The education of Wendy Davis continues. During her time on the Fort Worth city council, Wendy Davis tried to kick gun shows off municipal property. Now that she is running on the Democrat ticket for governor of conservative Texas, Davis has come out claiming to support open carry for gun owners. That puts her farther than where state law currently is, and farther than many in her own party want to go, but it puts her where most Republicans are — if anyone believes Davis’ current positioning.
It’s not very believable, and now there’s evidence that she hasn’t really thought her newfound position on gun rights through. Davis said today that she believes cities and even smaller entities should have a say on the Second Amendment.
The Fort Worth Democrat said that entities including cities should be able to make their own decisions not only on any proposed open-carry law but on the existing law allowing licensed people to carry concealed handguns.
“Obviously in Texas we have a culture that respects the Second Amendment right and privilege of owning and carrying guns — but we also, of course, have respect and understand a the rights and privileges of property owners to make decisions about what’s right for them,” said Davis, who is expected to face Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott in the general-election in the race for governor.
“My position on open carry reflects my respect for both of those principles, and I believe that municipalities, school districts, hospitals, private property owners should be the ones that ultimately have a say as to whether this is right for them and their facilities,” she said.
A reporter, saying that cities cannot preempt the current concealed handgun law, asked whether municipalities should be able to ban open-carry at the city limits.
Davis, pointing to her time as a city official, said, “My position on that is consistent both on open and concealed carry. I do believe that municipalities should be able to make that decision for themselves. I sat on the City Council in Fort Worth when that decision was made for us.
“I believe that local control means local control, and we should respect municipalities’ positions and opinions in these matters and we shouldn’t make the decision for them,” she said.
Then what is the state supposed to do?
Davis’ attempt to go for hyper local control is nonsense. First, concealed or open carry is a matter of state law. Second, the Second Amendment is a constitutional right. It doesn’t end when you cross city or county lines, nor should it. If cities could limit the Second as Davis says, why couldn’t they limit the First?
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