TX: Andrews Open carry March Doubles in Protest of Arrests

The 15 February open carry march in Andrews Texas more than doubled the size of the last march of a month ago.   Two arrests that appear to be motivated by legal open carry have occurred in the city.  No charges have yet been filed, and the men arrested remain in legal limbo.  James Franklin of the Midlands/Odessa CATI has told me that they are applying for several more permits, in order to educate the people of Andrews about their Constitutional rights.

Over 80 people participated in the 15 February march, in a small town near the Texas panhandle.  

CBS7 News reported on the event locally.  James Franklin is the organizer of Midlands/Odessa CATI.

During today’s march, a local restaurant allowed participants to go inside wearing their guns across their backs, drivers honked and waved to show their support as activists walked down Main St.

“We want to establish Texas as a bulwark of freedom to maintain our constitutional rights here in this state, if nowhere else,” Franklin says.

Open carry of long guns has become a popular way to express dissatisfaction with the Texas legislature for not passing an open carry law last year.  The law passed the House, but then stalled out.  Texas is only one of five states that ban the open carry of holstered handguns in most public places.

Numerous open carry demonstrations have been held in  Arkansas to enforce a change in the law.    Numerous settlements have been gained from police departments who abuse open carry rights in Washington, Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia,  Pennsylvania, and others.

Both of the likely candidates for Texas Governor now support the restoration of legal open carry of handguns in Texas.

California is the only fish to be swimming against this tide.   It banned open carry of even unloaded handguns in 2011 and rifles and shotguns in 2012.  The laws are being challenged in the courts.   The ban on open carry resulted in the Ninth Circuit upholding the second amendment right to carry handguns outside of the home for self defense.

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