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Texas State Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio) to Oppose Open Carry Rights Restoration!

Mike

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castro.jpg


State Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio) supports the Ostrich "head in sand" theory of personal and collective security.

---

http://www.ksat.com/news/18190630/detail.html

Gun Owners Seeking Open Carry Law

Gun rights supporters are now targeting a state law allowing licensed handgun owners to carry a concealed weapon out in the open.

More than 30,000 people have signed an online petition[/url] asking state legislators and Gov. Rick Perry to support the passing of an open carry law, but one legislator said he doesn't believe a majority of his colleagues support the cause.

State Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio) said he would not vote for an open carry law, citing the current success of the state's 14-year-old concealed carry law.

"I don't think people want to walk into a restaurant or movie theater and see five or six people who have guns on their waist," he said.

Texas is one of only six states that do not allow any form of the open carrying of handguns, according to the Web site of Operation Lone Star Thunder, the supporters of the law and group promoting the petition.

"I believe you should be able to do it simply because, if someone sees a weapon on you, I think they'll leave you alone," said former Texan and current Idaho resident Tim Allen.

Idaho is one of the 22 states that allows some form of open carrying of handguns, according to the Web site.

The group's supporters have placed billboard ads across the state in an effort to promote the cause, including one along the Interstate 35 corridor from San Antonio to Austin. No state legislators have introduced a bill for consideration, but Perry has stated publically he would sign an open carry bill were to come across his desk.
 

Cowboy_Rick

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Well at this time 41,000+ people disagree with him-he might want to re-think his point! Those numbers could mean the difference of being employed or unemployed to any politician!
 

GumiBear

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"I don't think people want to walk into a restaurant or movie theater and see five or six people who have guns on their waist," he said.

This liberal brainwashed rhetoric just kills me. To me it is just like smoking in old movies, the hero always smoked, now it's the bad guy. Inthe old westerns, the hero won the day with his gun. Now it is the criminals that use the gun.
Now I'm not saying smoking is good nor is solving your problems with a gun, but what used to be accepted no longer is. The liberals say guns are bad so they must be bad, I mean afterallmainstream media and Hollywood says it is, so it must be true. Folks seem to forget that open carry of arms is not just about exercising our God given right to self defense, but it is about stopping the knife that is whittling away ALL of our rights. The founding fathers didn't grant us the right to Keep and Bear Arms, it has always been there for us to exercise. They made the Second Amendment to remind government that this right is inalienable and it shall not be infringed. Who is the government? We are! But when the MINORITY has the power to mandate the rules for the MAJORITY, then we have a serious problem. We can see how this right is slowly, strategically, been infringed, and the brainwashed or the "OK whatever" crowdhas let it happen. For me this movement is about resetting the clock and bringing this right back to where it was originally intended to be. If not, if we let it slide because the MINORITY might be offended or get scaredat the sight of a gun then what is next. We can see the same thing happening to our freedom of self expression, all this PC crap is slowly whittling away our freedom of speech, as far as freedom of the press is concerned the right is going strong, but they've used it to help suppress our other rights. I'm standing vigilant to ensure no one takes away from me what God intended for me to have.

I say Merry Christmas
I say God Bless you when you sneeze
and if that offends you then I say grow up.

Glenn

PS God that felt good to get off my chest!
 
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Joaquin Castro, office 210-684-6896

I called him, not that he'll change his mind, but I took GREAT pleasure in telling him while I can't vote against him, I have quite a few customers who can.
Why not give our misinformed/confused politician a call?
 

Conagher

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I have drafted a letter to Mr. Castro that would probably be moreapprioprate coming from someone in his district if anyone would like to use it. Otherwise, I will send it my self.

Dear Representative Castro,



I read with interest your opinion on the initiative for Open Carry of handguns in Texas as reported by KSAT. While I respect your opinion, I would like to give you my thoughts on this subject.



Currently, the citizens of 44 states of the United States of American enjoy the freedom of Open Carry. These states account for over 75% of the US population; roughly 226 million citizens. 226 million is a sufficient statistical sample size to prove any point, pro or con. Thus, we are not dealing with the “unknown” in regards to this subject. Any intelligent decision concerning open carry for Texas should be based on actual statistical data from these states, and not on speculation of hypothetical situations or emotional fear propaganda.



I would reverentially request that you answer the following question for your constituents:





What are the faults you find with the Texas citizens you serve that deem them unworthy of exercising the same freedom currently enjoyed by almost a quarter of a billion US citizens? [/b]





Respectfully yours,
 

LMG

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At one time in our Country's history, the "good guys" were easily recognized because they wore or carried their firearms on the outside of their clothing. Only the "bad guys" carried their weapons "concealed."

Today the "good guys" and the bad guys carry their firearms concealed.

I don't think most people are "upset" or "frightened" or "taken back" when they are in a restaurant and a couple of uniformed and armed police officers come in to eat. Possibly the first few months or years after an Open Carry Law is enacted some people may be surprised when an ordinary citizen is observed in public with a sidearm strapped to their waist. However, people will soon become accustomed be the sight of law abiding, armed citizens and it will be no big deal. Even politicians will get used to it. (And it might even make them toe the line a little bit more!!)

25 years of public criminal justice experience has shown me that an armed, lawful citizenry is the best back up any officer needs.

Cheers. And remember, when seconds count the police are minutes away! Learn to defend yourself, no one else will.
 

qednick

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I sent this clown a letter on the open carry issue (as well as my other state legislators and the governor) a couple of weeks back.

Guess I'll be writing him again to let him know I'll be voting for the other guy next time - assuming the other guy knows a bit more about the constitution than he does.
 

Conagher

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Conagher wrote:
I have drafted a letter to Mr. Castro that would probably be moreapprioprate coming from someone in his district if anyone would like to use it. Otherwise, I will send it my self.

Dear Representative Castro,



I read with interest your opinion on the initiative for Open Carry of handguns in Texas as reported by KSAT. While I respect your opinion, I would like to give you my thoughts on this subject.



Currently, the citizens of 44 states of the United States of American enjoy the freedom of Open Carry. These states account for over 75% of the US population; roughly 226 million citizens. 226 million is a sufficient statistical sample size to prove any point, pro or con. Thus, we are not dealing with the “unknown” in regards to this subject. Any intelligent decision concerning open carry for Texas should be based on actual statistical data from these states, and not on speculation of hypothetical situations or emotional fear propaganda.



I would reverentially request that you answer the following question for your constituents:





What are the faults you find with the Texas citizens you serve that deem them unworthy of exercising the same freedom currently enjoyed by almost a quarter of a billion US citizens? [/b]





Respectfully yours,
I sent the letter. We'll see if I get a response.
 

sccrref

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I think that he should reeducate himself with the State's Constitution and start doing what he swore an oath to do when he took office. Specifically:

[align=right]




ARTICLE 1. BILL OF RIGHTS[/align]
Sec.23.RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS. Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defense of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime.

I do not fathom howOC by those persons legally allowed to owna gunwill not help to prevent crime.
 

FoGKeebler

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"I don't think people want to walk into a restaurant or movie theater and see five or six people who have guns on their waist," he said.
I would love to go into a movie theater and especially a restaurant knowing and seeing 6 other people carrying their firearm open. That way i know that if something happens, i have 6 others to back me up if poop hits the fan.

Besides that it would make me proud to see that at least some AMERICANS choose to exercise their right granted to them by the 2nd amendment instead of concerning themselves of pissing off the "im perfect and nothing will ever happen to me" people.
 

nking

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This guy just needs to remember that he was voted in and can just as easily be voted out next time. 41,000 people should be a loud enough voice for him to get the picture. I was thinking maybe the 2x4's need to be sent to him this month, now that would be a good message to him and his staff.
By the way i droped Mr Joquine a nice little letter and i would encourage the others hear to do the same if you have not yet, lets send him about 42,000 stronge and see what he thinks or the former sugestion , either or works or both as far as i am concerned.
 

SANDCREEK

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The referred to TEXAS legislator is a TEXAN first and foremost - and therefore a party with standing in this TEXAS issue.I suspect that Mr Castro - (as in CASTROville, Texas !) can tracehis family treeroots in Texas at least 3 centuries further back than most of us Euro-"Americans".Diatribes submitted on this forum denigrating the ethnicity, or occupation are clearly a violation of rule no. 5 of this forum. It's way past time - to leave this "purist" nonsense behind.

Such spewing of internal, egocentric frustration, andpersonal turmoil would be better invested with a therapist than on this discussion forum. It is not appreciated and will not be tolerated. Not onlyis such rhetoric not only counter-productive to the purposes of this forum-it has the potential to destroy the positive efforts of all the rest of us who are striving to achieve a long-sought goal in Texas. Please moderate yourself - or excuse yourself from this discussion- if you are unable to contribute anything positive or productive to our cause.
 

nking

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well said Sandcreek i couldnt agree more,

Now wit that said i have talked to Mr. Joaquin and from what he has said he is not totally against OC i believe. From his responce i would say he would much rather a no name calling conversation about the issue than what he has been given so far which makes the argument a little bit hard to take serious.

So far it appears that the emails that he is recieving are just a bunch of bashing and no one has even bothered to pick up the phone either to call him. I can honestly say that if all i get about an issue is negativity and name calling then i sure would not listen to someone and most definatley turn a deaf ear at the first name calling or derogetory thing i heard coming out of the persons mouth i was talking with. Folks people will not push for the cause if we portray ourselves as a bunch of uneducated redneck hillbillys, haha just realized my wife calls me that all the time due to my neck color from fishing so much, but anyways sorry got off the subject "Educate, Educate, Educate" I ahve seen it time and time again on hear where people started out here on this site as against OC and in time they have slowly moved over to the other side after hearing the truth about this, so lets not forget that. Just my .02 im outts hear.
 

John Pierce

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I think we all need to remember that, based upon his own words, Representative Castro is a supporter of the concealed carry law. He is not in favor of open carry but he is apparently not an actual anti-gunner.

We should be trying to introduce him to our way of thinking about the issue but not attacking him as an anti.

Second, OpenCarry.org wishes to protect the rights of all Americans. Period.
 

Orygunner

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jpierce wrote:
I think we all need to remember that, based upon his own words, Representative Castro is a supporter of the concealed carry law. He is not in favor of open carry but he is apparently not an actual anti-gunner.

We should be trying to introduce him to our way of thinking about the issue but not attacking him as an anti.

Second, OpenCarry.org wishes to protect the rights of all Americans. Period.

+1

...You just heavily edited this thread, didn't you?... ;)
...Orygunner...
 

Orygunner

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jpierce wrote:
Guilty as charged. :)

Hey, you did it again!

I understand what you're doing there, but it's a topic for another thread. I won't hijack this one...

That being said...

I did find this:

http://www.votesmart.org/npat.php?can_id=49227

A "political courage test" from 2006, he did not answer any of these Gun Issue questions:

a) Maintain and strengthen the enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
b) Ease state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
c) Repeal state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
d) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
e) Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
f) Require a license for gun possession.
g) Other or expanded principles

He also answered that he believes race, ethnicity or gender SHOULD be taken into account in state agencies' decisions on Public employment, State college and university admissions, and State contracting.

...I dunno why I'm even discussing this... I don't live in Texas anyway...
...Orygunner...
 
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