Kory Watkins, the leader of Open Carry Tarrant County, is the Fred Phelps of the open carry movement in the United States, “leading” with hate, and turning everything he touches to cinder and ash.

In the video, Watkins states that he is frustrated with what he calls games legislators are playing with his push for so-called “Constitutional carry” rights.

He then goes on to suggest that failure to open Texas up to open carry of pistols without any licensing requirements is tantamount to treason.

“We should demanding these people give us our rights back or it’s punishable by death. Treason. Do you understand how serious this is Texas?” Watkins asks. “This is treason against the American people. You don’t sell my right back to me. You’re going to find trouble.”

Sigh.

Many pro-gun people agree with the concept of constitutional carry. They have the good sense to know that the best way to transition to constitutional carry is to make calm, rational, intelligent, and data-driven arguments that inevitably convince people that constitutional carry is the most rational position for a free people to adopt.

This persuasive effort must be directed at the average voter, who isn’t a “gun guy,” and who currently sees the status quo arrangement of licensed concealed carry and no open carry as a solution that has worked for many years.

Those who can eloquently make those logical arguments for constitutional carry have good chance of getting much of what they are asking for, thanks to a sympathetic political climate in Texas that is very favorable for gun rights reform.

Unfortunately, Kory Watkins and his band of misfits that are Open Carry Tarrant County almost single-handedly wrecked an attempt at getting even the most moderate open carry reforms passed with their continued antics.

At this moment, I think that there is an argument to be made that Kory Watkins is the single most effective advocate for gun control in the United States.

I hope he’s smart enough to ask Mike Bloomberg for a check.