I for one am all for open carry and voted as such. I hope this bill passes with flying colors and I'll do what I can as far as contacting my reps.
As far as the newspaper articles go, in Texas if you catch someone trying to steal from you whether it be break into your vehicle or your home, you have the right to blow the sorry SOB away right on the spot and I believe Oklahoma is the same way. So, those people who got robbed didn't know the law or their right to self protection and protection of property.
I see your point about weapon retention, it should be practiced if you open carry, no doubt. But there are also over 90% of LEO's that don't use weapon retention holsters and yet you don't see very many LEO's getting rushed for their guns, I don't mean to use an LEO as an absolute example but maybe you get my meaning. I think open carry is or would be a deterrent of crime in most cases. Because after all, most thieves want to get in and get gone without being caught or shot and killed.
I was in Wichita Falls a couple years ago parked at the Holiday Inn under a bright light right next to the Highway in my company truck. That night, my truck got broken into and they stole over $60,000 worth of tools and equipment. The next morning when I found the broken glass and the cops showed up. I told the officer that I was licensed in OKlahoma to carry and I asked her if I had had my gun with me and I would have caught them breaking in, could I have shot and killed both of them without recourse? She said, Yes sir. Needless to say my most expensive piece of equipment was recovered from Old Mexico. That's neither here nor there though. The point is and, as was made in previous posts, we as Americans should not have to ask for permission to exercise a right that is already ours. Government is too big and I feel it's going to take another "ROME" to rectify it totally.
As far as the newspaper articles go, in Texas if you catch someone trying to steal from you whether it be break into your vehicle or your home, you have the right to blow the sorry SOB away right on the spot and I believe Oklahoma is the same way. So, those people who got robbed didn't know the law or their right to self protection and protection of property.
I see your point about weapon retention, it should be practiced if you open carry, no doubt. But there are also over 90% of LEO's that don't use weapon retention holsters and yet you don't see very many LEO's getting rushed for their guns, I don't mean to use an LEO as an absolute example but maybe you get my meaning. I think open carry is or would be a deterrent of crime in most cases. Because after all, most thieves want to get in and get gone without being caught or shot and killed.
I was in Wichita Falls a couple years ago parked at the Holiday Inn under a bright light right next to the Highway in my company truck. That night, my truck got broken into and they stole over $60,000 worth of tools and equipment. The next morning when I found the broken glass and the cops showed up. I told the officer that I was licensed in OKlahoma to carry and I asked her if I had had my gun with me and I would have caught them breaking in, could I have shot and killed both of them without recourse? She said, Yes sir. Needless to say my most expensive piece of equipment was recovered from Old Mexico. That's neither here nor there though. The point is and, as was made in previous posts, we as Americans should not have to ask for permission to exercise a right that is already ours. Government is too big and I feel it's going to take another "ROME" to rectify it totally.
