jan. 26 with their holsters empty to symbolize the law they’re trying to change, the Houston Chronicle reports.

But there’s another demonstration scheduled for Jan. 13th which is to be an armed event with its organizers from groups like Come and Take It Texas and Open Carry Tarrant County asking their members to carry long-arms and antique pistols outside of the Capitol as lawmakers meet inside. There are rifts among those two groups, too, which I observed on their Facebook pages.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the competing demonstrations display the recent rift between the groups, which has some worried about the possibility of passing open carry legislation this session.

CJ Grisham, the leader of Open Carry Texas, has taken issue with the other groups’ tactics.

An Open Carry Tarrant County member, who was a former member of Open Carry Texas, recently shot and killed two of her family members.

On Tuesday, Grisham wrote on Facebook to Open Carry Tarrant County’s leader Kory Watkins,  “Kory, I’ve largely refrained from criticizing you or even your organization. But since you want to start a flame war, I’ll crank up the grill. Your antics are going to get someone hurt, or worse, killed.”

However, that comment did not seem to be in reference to the murders. It appeared to be referring to Kory’s plans of an armed insurrection against the government.

The Houston Chronicle reports:

Reached for comment Friday, Grisham said he supports so-called “cop watching” – the practice of shadowing law enforcement officers with the intent of making sure civil rights are respected – but he took issue with what he said has become an active interference in police activities by Watkins and some of his group members.

“I think when you’re antagonistic there’s going to come a point where someone on either side is going to say ‘enough is enough,’” said Grisham. “I just think, either the cops are going to snap, or him and his supporters that are around him a lot are going to snap…Somebody somewhere is going to snap.”

Someone already has “snapped.” Her name is Veronica Dunnachie and she (allegedly and admittedly) murdered her husband and stepdaughter. 

These groups want to parade around like it’s the Wild West, but we’re  supposedly a civilized society whereas families enjoying a meal with their children in a restaurant should not be surrounded by weapons. Sometimes a meal is just supposed to be a meal and not a political point.

When these groups can sit at the table with grown ups and discuss ways to resolve gun violence in a reasonable manner, then perhaps they can be taken seriously. I fear that won’t happen. C.J. has referred to Moms Demand Action members at “Thugs with jugs” so his attempt to appear less extreme than the other groups is lost on me.

Advocates for gun safety have been repeatedly targeted.  The personal phone number for Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, was added posted on various Facebook pages because of her group’s opposition to Kroger stores allowing the Open Carry of guns.

Tell me again how Open Carry advocates are not extreme. Tip: When having competing demonstrations, be sure not to gather in a circle. Those circular firing squads are problematic. You’re shooting yourselves in the foot. That’s gotta hurt.

Big thanks to my pal for the link. [su_csky_ad]

D.B. Hirsch

D.B. Hirsch is a political activist, news junkie, and retired ad copy writer and spin doctor. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.