***I should note I have nothing against Austin, especially as I live there…
Nor do I. I spent about 1/2 my life there...and it is still the best "big city" in the State IMO.
Actually no. We did have property outside of Austin...but I grew up in the city. I graduated high school in 1972...and it was common place for students to have long-arms in gunracks...and even stand in parking lots handling them and discussing hunting, etc.... Part of the problem here is your propensity to "assume" rather than "listen".
****When I was in high school, truckers had racks as well. However no one walked around with a weapon except out in country. Handguns were NEVER seen in that fashion. Of course there was a raft of thefts and people quite carrying them (of course back then to drive a truck/SUV was to be considered a redneck-times have changed).
I am not saying folks anywhere regularly walked around with firearms (pistols or rifles). But I AM saying it was common place to see rifles,shotguns in the windows of pickups, in the trunks of cars...and that people worried not.... about standing outside their vehicle with one...or taking it in to a building, place of business, etc...to show it off. Handguns at one time...were permitted in vehicles while traveling...but LEO wanted them to be visible if readily accessible. Yes, times have changed.
There was scarcely a male student (excepting certain nerds) that did NOT have (and carry daily) a pocket knife of some sort to/in school. It was routine for a teacher to borrow a knife from a student to open a package, mail, whatever.
***True that, but anything larger and you were expelled.
A hunting knife in a sheath on your belt would no doubt attract attention even back then, but pocket knives were considered a utilitarian tool that almost every male carried.
Very funny, I am sure people tell you that all the time. No "Indian attacks".....or "attacks" of any other kind. That is precisely why we were allowed to have weapons in our vehicles and on our person (knives). We didn't attack each other with guns and knives. Disputes were settled with fisticuffs AFTER school (with most of the school in attendance). Once settled...participants often went on to become friends, not enemies to be stalked down and shot up via a "drive by". School shootings were virtually unknown.
***In many areas of the state that is the past or never.
You go back far enough...and it was the general rule more places than not. People had more respect for life and their fellow man. I can't tell you exactly what happened, but its not that way now.
***I respect your opinion (hey whats wrong with being an old fart? old farts rule
). Nothing, I am one. Didn't ever expect to live this long...but managed to despite myself.
In actuality I think your arguments are supporting my argument. Any OC would have to structured such that local jurisdictions could limit it. No?
I would like to see restrictions be the same as for CC, except I want the Business sector to accept and recognize that they would benefit by having "options" to prohibit carry (concealed or OC) in their establishments. Instead of having a "one size fits all" law/signage...I propose that a simple 6" X 6" ghost-buster type sticker be adopted to place in entryways. This would require NO change of the current 30.06 sign and would only take the amount of space equal to a "hand print" on a window or door.
Not ALL businesses are interested in preventing law abiding citizens from entering their premises. Texas is not ALL big cities and Urban environment. Using my proposed method...would allow a business to restrict NO ONE by simply not posting any signage, OR they could prevent only OCer's by posting only the ghost-buster sign, and lastly...forbid CC and OC by posting the current 30.06 sign as well as the small OC sign (would probably fit into the corner of the 30.06 sign).
I can't imagine why business owners wouldn't want options....or why legislators would write a bill any other way.
EDIT: I'd be interested in your view on this question Flint (?) as its seems to be a key factor (at least to me). Were I in old Sugarland this wouldn't be an issue, but in new Sugarland the mocha latte soccer moms would have the SWAT coming faster than you can spit (and yes my wife are one).
I don't doubt that some of this would go on for awhile. Eventually, one of two would happen.
1. Police and the citizenry will recognize it is not an issue....and ignore it for the most part.
2. It will be so inconvenient/distressing for the person OCing that the problem becomes self correcting (they stop).
I am of the opinion that #1 would be the result. Either that...or I have so misread the pulse of LEO and the average Joe out there...that I don't realize just how unacceptable firearms are in our "modern" society.
