The open carry movement existed in Texas before C.J. Grisham was set upon by a Temple police officer in rural Bell County. Grisham was eventually convicted of "interfering with police duties" after a second jury trial. He paid a $2,000 fine. Many who have watched the video of the event think the police officer is the one who should have been reprimanded. The video went viral, and Grisham's zeal for open carry has blossomed into thousands of armed Texans marching to demand their second amendment rights.
Texas is one of only six states that mostly ban the open carry of modern handguns. The law is a relic left over from the occupation of Texas by the reconstruction government after the War Between the States or The Civil War if you prefer. Full disclosure: one of my great-grandfathers served in the Union Navy. As the Governor elect, Greg Abbott, the Lt. Governor, and much of the legislature are in favor of restoring Texas open carry in some form, it seems likely that a bill will be signed into law in 2015.
The Texan Constitution from 1876 protects the right to carry long guns openly, but allows the state to regulate the "wearing of arms". The original Texas constitution had one of the strongest protections of all the states for the right to keep and bear arms. One item that is likely to pass in 2015 is a call for a constitutional amendment to return the Texas Constitution's right to keep and bear arms provision to its original form. It was a plank in the Republican Party platform.
"Texan of the Year" is an appellation applied by the Dallas Morning News. It appears that the editorial board decides who the winner is. While they are openly hostile to C.J. Grisham's activities, they have included him as one of the finalists this year. From dallasnews.com:
This newspaper sides with critics who think the publicity stunts are overly provocative, especially in an urban setting.I did not find any succinct explanation of the process for selecting finalists or the "Texan of the Year". It appears that the editorial board decides among themselves.
It is a tribute to C.J. Grisham's efforts that they felt compelled to include him as a finalist.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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