Wednesday, the Texas legislature’s House voted to allow their members to install “Panic” buttons in their office. Isn’t that special?
The reason they might just need these panic buttons is because some folks are just getting out of hand. And in their hands, they want deadly weapons. Just about wherever they go.
The Texas Lege is voting on whether to allow “Open Carry” of guns. Texas would join 22 states where Open Carry is already legal. [For the record, I am astonished that that bastion of gun rights, Texas, does not currently allow folks to carry guns wherever they choose. Shocked, in fact.]
The vote to allow House members to install “Panic Buttons” all came about because of a group of folks, ummmm, lobbying for open carry rights. This group went to the office of a House member, Pancho Nevarez, who had the audacity to plan to vote “No” on open carry. And while these “lobbyists” believe strongly in the Second Amendment, they apparently haven’t read about the FIRST Amendment. They were aggressive. They were intimidating. They were, in a word, assholes.
But the thing is, rather than doing anything to prevent assholes and crazy folks from carrying guns, intimidating people and killing them, the Texas House voted to allow their members to install “Panic Buttons” to alert security.
You will be surprised to know this action just doesn’t sit well with me.
Perhaps I should be used to it. After all, there have been security measures in Congress and most Executive Branch departments for nearly 30 years.
Folks cannot bring their weapons into the State or Defense or Homeland Security Department. You can’t even bring it into the Air and Space Museum.
And, really, that’s OK by me. I don’t want government officials to be shot at their desks. It’s so messy.
But you know what? I don’t think anybody should be shot at a Walmart. Or at a movie theater. Or at an elementary school.
So why should we provide an extra level of protection for the very same folks who vote to put the rest of us at risk?
The folks who decide on the gun laws are voting to keep themselves safe. If they’re going to do that, they should damn well vote to make me safe. And you. And our kids.
What is wrong with this picture?
FiftyFourandAHalf 
If everyone can carry guns – who the heck is going to respond to these Panic buttons? By the time the police surround the building, evacuate as many as they can, negotiate with the armed person – the lawmaker & all his/her staff will be DEAD! Or a lot of police officers will lose their lives protecting these people who allow just about anyone to carry a gun!
Can you tell I hate guns?
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Me too, Benze. Me too.
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I promised myself I would just let this one die and just move on, but please take a moment to send your condolences my way. Yesterday, I spent several hours stuck in a room with someone loudly “sharing” his views about why every person should be smothered with firepower, and how the infernal ‘guvment, (and that horrid foreigner, Obama) are trying to steal away his right to carry his Pinky Dick anywhere and everywhere. Then, to be sure everyone got the essence of his argument, he proudly waved around a loaded pistol, exclaiming in a heated manner that “Ain’t no one gonna take away my gun”. The pastor politely asked him to holster the weapon, so the conversation could continue. I’m not kidding, either. I was at a volunteer event held at a local church. In Texas. God help us all.
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Oh, I was right. I sometimes read comments on my phone, respond to them in my head, and think I’ve sent off a clever, brilliant, or at the very least adequate response. Oops.
Oh I hate those damn Pinky Dicks. What are they trying to prove? But be careful down there not to get shot. It really doesn’t sound like any fun.
One of my brothers is a right wing crazy man. So I know what it’s like to be stuck with an irrational nutcase. Fortunately, I don’t see mine too often!
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Part of what made me regurgitate in my mouth a little is that NOT THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE SHOCKED when he started waving around his pistol. Tell me again WHY it happens that I live in Texas?
Oh, that’s right. It’s where my kids and grand kids (and now great-grandson) live. Yee-haw.
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I remember a picture a friend of mine — a doctor — from TX showed me. His todler nephew standing at a coffee table thatheld ababy bottke, somemagazines and a six shooter. Yee-haw.
But you gotta stay. Family is family.
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So why should we provide an extra level of protection for the very same folks who vote to put the rest of us at risk?
good question, with no acceptable right answer. the world as we know it continues to spin disproportionately in the wrong direction. sorry to hear they don’t feel safe in their offices. asking me to pay to protect them from the very laws they insisted on establishing is repulsive, on every level.
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Yes. OF course, it is only we relatively sane folks who get the hypocrisy.
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I think they are playing by some rule other than the Golden Rule. Must be the Teflon Rule: I can intimidate the shit out of you, but don’t you dare try to scare me because I have firepower, political privilege, and a panic button to whoop your ass! (Sorry, but I believe this situation called for cussing because I was channeling Texas Republicans. It happens.)
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Don’t worry Lorna. This is a cuss-for-free (as opposed to a cuss-free) blog. Have at it!
But yes, they certainly go by something other than the Golden Rule. I think it is more akin to the Middle-Finger Rule …
Sorry — I nearly missed your comment. I’d seen it on my phone …
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Not a problem. Although it would have been a shame if you’d miss all my cussing. It’s rare you know!
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The only kind of panic button I have says, “that was easy” when I press on it. I’d really like to know where they got theirs so I can go get one too.
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I actually have a “NO!” Button — my husband gave it to me for Christmas 2013.
I played the video just now and my dog went a wee bit nuts. we hit it sometimes when he is misbehaving and it always leaves him baffled!
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OMG that was hilarious – I could use one of those. Speaking of dogs, a friend of mine just gave my dog a stuffed Mr. Bill dog toy and when she bites it in the right place, it says well you know what it says. It drives her nuts!
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That’s funny. I should get one for my dog to drive my husband nuts. I can tune stuff out — he can’t!
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It will definitely do the trick!
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I just looked up the video. Now I have to get one.
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Yep that’s it – your poor dog. Give it some positive reinforcement soon!
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Obviously the answer is to shoot everyone who wants to limit our right to carry guns around…
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That seems to be the plan.
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let’s get going on that!
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How can they not see what backward logic this is? If we want the safest solutions, NO guns should be allowed in. Anywhere. No guns means no need for panic buttons. What’s next? Bullet-proof vests for everyone? Bullet-proof cubicles? I’m with you, Elyse—this one leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
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I’m afraid they probably can’t. They see nothing and nobody but the Almighty Second Amendment.
My husband came up (he’s pretty sure) with a great name for these folks, to be used by women only — Pinky Dicks. The sort of folks who need guns to make up for, ummmm, other lackings.
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Ha, and it won’t even require a name change for Dick Cheney.
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Exactly!
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The world has gone mad. I live next to Sandy Hook and the idea we should arm teachers to fight people with guns is horrifying. Panic buttons? What a bunker mentality we’re creating.
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I have family there! In Sandy Hook and environs. And it is exactly what you said — everybody into the bunker.
Last time I drove through I saw someone with a sign on the back of their pickup truck. “We are Newtown, We Choose FREEDOM.” It’s a wonder I didn’t run the “Pinky Dick” off the road.
My husband came up (he’s pretty sure) with a great name for these folks, to be used by women only — Pinky Dicks. The sort of folks who need guns to make up for, ummmm, other shortcomings.
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I am so sick of this. Truly, this is in my state. They actually want to expand the open carry we already have, yes we do have open carry but it is limited. What they want is an expansion beyond specific types of guns and into all buildings, business types and without limitations.
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Wikipedia failed me.
But what’s wrong with any gun anywhere? What could possibly go wrong?
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Yes, right what could possibly go wrong.
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http://www.texasgunlaws.org/texas-open-carry.htm
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http://crooksandliars.com/2015/01/war-cupcakes-finally-over
Texas is, sadly, often good fodder.
I’ll look forward to your article at lunch!
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You know, after reading that, I’m not quite sure which is worse — a gun you can’t see or one you can…
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They are of equal concern.
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Yikes! And that was without guns – imagine how that “Don’t touch me” would have played out if everyone had guns. You know it strikes me that as many Americans want weapons to defend themselves from their gov’t as want weapons to defend themselves against the bad guys. Double Yikes!
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It’s a brave new world, Paul.
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Why do I get the sense that the 2nd amendment is being used to weaken the 1st amendment? We need some balance. But before we can get that, we need some balanced people.
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I think if we’re looking for balanced people, we need to clone ourselves. Because the crazy ones seem to be breeding way too much.
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Where will it all end . . .?
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The morgue? Dodge City? So mamy choices. So few we’d want.
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Hey, if automatic weapons were good enough for George Washington, they’re good enough for me!
[Yeah, that argument didn’t work with Daddy Bear either…]
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Yorktown has sooooo much to answer for …
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Teas. Assholes. Need more be said?
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* Texas
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Oops. I hit the wrong button. I have friends and family there, so i do try to not pick onTrxas ALL the time. But it is difficult sometimes!
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I really do try not to pick on Texas. But the
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Hey, I have a great idea. Instead of a panic button for everyone, just distribute panic guns to everyone. Then we can just annihilate ourselves. But the important thing is that the Second Amendment will be preserved. Hey, read the Constitution. Read the freakin’ Constitution.
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Doesn’t that make perfect sense? I mean, fight fire power with fire power ammirite?
This all makes me crazy. Let’s protect the chicken Hawks who refuse to stand up to the NRA. The rest of us can just pound sand.
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I… just don’t get it. Your world seems so much more confusing than mine, I’m not really sure why that is, and I’m afraid that my world may become more confusing.
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Yo Canooks will have to adopt the 2nd Amendment. With out that, there is hope for sanity.
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We’re gonna be on all kinda alerts. This is getting on all my nerves. We’re living in fear of everybody and everything. How about we. carry a panic button.
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It does seem like we’re headed for something like that. Me, i’d prefer that the guns just stay out of the public domain!
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…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fg6VYceK_8 …
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Yup. You said it, Frank.
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