Like most big-city police chiefs, Austin, Police Chief Art Acevedo is reliably anti-gun. He’s also not terribly bright, a fact he proves as he attempts to link new open carry legislation in Texas to narco-terrorism, biker gangs, and “extremists” in a hyperbolic and fact-free rant.

Acevedo’s Twitter link goes to this post on Twitlonger

Open Season For Armed Criminals and Extremists

Yesterday’s amendment to Texas’ Open Carry Legislation is beyond belief and Aiken to open season for gang members, drug cartels, outlaw motor cycle gangs and any other criminal or extremist to defy the law with impunity, just brilliannt! If criminals, drug cartels, and extremists had a seat at the policy writing table they couldn’t have come up with s better Amendment.

By prohibiting law enforcement from stopping or detaining to check for CHL, Texas is authorizing within our state lines any and all criminals to carry a firearm. My heart goes out to domestic violence victims and the victims of violent crimes in our State. Through this amendment we are facilitating the victimization of the people we are sworn to serve, protect and lead.

Here is a scenario, next time groups face off in our Capital City at the Capitol, Klan with their hoods on, Panthers with their faces covered, ISIS sympathizers with their faces covered and just about any other extremist group, armed with firearms authorized by Open-Carry, law enforcement will have absolutely no authority to ensure the people who are armed as they wish……….why bother common sense has officially died and writing any further would be fruitless.

The pending legislation has passed the Texas legislature, and heads to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk. Abbott long ago publicly stated that he would pass open carry reform if it reached his desk.

The legislationwill only allow licensed concealed carriers, a segment of society even more law-abiding than the police themselves, to open carry firearms in Texas, which is still far more restrictive than the laws of many states where the open carry of handguns is allowed without any permitting at all.

Acevedo’s rant doesn’t even attempt to explain why “gang members, drug cartels, outlaw motor cycle gangs and any other criminal or extremist” illegally carrying firearms will suddenly decide to run the risk of drawing attention to themselves by moving from illegal concealed carry to illegal open carry.

There isn’t a logical argument to be made here by Acevedo, who results to craven fear-mongering.

People suspected of actual criminal acts can still be stopped by law enforcement officers in Texas, and officers will still be able to ask for permits, arresting those who violate the state’s laws. He pays lip service and name checks “domestic violence victims” and “victims of violence” but doesn’t explain how the new law will impact them, because it doesn’t.

Acevedo’s fantasy scenario of masked Klansmen squaring off against masked Panthers is equally absurd. Both groups would still have to comply with all applicable laws, including firearms laws, and the same people would be authorized (or disallowed) to carry handguns in public, whether open or concealed.

The one thing Acevedo has correct in his fact-free rant is the conclusion that “writing any further would be fruitless.”

On that, we can all agree.