Despite passage of open-carry law, weapons are still mostly out of sight

Texas has 27 million residents, and more than 1 million of them have active handgun licenses. As of Dec. 31, some 15,257 of them lived in Tarrant County, according to Department of Public Safety reports.

That’s about half the number in Harris County (Houston), but Tarrant County’s number is the state’s second-highest.

Since Jan. 1, licensed Texans can legally carry their handguns in belt or shoulder holsters. How often do you see someone in public who is openly carrying a handgun? Is that more or less than you expected? Are they as scary as you expected?

“Are they as scary as you expected?” Talk about a leading question! Actually, I’ve seen none. I was hoping for more.

I’m pleasantly surprised that I don’t see more guns openly carried. However, when I do, it gives me great pause.

A couple Saturdays ago, I was in line at my local McDonald’s, along with families and children. In the line next to me was a dude carrying a pistol on his hip.

I was very uncomfortable and offended that someone was so immature or insecure that he felt it necessary to bring a deadly weapon into this environment. If this dude was so intimidated that he couldn’t go into a restaurant without a gun, I suggest he use the drive-through.

The ridiculous predictions of the left regarding shootouts in the streets, women and children panicked by the mere sight of a holstered firearm and blood running in the streets have not come to pass.

But as with most left-wing media outlets, you frame your questions to indicate that, with the passage of open carry, people should fear those who you’ve worshiped beside at church, shopped at department stores with, conversed with at the gas pumps or sat next to at restaurants.

We’re not the enemy! Those who wish to do evil are. And that’s why we carry — to protect ourselves (and possibly you) from those who wish to harm.

As a native Texan, former military and law enforcement professional, hunter, sport shooter, gun owner, and CHL holder, I felt from the get-go that the open-carry law was asinine — another silly and damaging solution by the Texas GOP in search of a nonexistent problem.

Ordinary, responsible, everyday CHL holders have paid a steep price in the curtailment of our former rights, as the direct result of the handful of loud-mouthed zealots led by the likes of Jonathan Stickland and Kory Watkins.

Responsible retailers, in particular, fearing an unwelcoming environment for their customers, have widely adopted prohibition signage, out of an abundance of caution. Good on them — and well within their rights to do so.

Thankfully, I’ve personally seen very few of these open-carry idiots carrying openly in public, which may demonstrate that public shaming can work.

When I see a person with a holstered gun, my concern is not the gun, it’s the person. We know that, statistically, the odds of this person needing to use this gun in self-defense are less than 1 percent.

So, why this obsession with “strapping one on” when the “I’m ready if anything happens” argument is incredibly overblown. My guess? I think a lot these folks just think it’s cool or manly to wear one around. If that’s the case, they have a distorted view of cool and manly.

A licensed open-carry handgun carrier makes me feel safer because they are trained in all aspects of gun safety and how to shoot. They are the nearest alternative to a policeman, protecting and serving the public if necessary.

I’ve not seen a single person openly carrying a handgun in public since the law allowing it was passed, which is very surprising to me, given the media hype this issue generated.

I’ve had a concealed-carry permit since it was made legal many years ago. I carried for a while, but my attire is shorts and T-shirts for nine months of the year. I became accustomed to not carrying.

I’m out and about seven days a week, and I haven’t seen a single person take advantage of the open-carry law. My family and many friends say the same thing. That surprises me.

I feel no apprehension about open carry. If someone needs a pearl-handled crutch to function on a daily basis, they’re to be pitied, not feared.

I consider myself blessed that I don’t need a holster for my self-confidence. Openly carrying a gun is behavior on the level of a high school bully who seeks attention and wants to intimidate others.

This sort of behavior is generally necessary only for those who see only violent solutions to a problem.

I’m confused. I know that the NRA says the only thing that’ll stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun, but how on earth can I tell the difference?

It would be easy if all the good guys wore white hats and had “good guy” tattooed on their foreheads. But knowing that 75 percent of the 355 mass murders last year were committed by Caucasian males leaves me in a quandary.

If I were a proprietor, I would want the option of determining whether to allow firearms in my establishment. Plus, I don’t know why the Legislature forbids law enforcement from asking someone to see his or her gun permit. How do you know if they’re legal?

Although I’m a strong proponent of Second Amendment rights, I fail to see any reason to authorize open carry other than for intimidation.

It’s frightening to think of what may happen during a road rage situation. It’s frightening to encounter demonstrators waving firearms. It’s frightening to enter a restaurant and see someone carrying a weapon.

Enraged people commit crimes that normally would not occur otherwise. Just seeing an armed person may enrage another to unlawful action.

I have a license to carry, and I’ve openly carried most of the time since Jan. 1. I’ve had no negative reactions from the public or law enforcement. Most people don’t seem to even notice. Those who have noticed were positive and curious. I’ve seen only three other people carrying openly.

I think any fear was propelled by the anti-gun movement and many media outlets that predicted a return to the Old West. It’s well known that licensed carriers are responsible gun owners who’ve proven it’s been much ado about nothing.

The open-carry law had one legitimate purpose — to avoid concealed carriers being arrested for brief, accidental exposure of a concealed weapon. Otherwise, it was political appeasement of a tiny, noisy group who merely wanted to prove they could successfully demand the right, not actually exercise it.

And they’re smart not to exercise it. In a confrontation, you don’t want the other person to know you’re armed. It merely makes you the first target. Concealed is the way to carry.

This story was originally published May 20, 2016 at 7:11 PM with the headline "Despite passage of open-carry law, weapons are still mostly out of sight."