I went to Texas last week to visit my wonderful sister-in-law and discovered I was definitely not in Oregon any more.
First I want to start by staying Oregon is not the liberal bastion it appears to be from the outside. I learned, once I lived here, that the major cities (Portland and Eugene, for the most part) are liberal, but the rest of the state, including where I live is pretty conservative. So, I am quite used to hearing local discussion about open carry and whatnot and gun ownership in Oregon is only slightly below Texas’s rate.
The first thing that hit me reading the Austin newspaper the next morning was that most people blamed the Oregon girl who was murdered for her own death. Even though the suspect is a troubled youth and he overpowered her and strangled her, the pundits believed if she had carried a gun she would have been able to protect herself. (This is a major difference between Oregon and Texas and not because the victim is from Oregon. It is because Oregon believes you do not blame a victim for a crime.)
And some of you are nodding but she was too young to be carrying. So even if she had an interest in having a personal weapon, it was not yet legal for her to carry one.
To me this stank like blaming the woman for the rape, not the jerk who overpowers her and assaults her.
Why are conservative men so full of doublespeak? They want to protect their daughters from raping Islamist terrorists but blame other women who get attacked by the boy next door? One out of six women are victims of rape or attempted rape in this country. And men? About 10% of American men are the perps, and over half of them blame the woman. Over two-thirds of all sexual assaults are caused by men known to the woman. Over 50% are white. And over a quarter are married. What is wrong with you guys?
Rape is not sex. Rape is assault. Get it out of your pea-picking brain that a woman who looks attractive is NOT asking for it. Use your self control.
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The other issue that was apparent was open carry. This is also related to the death of the Oregon student on the University of Texas campus, which, as a public college, has to permit guns on campus as it is the state law. But we saw, walking through areas of Austin and then in more conservative areas a couple of hours away, signs not permitting people to come into the establishment with their weapons. Private stores, colleges and organizations can opt out of the state’s open carry allowance.
The idea of guns in a bar or winery or brewpub just does not make sense. While some people can agree that guns and alcohol don’t mix well, the point is you have no idea of who is carrying and what their anger managament control may be, especially as they begin to be affected by alcohol.
Still, some shops that do not even serve food had the no guns allowed signs posted at the entrance.
Who’d a thunk it that some in Texas do not want to see a repeat of the old wild west. But I still prefer Oregon where pedestrians can cross the street without fear of being hit by a car….because life just seems to be valued in all ways there.
goingplaceslivinglife 
April 20, 2016 at 6:45 pm
Maybe people nowadays are more mature, calm, peaceful, etc., then when I grew up. If we were allowed to carry guns back then. fist fights and stabbings would have turned into homicides. The guys I grew up with were violent, lead poisoned thugs that would let their emotions carry them away and react without much thought, until after the crime was committed. Maybe I am wrong and do not truly understand human nature, and maybe things have changed.
April 20, 2016 at 7:08 pm
I have often thought of the riots we had in my school in the late 1960s/early 1970s and realized if there were guns then how much more horrendous they would be. You and I both know, Ralph, that human nature has not matured and I also think alcohol and drug usage is much more widespread. I think there are a lot of angry people at all levels of the economic spectrum and the Wild West would have to be subdued once again. How many lives….how much more bloodshed…..all in the name of “just in case”.
April 20, 2016 at 5:00 am
Thank you for shining a light on these subjects and the mess that could ensues.
AND It hadn’t occurred to me that we may now need to make a policy about open carry for the restaurant. NOW I’ll think about it!
April 20, 2016 at 6:52 am
As of January 1 of this year, open carry was permitted to all individuals in Texas who could conceal carry. We actually did not see anyone with a holstered handgun. But you’re right, the way the West Virginia legislature is going, this is something to consider for any owner of any establishment. To me, it is a sad statement that that many people feel the bogeyman is going to get them instead of working to minimize the risk of why people become bogeymen.