NEWS Tension between gun groups

[lukem]

A couple of interesting things stood out while researching today's story on proposed gun laws.

First: Gun control advocates appear to be doing little this session in terms of pushing legislation they deem favorable.

Marsha McCartney, president of the North Texas Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said the group might not ask lawmakers to carry two pieces of legislation -- one that would require background checks for all firearm sales at gun shows and another that would limit handgun purchases to one every 30 days -- that the gun control group normally advocates.

"We haven't completely decided if we're going to ask for those bills to be filed," said McCartney. "But probably not if we have the same committee heads."

She added: "We know how things work in Texas and if you don't have the backing, you don't go far."

For now, the Brady Campaign's top priority for the session, McCartney said, will be trying to mount a good defense to the issue of concealed carry on campus.

On that note, there appears to be some hostility brewing between the group advocating for concealed carry on campus and the group backing the push for licensed Texans to be allowed to openly tote their pistols.

Michael Guzman, a senior at Texas State University and president of the grassroots gun group called "Students for Concealed Carry on Campus," is worried that the two issues will be "muddled" together by the media once the respective bills are filed, causing confusion among lawmakers and regular Texans.

Plus, there appears to be another element causing tension between the members of SCCC and the Virginia-based group OpenCarry.org -- one of competing interests.

"If these open carry guys get enough attention with the introduction of their bill, it's going to knock off our bill," Guzman said. "Our biggest obstacle is another gun rights group. It's ridiculous that two gun rights groups are going to be canceling each other out."

The open carry folks say they understand the concerns, but argue that both have their aim set on identical goals: broadening Second Amendment rights for Texans.

"I think it's one and the same. We're both going for gun rights," said Ian McCarthy, chairman of the Texas Open Carry work group. "They just think people are afraid of open carry."

One last note: While the push to allow students and faculty to carry concealed handguns on campus has garnered the support of the powerful gun lobby, the open carry movement doesn't yet have the official backing of the National Rifle Association or their state affiliate, the Texas State Rifle Association.

"They're going about it the wrong way," Guzman said. "I hope their bill dies quickly so we can move on to more substantive debates about concealed carry on campus."

By David S. Rauf - Austin bureau
Source: My San Antonio

[astute]

Sometimes I think the open carry advocates have the attitude of we're right and it doesn't matter what other people think. We want to flaunt the fact that we have guns and the rest of you will just have to like it. Don't get me wrong, open carry doesn't bother me, but does bother a lot of "Sheeple" and unfortunately there are more of them than us. A concealed weapon doesn't bother anyone as they should never be aware of it unless a situation were to arise to necessitate the revealing of it. My opinion is they should join forces and go for campus carry first. Get that passed, wait a short time to prove to the general public that CCW holders are really the good guys, then join forces again and push for open carry as well as other carry options that will come up.

[netentity]

Unfortunately the OC crowd has been getting quite a bit of attention in TX. I would rather see the legal prohibition of college campus CCW repealed first. That's an obstacle that needs to be done here in NV.

[gunner53e]

The Va. state senate tried passing a bill aimed at "closing the gun show loop hole" as they termed it but it failed last week. Largly due to the out pouring of phone calls and e-mails from gun owners accross our state letting our district senators know exactly what we thought. This was a combination of OC/CCW/Hunters and other gun owners all rallied together by groups such as NRA, VCDL, Va. hunt gp.and others. I'm greatful for their hard efforts. The CCW/OC groups here in Va. seem to bond together whenever our state government tries to impose more regulation on gun owners. I hope other states gun groups are working just as hard to preserve their rights as well. Life, Liberty and the agressive persuit of those who wish to endanger them.

[Bullitt]

Originally Posted by astute

Don't get me wrong, open carry doesn't bother me, but does bother a lot of "Sheeple" and unfortunately there are more of them than us. A concealed weapon doesn't bother anyone as they should never be aware of it unless a situation were to arise to necessitate the revealing of it. My opinion is they should join forces and go for campus carry first. Get that passed, wait a short time to prove to the general public that CCW holders are really the good guys, then join forces again and push for open carry as well as other carry options that will come up.

I couldn't agree more. Well put.