I'm not going to speak either for, nor against gun ownership. That's an individual issue, but I absolutely can't find any fault in allowing traces of sanity and rational thought to be tied to our right. That statement alone brands me as a bleeding heart liberal in the minds of the pro gun crowd. Senator Tom Coburn once said he didn't see anything wrong with having a neighbor that owned a bazooka. I do. Republican State Senators in Oklahoma are desperately trying to pass new state laws that would allow college kids to carry concealed pistols to class. Not a fan of that one either. There are other examples of common sense links to gun ownership that I support and could cite, but won't. I think I made my point.

In today's issue of The Houston Chronicle, the major newspaper in one of America's largest cities, they published a story that revealed that Texas has experienced a 40% increase in concealed handgun licenses. The Associated Press story indicated that this swell of Texans that want to pack heat has created a backlog in new applications and permit renewals. Tela Mange, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman said, "We're trying really hard, but there have been delays because of the tremendous increase in applications." The state is taking a month longer than the 60 days allowed by law to process original applications, the newspaper reported. Renewals are going 80 days past the mandated 45-day period. Last week alone, the state reported processing 1,043 original applications, but received 1,871 requests. Mange said the department is paying overtime and hiring temporary workers to reduce the backlog.

So who are these people that want to carry a concealed gun? You can't find out. Last year, Republican state lawmakers in Texas granted privacy to the 258,000 licensed gun owners in Texas by closing records that had been public since the concealed handgun law passed in 1995.

Of all the reasons to own a gun and obtain a concealed carry permit, I think I've just come across the most ludicrous. That label, "ludicrous", is my label. Clearly that puts me on the other side of the fence with a large number of individuals. That's ok too. I'm comfortable, at least knowing I'm right, but not so comfortable knowing there's a crowd out there, apparently in significant numbers that feels otherwise. The reason driving this surge in Texas residents that feel they need to carry concealed guns is astounding.

The Houston Chronicle story stated that "handgun instructors point to factors ranging from the looming presidential election to newly strenghtened privacy laws for Texas gun owners." The story quotes Ross Bransford, who trains 1,000 Texans a year to qualify for a concealed handgun licenses, who said he believes "election-year politics are a factor in the spike of applications." He said, "Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, who is leading the race for his party's nomination is a friend of Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy, and that scares everybody to death." Alice Tripp, legislative director for the Texas State Rifle Association, said, "They are really quite alarmed and annoyed."

So just the mere thought of the possibility of having a black man, especially one who knows Ted Kennedy, is so terrifying to Texans they feel compeled in waves to make application to arm themselves with concealed guns. It should make all of us pause a few moments to think what kind of a nation we've become.

I think it has more to do with Obama's buddy's being one of the best supporters of gun control. But if all you want to see is race, that's your choice.

And by the way, concealed means hidden. You're not supposed to know who's carring a gun. Thats the point.

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What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them.
Henry Ford II (1917 - 1987)

ROFLMNAO... This precedes a lengthy anti-2nd amendment screed...

Just more of the same independent, moderate, centrist, secular progressive anti-Americanism...

This friends, is a person who bears the audacity of Hope and has, in this piece advocated for Change... The change from government protections for your God given right to own and use a fire arm in defense of the lives of your family and yourself...

They're not with us... it's time we begin to discuss what needs to be done to prevent them from electing a tyrannical government.

Conservative... When being wrong is not enough.

It's nobody's business.

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“Race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now.” --Barack Obama

I've seen you say this same thing now in many posts.

Are you saying that anyone who isnt a hardcore Conservative is essentially an enemy to the United States of America??

You must hate quite a few of our founding fathers then lol.

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Not a Republican, Not a Democrat. I've found that usually the truth lies somewhere in the middle of what both of them are saying.

Your common sense approach is fine (even though MY common sense approach would allow, even if not necessary, students to conceal carry on campus). However, the fear has nothing, NOTHING to do with the fact that he is (half) black, and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that he is a socialist.

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^My First Knockout Victory!^

It is both funny and telling that this poster sees people filing applications to legally carry weapons as a negative! People are trying to comply with the law, instead of buying a street gun and carrying it illegally, and this guy sees that as a negative!

Using that logic, I could raise the issue of an increase in abortions being legally performed as an alarming trend, and he would counter with my same counter argument above.

Im 100% in favor of gun ownership.

With that said im also 100% in favor of STRICT restrictions on them. I also dont think its necessary to own a bazooka or anything like that. lol.

I dont hunt, however I enjoy target shooting and own a few guns. I also do keep a 9mm loaded in my house at all times for protection in case someone ever breaks in.

My daughter has been instructed VERY clearly to never touch it. Its not somewhere easy for her to get to anyways.

My point with all this is that im a fan of guns and think they serve a good purpose. However I think our laws should be a bit more strict on obtaining a gun, and also think that the individuals who own them need to quit being so reckless with them and actually use a little bit of intellect and common sense when they own them.

If someone has a criminal record they shouldn't be able to obtain one....Period. Im talking anything that was violence related as a youth, or anything above minor traffic violations as an adult. No matter how you want to spin it, there is a serious problem in the United States with firearm related crimes compared to other countries and we have to try to do SOMETHING about it.

But you cant take away the rights of good and decent people just because of the actions of morons either.

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Not a Republican, Not a Democrat. I've found that usually the truth lies somewhere in the middle of what both of them are saying.

With the amount of school shootings in your country how the hell can yuo be against giving the students guns?!?

Sad they need to really pick up the pace and get it into gear.

Good there not monsters and you have no right peeking into there lives.

Your a liberal and your blind lack of understanding about guns is destroying what little freedom you have left.

Good democrats will try and take there guns strip them of there rights and leave them to die at the hands of the criminals while being retarted and ignoring the fact that 98% of registered gun owners don't commit crimes.

You failed in making the connection between this and his race.