And of course, everyone freaks out and there’s a call for more security.
I’m not going to excuse what the guy did.
But clamping down on the Capitol Building is not the way to make it more secure. It won’t stop anything. Look at the “high level of security” that goes on at the airports and it doesn’t stop things.
Governor Rick Perry thinks metal detectors is the wrong way to go about it.
But other Texans do, and “criminals have to think twice before they draw a gun because there is a good chance that they are going to end up outnumbered by law-abiding citizens who are not only armed, but screened and trained properly in firearm use … (which) keeps us all safer,” Perry said.
Even Austin’s Democrat Representative, Mark Strama, says:
Rep. Mark Strama of Austin is open to security changes, but doesn’t want to lose the connection Austinites feel to the building.
“My bias, if there’s not a compelling case coming from the security experts, is to keep the Capitol as open as possible. It’s a jewel to this community,” he said.
However another one of Austin’s Democrat Representatives, Eddie Rodriguezsays:
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez of Austin said metal detectors should be put in place at entrances. He also thinks the open carry law within the capitol should be revisited next session.
“I think after yesterday and what could have happened, it might be something people change their minds about,” Rodriguez said.
Setting aside the fact there isn’t open carry in Texas (I assume this was a journalistic mistake), I don’t see how that would make any difference. As it is, someone with a concealed carry permit can carry concealed into the Capitol building. Why should that change? This guy didn’t have a license, and either way well… he was already breaking the law in numerous ways. How would more laws stop him? Do tell. Could a metal detector have stopped him? Probably so. But it would also stop a lot of legally carrying law-abiding citizens as well.
Stuff From Hsoi 