Not helping? Go figure.
It's happened: Open Carry Texas has finally out-extremed the NRA. And the NRA doesn't like it, because having Gun Furries For Texas parade around Chili's or Sonic or Home Depot in full cosplay turns out to be something the general public is getting pissed off about. And if the general public gets pissed off about it, you see, politicians start getting pissed off with the NRA about it, and the NRA loses some of its ability to wrap those same politicians around its finger, and so the NRA has come out with an (amazing) statement telling the gun furries to
knock it the eff off:
[W]hile unlicensed open carry of long guns is also typically legal in most places, it 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. To those who are not acquainted with the dubious practice of using public displays of firearms as a means to draw attention to oneself or one's cause, it can be downright scary. It makes folks who might normally be perfectly open-minded about firearms feel uncomfortable and question the motives of pro-gun advocates.
Hey, a concession: wandering around the streets with assault rifles so that people will pay attention to you is a "dubious practice." I do believe we might be getting somewhere. (They probably had to lock Wayne LaPierre in a closet while typing that—good thing they don't let him have any guns in the office or the door would be well-perforated by now.) We may have also gotten an admission that perhaps armed gangs marching into crowded businesses is a damn peculiar way to "defend yourself," unless "defend yourself" is the usual euphemism for accidentally putting a bullet in your own foot.
As a result of these hijinx, two popular fast food outlets have recently requested patrons to keep guns off the premises (more information can be found here and here). In other words, the freedom and goodwill these businesses had previously extended to gun owners has been curtailed because of the actions of an attention-hungry few who thought only of themselves and not of those who might be affected by their behavior. To state the obvious, that's counterproductive for the gun owning community.
Yeah, well, we've been trying to tell them that for a long time now, so good luck. They've convinced themselves they're locked in heated battle with "Moms Demand Action," and further convinced themselves that anyone who disagrees with them is a secret member of Moms, and now you're all members of Moms by just saying that. You'll be getting the usual death threats anytime now.
More to the point, it's just not neighborly, which is out of character for the big-hearted residents of Texas. Using guns merely to draw attention to yourself in public not only defies common sense, it shows a lack of consideration and manners. That's not the Texas way. And that's certainly not the NRA way.
All right, I have to stop here. The irony is too thick. I can't even parody that.