Unfortunate Accident

Last month, we witnessed what happened when some "open carry advocates" decided to pack the wrong kind of heat at Chipotle. Then, we saw armed madness erupt at Chili's and Sonic. But now, Open Carry Texas has fallen to a new low.

And what might that new low be? Oh, their Fort Worth group harassed a Marine veteran. And not only that, but they chased down James Henry on a city street. And they were doing so while brandishing assault weapons in an urban neighborhood on Memorial Day... Just 3 days after the Isla Vista massacre.



Perhaps sensing the negative publicity this was causing "the cause", the NRA actually criticized the Open Carry Texas groups that have been packing heat on the street. However, keep in mind that the NRA only criticized Open Carry Texas' tactics, not Open Carry Texas' policy goals. After all, they share the same policy goals.

That's because the NRA shares the same radical agenda as the open carry radicals. That's because a group of radicals took control of the NRA in the 1970s and changed its mission over time from one of promoting gun safety to one of prioritizing gun industry profits over all else (even people's lives). The NRA is still promoting this radical agenda. It just doesn't want the kind of public backlash that Open Carry Texas is now experiencing.



Funny enough, 85% of Texans support stronger and universal background checks for gun purchases. This is in line with the numbers we've seen for Nevada and the rest of the nation. Even the US House approved additional funding for the background checks system.

For the record, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) voted for the additional funding. However, Rep. Heck continues to reject legislation to make that funding go further by closing the loopholes that allow criminals to obtain lethal firearms. Rather, he and his fellow Nevada Republicans remain proud of the fact that they were what stood in the way between us and better gun safety laws.



Last week, a Republican running for US Senate in Iowa described the Isla Vista massacre as an "unfortunate accident". Joni Ernst's fellow Republicans were then quick to criticize... Those who criticized her characterization of this tragedy as merely an "unfortunate accident".

As is the case in this era of "Republican rebranding", G-O-TEA "gun enthusiasts" have occasionally criticized wording, "framing", and "lighting". They're working hard to "change the optics". But when it comes to the policy they're celebrating, they refuse to stop celebrating that. Why let some "unfortunate accident" get in the way of "gun enthusiasm"? Just make sure not to carry an assault weapon into "the wrong restaurant" or make "the wrong comments" about the next mass shooting.