I sent mine in today. Thought I would put this out for everyone else in Texas. Mods if this is not in right place, please remove.
Dear Online Texas Open Carry Petition Signer:
My name is Ian McCarthy, Petition Founder, and Chair of the Texas Open carry Working Group. Thank you for signing the petition to restore our open carry rights!
Our effort is bearing fruit as Governor Perry has said he will sign an open carry bill if the legislature passes it. But unfortunately, no legislator has yet stepped forward to sponsor such a bill.
Unless an open carry bill is drafted and sponsored by a legislator in the next few weeks, there will be no bill for Governor Perry to sign! Let's work together and let the Texas Legislature know we want action on open carry rights restoration!
If you live, work, or go to school in Texas, now is the time to contact your state representative and senator and ask them to sponsor an open carry bill!
Please act on these 2 ACTION ITEMS now.
Ian McCarthy
The Open Carry Working Group
--
Action Item 1: Email your STATE (not U.S.) Representative
Find your State Representative at Who Represents Me--Home, then go to his/her web page, and send a web form email.
Suggested Message
SUBJECT: Please sponsor legislation to restore open carry rights in Texas!
Dear Representative:
I ask you to sponsor legislation to restore the right of Texans to open carry holstered handguns. A draft of such a bill can be found at OpenCarry.org's Open Carry Rights Restoration Bill for the 2009 Texas Legislature - Texas - Stories From The States - OpenCarry.org - Discussion Forum.
The facts are pretty stark - Texas is one of only 6 states banning the open carry of handguns. Of the 44 states which allow the open carry of handguns, only 14 states require any license to open carry. See map at OpenCarry.org - A Right Unexercised is a Right Lost!.
And despite the widespread open carry rights outside of Texas, a recent FBI study that essentially says that bad guys don't open carry. See Anthony Pinizzotto, et al., Violent Encounters: A Study of Felonious Assaults on Our Nation's Law Enforcement Officers, FBI (2006) (finding that violent criminals carefully conceal their guns and eschew holsters), summary available at
Force Science News
It's no wonder then that over 46,000 Texans have signed an online petition at Open Carry of Handguns in Texas Petition to restore the right to open carry in Texas.
As the D.C. v. Heller decision made clear, the Constitutional right to bear arms relates to the carrying of unconcealed guns. Slip Op. at 10 & 54-57, available at http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/07-2901.pdf.
Even for those who desire to conceal their handguns most of the time, the absolute ban on un-concealing handguns is not just an onerous mandate, it is essentially impossible to comply with at all times in all conditions. For example, under Texas law it is unlawful for any person to un-conceal their handgun (i.e., take off one's coat) even when visiting a friend's home, farm, ranch, or business.
I look forward to hearing from you on this matter.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
--
Action Item 2: Email your STATE (not U.S.) Senator
Find your State Senator at Who Represents Me--Home, then go to his/her web page, and send a web form email.
Suggested Message
SUBJECT: Please sponsor legislation to restore open carry rights in Texas!
Dear Senator:
I ask you to sponsor legislation to restore the right of Texans to open carry holstered handguns. A draft of such a bill can be found at OpenCarry.org's Open Carry Rights Restoration Bill for the 2009 Texas Legislature - Texas - Stories From The States - OpenCarry.org - Discussion Forum.
The facts are pretty stark - Texas is one of only 6 states banning the open carry of handguns. Of the 44 states which allow the open carry of handguns, only 14 states require any license to open carry. See map at OpenCarry.org - A Right Unexercised is a Right Lost!.
And despite the widespread open carry rights outside of Texas, a recent FBI study that essentially says that bad guys don't open carry. See Anthony Pinizzotto, et al., Violent Encounters: A Study of Felonious Assaults on Our Nation's Law Enforcement Officers, FBI (2006) (finding that violent criminals carefully conceal their guns and eschew holsters), summary available at
Force Science News
It's no wonder then that over 46,000 Texans have signed an online petition at Open Carry of Handguns in Texas Petition to restore the right to open carry in Texas.
As the DC v. Heller decision made clear, the Constitutional right to bear arms relates to the carrying of unconcealed guns. Slip Op. at 10 & 54-57, available at http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/07-2901.pdf.
Even for those who desire to conceal their handguns most of the time, the absolute ban on un-concealing handguns is not just an onerous mandate, it is essentially impossible to comply with at all times in all conditions. For example, under Texas law it is unlawful for any person to un-conceal their handgun (i.e., take off one's coat) even when visiting a friend's home, farm, ranch, or business.
I look forward to hearing from you on this matter.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
Dear Online Texas Open Carry Petition Signer:
My name is Ian McCarthy, Petition Founder, and Chair of the Texas Open carry Working Group. Thank you for signing the petition to restore our open carry rights!
Our effort is bearing fruit as Governor Perry has said he will sign an open carry bill if the legislature passes it. But unfortunately, no legislator has yet stepped forward to sponsor such a bill.
Unless an open carry bill is drafted and sponsored by a legislator in the next few weeks, there will be no bill for Governor Perry to sign! Let's work together and let the Texas Legislature know we want action on open carry rights restoration!
If you live, work, or go to school in Texas, now is the time to contact your state representative and senator and ask them to sponsor an open carry bill!
Please act on these 2 ACTION ITEMS now.
Ian McCarthy
The Open Carry Working Group
--
Action Item 1: Email your STATE (not U.S.) Representative
Find your State Representative at Who Represents Me--Home, then go to his/her web page, and send a web form email.
Suggested Message
SUBJECT: Please sponsor legislation to restore open carry rights in Texas!
Dear Representative:
I ask you to sponsor legislation to restore the right of Texans to open carry holstered handguns. A draft of such a bill can be found at OpenCarry.org's Open Carry Rights Restoration Bill for the 2009 Texas Legislature - Texas - Stories From The States - OpenCarry.org - Discussion Forum.
The facts are pretty stark - Texas is one of only 6 states banning the open carry of handguns. Of the 44 states which allow the open carry of handguns, only 14 states require any license to open carry. See map at OpenCarry.org - A Right Unexercised is a Right Lost!.
And despite the widespread open carry rights outside of Texas, a recent FBI study that essentially says that bad guys don't open carry. See Anthony Pinizzotto, et al., Violent Encounters: A Study of Felonious Assaults on Our Nation's Law Enforcement Officers, FBI (2006) (finding that violent criminals carefully conceal their guns and eschew holsters), summary available at
Force Science News
It's no wonder then that over 46,000 Texans have signed an online petition at Open Carry of Handguns in Texas Petition to restore the right to open carry in Texas.
As the D.C. v. Heller decision made clear, the Constitutional right to bear arms relates to the carrying of unconcealed guns. Slip Op. at 10 & 54-57, available at http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/07-2901.pdf.
Even for those who desire to conceal their handguns most of the time, the absolute ban on un-concealing handguns is not just an onerous mandate, it is essentially impossible to comply with at all times in all conditions. For example, under Texas law it is unlawful for any person to un-conceal their handgun (i.e., take off one's coat) even when visiting a friend's home, farm, ranch, or business.
I look forward to hearing from you on this matter.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
--
Action Item 2: Email your STATE (not U.S.) Senator
Find your State Senator at Who Represents Me--Home, then go to his/her web page, and send a web form email.
Suggested Message
SUBJECT: Please sponsor legislation to restore open carry rights in Texas!
Dear Senator:
I ask you to sponsor legislation to restore the right of Texans to open carry holstered handguns. A draft of such a bill can be found at OpenCarry.org's Open Carry Rights Restoration Bill for the 2009 Texas Legislature - Texas - Stories From The States - OpenCarry.org - Discussion Forum.
The facts are pretty stark - Texas is one of only 6 states banning the open carry of handguns. Of the 44 states which allow the open carry of handguns, only 14 states require any license to open carry. See map at OpenCarry.org - A Right Unexercised is a Right Lost!.
And despite the widespread open carry rights outside of Texas, a recent FBI study that essentially says that bad guys don't open carry. See Anthony Pinizzotto, et al., Violent Encounters: A Study of Felonious Assaults on Our Nation's Law Enforcement Officers, FBI (2006) (finding that violent criminals carefully conceal their guns and eschew holsters), summary available at
Force Science News
It's no wonder then that over 46,000 Texans have signed an online petition at Open Carry of Handguns in Texas Petition to restore the right to open carry in Texas.
As the DC v. Heller decision made clear, the Constitutional right to bear arms relates to the carrying of unconcealed guns. Slip Op. at 10 & 54-57, available at http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/07-2901.pdf.
Even for those who desire to conceal their handguns most of the time, the absolute ban on un-concealing handguns is not just an onerous mandate, it is essentially impossible to comply with at all times in all conditions. For example, under Texas law it is unlawful for any person to un-conceal their handgun (i.e., take off one's coat) even when visiting a friend's home, farm, ranch, or business.
I look forward to hearing from you on this matter.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME