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Originally posted by: malibber2Quote
DonDiego's post informed the reader that the State of Texas does not allow one to carry an assault rifle into a Chili's, . . . contrary to Mr. Maher's assertion.
I would point Don Diego to this article.
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The showdown has taken place foremost in Texas, where in recent months groups such as Open Carry Texas have conducted provocative demonstrations in which armed men exercise their right under state law to carry semi-automatic rifles in public.
Open Carry TexasThey have You Tube videos too.
Nothing in malibber2's post contradicts what DonDiego has stated.
Perhaps the confusion stems from the definition of an "assault rifle".
Since the appearance of fully-automatic weapons within military organizations they have been called "assault rifles". Examples include the United States M-16 deployed during the Vietnam War and the old Soviet Union AK-47.
if a long gun cannot fire fully-automatic it is, . . . or was, . . . by definition not an assault rifle.
-------An Aside-------
The confusion originated in 1994, when the Assault Weapons Ban [AWB] was passed in Congress. Led by Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) a group of Congresspeople "redefined" the term by specifying a bunch of weapon characteristics which would make a semi-automatic firearms an "assault weapon" subject to the ban:
__Semi-automatic rifles able to accept detachable magazines and two or more of the following:
Folding or telescoping stock
Pistol grip
Bayonet mount
Flash suppressor, or threaded barrel designed to accommodate one
Grenade launcher mount
__Semi-automatic pistols with detachable magazines and two or more of the following:
Magazine that attaches outside the pistol grip
Threaded barrel to attach barrel extender, flash suppressor, handgrip, or suppressor
Barrel shroud safety feature that prevents burns to the operator
Unloaded weight of 50 oz (1.4 kg) or more
A semi-automatic version of a fully automatic firearm.
__Semi-automatic shotguns with two or more of the following:
Folding or telescoping stock
Pistol grip
Detachable magazine
Several of these new criteria are simply cosmetic and have no effect on the weapon operation. Essentially the AWB defined an assault weapon as a semi-automatic weapon that looked scary because of a pistol grip or a bayonet mount. n.b. One could have a pistol grip or a bayonet mount, but not both. And if the weapon did not have a detachable magazine it could have a folding stock and a pistol grip and a bayonet mount and a flash suppressor. Just silly.
The AWB expired in 2004, as did its amateurish definition of an assault weapon.
---End-of-the-Aside---
So nowadays, . . . in 2015, . . . i.e. now, Open Carry Texas members are "demonstrating" by exercising their right under state law to carry semi-automatic rifles in public. This is perfectly legal. NOW.
n.b.Between 1994 and 2004 some of these weapons were in fact banned by the AWB if, f'rinstance, the rifle had had a threaded barrel and a folding stock.
The only thing that should be at all bothersome or controversial is the demonstrators' intent to carry their weapons openly into businesses like Starbucks and Jack-in-the-Box. DonDiego opines business owners should have the right to prohibit folks from entering their establishment armed openly; most States specifically agree, and some even instruct businessmen on appropriate signage to prohibit open carry on their premises.
In any case if a business chooses to not allow open cary on the premises, that should be respected.
