The Next Step to Regaining Our 2A rights?

[iRIGHTi]

Well now that the legislators have canned our one shot at any semblance of open carry, what is the next step? Yes, I realize we need to vote some folks out and some are, fortunately, term limited but really, what is the next step? All gun owners and advocates of the 2A right the Supreme Court has ruled an individual right need to get our collective ducks in a row and work together. Yes, that includes that rifle group too!

The Constitution of both the United States and Oklahoma guarantee the right to keep and bear arms and most of us will agree that we need to be able to exercise that right unfettered and without taxes or fees. So how do we get there? One issue that seemed to cause heartburn with the Senate bill to allow anyone to open carry was the fact that the legislation wasn't exactly in line with current federal law. If you are over the age of 18 you can buy a rifle or shotgun but not a handgun. Perhaps, the next attempt should reconcile this difference and allow open carry of pistols only by those over the age of 21.

Another issue that came up was that some felt that open carry should require a holster with some level of retention. Nowhere did I see anyone mention the fact that concealed carry licensees are allowed to carry now without any level of retention albeit concealed. The truth is that most folks with practice or proper training could draw from a retention holster with almost the same ease as one without retention.

While I am certain that there are those who will have the opinion that open carry isn't necessary, I would prefer to have the individual freedom to make that decision for myself. Hopefully even those who don't feel it is necessary or proper will have enough respect for those who would like the opportunity to make that decision to support them in their quest for their constitutional right. If we are complacent and don't make phone calls and send emails to our representatives in government and voice our desire for our right or support the quest of our fellow shooter for that right, we dishonor all those who have ever served,fought for or paid the ultimate price to gain and defend those freedoms.

I guess I'll end my rant but if we band together and work together toward a common goal there is little that we cannot achieve. Thoughts?

 

[Old Fart]

The next step might be supporting someone who feels as you do.
Getting involved and getting the word out, both for replacements and removing deadbeats.

 

[OldCurlyWolf]

We can start with the bunch that killed it in the House. Here are a couple of more names to add to the list. Sen. Andrew Rice and Rep. Al McAffrey.

They represent my district and are both yellow dog demoncrats. They have never seen a spending bill, a tax bill (increasing thereof) nor a liberal agenda that they didn't just drool over.

 

[Mirge]

One issue that seemed to cause heartburn with the Senate bill to allow anyone to open carry was the fact that the legislation wasn't exactly in line with current federal law. If you are over the age of 18 you can buy a rifle or shotgun but not a handgun.

You can buy a handgun at 18 years of age, just not from an FFL.

 

[dutchwrangler]

Here is the law:

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

 

[Dale00]

More shooters - specifically more handgun and self-defense shooters. Youth shooting education programs. Women's shooting education programs.

If you tell me about something, I may or may not listen.
If you teach me how to do something, I just might believe you.

Politicians respond to issues which please voters. As long as most voters aren't shooters, we will have a problem restoring 2A rights.

 

[dutchwrangler]

Although education programs serve a purpose, why would non-shooters want to be educated? Like any other product being sold, it must have appeal. In short... it has to be fun. Events such as Ruger's Rimfire Challenge are having the most success in this area. Simple, inexpensive firearms that anyone (adult and child) can shoot coupled with inexpensive ammo and you have the makings of a fun, interactive education tool to bring non-shooters into the shooting fold. The way to beat the anti-gun crowd is to grow the pro-gun crowd. We've got the advantage as we actually shoot which is a hell of a lot of fun. All the anti-crowd has is fear... not so fun.

 

[iRIGHTi]

I guess I was thinking more specifically along the lines of what the next round of legislation should say. We are all aware that we need to make some changes by voting. If legislation for open carry is going to make it anywhere we are going to have to address some of the concerns that were raised against the last bill and educate some of the legislators that the fear mongering just doesn't prove out statistically. So if we were to consider what we could live with and consider it an incremental step toward the ultimate goal of true 2A rights, what would or could we live with?

Also, Mirge points out that anyone over 18 can buy from an individual and perhaps they can but the legislators didn't feel like that jived with the FFL requirement of 21 years of age. So that is why, perhaps we should consider different age limits for long guns and pistols.