By Dean Weingarten
Arizona – -(Ammoland.com)- Legal open carry of modern handguns was partially restored to Texans on January 1st, 2016. I was visiting Texas at the time and open carried a bit, but the cool weather in January made concealed carry more practical. I returned to Dallas in April, to visit family and a new grandchild.
This morning, on my aerobic exercise run, I was running west on Rosemeade Parkway. A black and white police SUV approached on the other side of the boulevard, but did not slow down, and continued on its way without any sign of interest in me. It was very near the Dallas/Carrollton border, so it could have been one of a number of agencies. A couple of days earlier, another black and white had driven by me on Marsh Lane without incident. Both drive-bys occurred after careful scrutiny by a police SUV a week earlier.
On Saturday, the 9th of April, I was running on the same route, on Rosemeade Parkway. At that point I had turned around and was running east, on the sidewalk, with the flow of traffic. The police SUV approached me from behind, and clearly saw that I was openly carrying. I was wearing the same outfit as in the picture. The police unit immediately slowed; but they started to impede traffic, so the officer did the sensible thing and sped up, then made a right turn into a sided street. As I approached the side street without varying my pace, the unit pulled up to Rosemeade. This way they were able to obtain a good look at me without impeding traffic or detaining me.
The pistol is a Glock 17 in a Fobus retention holster. I also had a Cold Steel XL in the strong side pocket with a pocket clip; and an iphone 6+ in a holster in front. The red Dan Baum “Gun Guy” cap emphasized that I was not hiding anything.
I approached the SUV at about 11:39. I looked directly at the driver’s position, and nodded my head in acknowledgement. I did not look back, but kept going on my run.
The SUV pulled out behind me and passed me for the second time that day. They did not slow down, and went about their business, just as I did.
They had done proper police work. The officer(s) saw something unusual; checked it out, did not find any probable cause of reasonable suspicion, and continued on without incident. A couple a minutes later another SUV with “Constable” on it drove past, but I cannot say if it was connected or not.
I have a strong suspicion that the first look over is what resulted in the later lack of interest. In my long association with police, my experience is that items out of the ordinary are passed around in the local peace officer community rather quickly. It keeps officers informed and helps to break up the deadly monotony that is over 95% of police work.
I suspect that the word quickly traveled around the area about the old guy exercising with a Glock and red Gun Guy cap. I became just another feature instead of a bug.
This is what commonly happens with the restoration of second Amendment rights in an area. I experienced it in Arizona, and it is spreading over all the country. First, there are horrific predictions of “blood in the streets” by the media that know nothing about guns, but know what they oppose. Nothing happens, the expansion of rights does not result in “blood in the streets”. Then a few incidents occur where a “good guy with a gun” stops crime or saves an innocent victim. Sometimes it is a cop. The police chiefs start saying that the restoration of rights hasn’t been a problem.
Nothing much happens, until the next step in restoring Second Amendment rights is up for a vote in the legislature. Then the whole process is repeated.
It is so predictable, it become monotonous.
It is all a part of replacing emotional propaganda with facts and logic; restoring American values that were degraded during the ascendancy of the “progressive” media. It isn’t over yet, but it is happening all over the country.
©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
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About Dean Weingarten;
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
It’s great to be white.
Texas just passed the million LTC permit holders mark. I realize that to exercise a constitutional right should never require government permission or a license. That’s a no- brainier ! But it’s a major revenue producer for the State of Texas to require a license. It’s a lot of money going into the state treasury. That’s what we need to raise hell about with our elected officials. I know for a fact that a constitutional right trumps money going into our state treasury. I think it’s an unconstitutional ‘infringement’ on our rights to keep and bear arms.
Very good comment, Sir. I too, am somewhat ambivalent about Constitutional Carry, and I support the idea of anyone who wants to carry a gun, getting at least basic safety training first. Like you, I worry about the Constitutional principle involved in having to have a government permit to exercise an inherent right, and also about how easily an administration like the current one could use such a requirement to make it impossible to get a gun for most folks. For example, you cannot carry a gun in a Post Office, not because of any law (there isn’t one) but… Read more »
I also live in Texas . West Texas where guns are more common. My thoughts are rather complicated on the subject of open carry. I agree that open carry can both prevent and cause assault by the bad guys. I am going to wait until open carry is much more common before I partake. Maybe by then the problem of gun snatching will be less of a hazard. As for constitutional carry, I have mixed feelings there as well. I like the idea of the required training to get the government’s permission. But I don’t like the requirement having to… Read more »
MS just approved Constitutional Carry, which you identify as “expansion of Rights” . I would say its “Restoration of Rights” that have been incrementally stolen by well meaning , misguided individuals. This is the result of Progressive politics that has INFECTED America and is leading us down the wrong path. I prefer to not ADVERTISE that I am armed as a safety measure. I am too old to Run and too Fat to Fight so I prefer Stealth.
I usually carry concealed. When i do open carry, its usually because the weather is warm and I’m going to be in public in non peak hours like a store. When i do open carry i use my Bluetooth headphones in one ear only with the police scanner app on. Never had an issue and have had an officer in line at various stores on a number of occasions. I’m actually not sure if any of them ever even noticed. Its quite common in Colorado Springs and surrounding areas to open carry. Just my 2cents.