Here's some great news for men with small penises!
Yesterday, the state house passed House Bill 3098. If signed into law, it would allow Oklahomans, who as we know are some of the most intelligent, grounded, emotionally stable people in this world, to openly carry handguns without any sort of permit or training.
It's called the "Turn Oklahoma Into A Spaghetti Western Act."
Via The Tulsa World:
Accompanied by Bible readings and constitutional fervor, the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted Thursday to remove license and training requirements for handguns carried openly.
Rep. Jeff Coody said his House Bill 3098 acknowledges rights granted by God and the U.S. Constitution. Rep. John Bennett, R-Sapulpa, backed Coody by reading a selection of Bible verses he said empowers believers to defend themselves.
That's awesome. I know whenever I dream up laws and regulations for a complex, modern society, one of the first resources I turn to is a 2,000-year-old book that condones human sacrifices, slavery and claims the entire universe was constructed by an all-powerful deity in only 336 hours. Seriously, who can forget all those great Bible verses about self-defense? My favorite passage comes from Smith-Wesson 11:9, where "Jeremiah, point thine high-caliber rifle at the catalytic converter thief" and then proceeded to "shooteth him dead in the driveway, because America. Freedom."
Coody argued that the Second Amendment, which he called the most important amendment in the Bill of Rights, could not be infringed upon, nor could a person’s right to self-defense.
“Is it a good idea to let anyone carry a gun, even if they don’t know how to use it or even where the safety is?” asked Rep. Emily Virgin, D-Norman.
“The key word is ‘let,’ ” said Coody. “Somehow we’ve gotten the idea that the government has to give us permission to exercise our freedoms. That is totally antithetical to me.”
Hell, yeah! I don't need permission from the gubment to exercise my constitutional freedoms. They're God-given rights! Now who wants to walk into a movie theatre and yell "Fire!" with me... you know, after we obtain a legal permit to do so.
The bill excludes felons from open carry, but not people under protective order. This caused some concern, even among gun-rights supporters, and may be addressed when the bill reaches the Senate.
Rep. Mike Brown, D-Tahlequah, noted that the state requires people to learn to drive to obtain a driver’s license, and asked why a person shouldn’t be required to learn how to operate a gun before carrying one in public.
“Because driving is privilege,” replied Coody. “The Second Amendment is a constitutional right.”
Say what you want about Rep. Jeff Coody and his right-wing legislation, but at least the guy paid attention in Driver's Ed. Seriously, Mike Brown tried to make a point with the Driver's License? That's just stupid. In addition to "driving being a privilege, not a right" it's also totally fine to get drunk and operate a gun. Do that with a car and you'll go to jail.
Anyway, I normally roll my eyes at all the gun nut legislation that our legislature passes each year, but this bill is great news for people like me. I own a handgun for "protection," but have only shot it a couple of times. Although a gun novice, why do I need a permit or training classes to carry it with me when I take my dog for a walk at night? That's not fair. What's the worst that can happen? As victims of accidental shootings show us, it's not like guns are all that difficult to use. Point and pull the trigger. It's that easy.
