Several open carry groups in Texas are threatening to cancel their memberships after the National Rifle Association shunned them as “weird.”
“I personally am an endowment lifetime member of the NRA and an inductee into the Golden Eagles program, and I will rip up my cards and burn my certificates on camera if they don’t change their stance,” said C.J. Grisham, president of Open Carry Texas, a CBS affiliate reported.
The NRA last week issued a statement shaming Open Carry Texas and similar groups after they walked into Texas-area outlets of Sonic and Chili’s restaurants carrying assault rifles and caused the restaurants to stiffen their gun policies.
“We applaud Texans for [their robust gun culture], but a small number have recently crossed the line from enthusiasm to downright foolishness,” the NRA said. “[I]t is a rare sight to see someone sidle up next to you in line for lunch with a 7.62 rifle slung across his chest, much less a whole gaggle of folks descending on the same public venue with similar arms. Let’s not mince words, not only is it rare, it’s downright weird and certainly not a practical way to go normally about your business while being prepared to defend yourself.”
Texas Carry President Terry Holcomb Sr. told the CBS affiliate that the NRA will face a boycott if it doesn’t change it’s stance.
“Those of us that know what the Second Amendment is for and believe in the Second Amendment, and know that it’s a right, are not going to accept the NRA’s position, and the NRA is going to lose members over this,” he said. “If they continue this position, we will actively try to move people from the NRA to [Gun Owners of America] or another alternative.”
Gun Owners of America’s Michael Hammond responded: “If you want to come to GOA, you are welcome here. We are fighting a war of perception, and if gun owners allow themselves to be subdued by the narrative that guns are bad, guns are evil, we need to hide guns, then we are only going to see the Second Amendment suffer more,” the station reported.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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