NRA Clarifies Position on Open Carry Texas

Earlier this week, NRA issued a statement on the situation that has unfolded in Texas with proponents of open carry of handguns, carrying long guns into businesses. Currently, the open carry of handguns is illegal in Texas while gun owners may open carry long guns.  If this sounds just nuts to you, it reminds me of when concealed carry of handguns in Virginia was illegal in family restaurants that serve alcohol while open carry in those same eating establishments was legal.

Anyway, as could be expected, the mainstream media jumped all over what appeared to be a family feud in the pro-rights community.  Yesterday,  NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox appeared on NRANews to clarify their position.

I'll admit that when I read the original statement, I was surprised at some of the terms used, but was not surprised at the overall message.  As Sebastian noted on Shall Not Be Questioned, even legislators pushing the current open carry bill in the Texas legislature have said what some supporters of Open Carry Texas (OCT) are doing is not helping their cause.  And, their actions are impacting all of us.  National attention has been drawn to businesses like Sonic, Chili's, and Jack-in-the-Box, and the subsequent requests that patrons leave their firearms at home.  These businesses haven't outright posted "no firearms" but that doesn't matter to the media and gun ban groups.  The narrative is being written that another business has told gun owners we don't want your business.  The businesses didn't ask for this attention, and like the below video from a Texas based blogger, shared on Bearing Arms notes, they have to consider all of their patrons.

So, what was hoped to be a story that went away after Open Carry Texas issued new guidance on how supporters should conduct themselves, continues to cause heartburn.  We can only hope that the most zealous among OCTs' members have not caused irreparable damage to the legislative effort to secure open carry of handguns in the Lone Star State.  If they can get a bill passed, the story may finally go away.  Wishing Texas gun owners success in this legislative effort.