John Wayne would be proud...we guess

Happy morning from Oklahoma! Those of us hereabouts managed to miss the severe, violent weather that the weather-guessers were predicting for days leading up to yesterday. Of course, with those storms steering around us we also missed out on the rain…sigh.

I woke up this morning to the news that the Oklahoma State Senate passed a bill last night that will allow that (small) remaining number of us not yet convicted of a felony to carry a firearm concealed and/or OPEN without a permit in this state.

I’ve been sitting here pondering this. A person can make the case either way is what I’ve decided (how's that for wishy-washy).

On the one hand, I’ve never been convicted of a felony. I own a lot of weapons. Hey, I enjoy shooting! Do I carry one with me at all times? Nope. Toting a weapon around requires a lot of prep - gotta find a holster that won’t interfere with your normal daily stuff, for one thing.

Frankly, I’m too lazy to be a constant carry guy.

The passage of a no-permit-required bill that will likely be signed into law by the legiswhore, Her Royal Highness Mary of Fallin, won’t make a bit of difference as to whether I’m carrying or not.

Both houses of the legislature referred to their effort as “Constitutional Carry”…hmmm, sounds official, semi-patriotic even. I support the Second Amendment, same as most people. The problem is, there are a lot of really stupid people out there.

I mean genuinely, irretrievably stupid.

You allow them to carry a loaded weapon around without even a minimum of required safety training…guess what you get?

John Wayne, with all the swagger.

On the other hand, I spent a lot of years…honestly far too many…in the military. The military, where everyone is drilled in the proper use of firearms and still the stupid people float to the top. I can remember of hearing of two Marines on a late-night gate watch who became bored and decided to test their quickdraw skills. One of them died when the other’s weapon discharged by (stupid) accident.

So, I guess I can rationalize the not having proper training thing by citing examples like that, but it would go on ad infinitum. Stupid is as stupid does.

Does making people take the training and get a permit do anything for crime reduction? Nope. Criminals commit and will continue to commit crimes with a weapon regardless of what the law states (hint – it’s why they’re criminals). Have you watched the local news lately? Night after night, someone is getting killed in Oklahoma City. Stay out of the City.

So, maybe what those sold-out sons-of-bitches on Lincoln Blvd are really doing for us is eliminating the paperwork. Hmmmm. That’s thoughtful of them? Maybe. At least having the permitting process in place, which included several hours of training and the requirement to demonstrate the safe use of your weapon, slowed down the John Wayne wannabes…made them more Jimmy Stewartish.

A few years ago, HRH Mary of Fallin signed into law a bill that allows Oklahomans to own and carry switchblade knives. Who cares, right? The measure was pushed through by a freshman legislator who wanted to be able to go home at the end of the session and brag to his constituents all that he had done for them in OKC.

The only problem with that is that federal law, which last time I checked, trumps (pun intended) state law still prohibits the possession, purchase, repair, and/or carry of switchblade knives. Now obviously, over the years manufacturers have scooted around federal law by calling the knives wherein the blade flies open at the speed of sound, assisted opening (AO, if you’re a knife person). So, in the big scheme of things the Oklahoma switchblade law is an (superfluous) exercise in ensuring and preserving individual freedom(?).

As I’m reading back over what I’ve written this morning, I realize I’ve not made a stand either way. Maybe I was looking for something to rant about the bozos on Lincoln Blvd.
On the one hand, I think the Oklahoma State Legislature is a world-class welfare society filled with morons and chronically unemployed perverts, miscreants, and others you wouldn’t normally let through the front door (a defensible statement). There, I feel much better now.

I’m always very suspicious of anything those idiots do “for us”. I despise people who are convinced they know what is best for me. They don’t.

But, state legislature aside, I think the thing that does disturb me about this legislation are those people who have never even fired a weapon, let alone learned how to use it in a safe and proper manner being able to buy one to carry. They’re the ones that scare me.
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That is all!
 

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