[marktwain]

Once rights are taken away, it is very hard to get them back. The right to bear arms was taken from Texas residents 145 years ago by the Reconstruction government. The same government had to rewrite the Texas constitution to do it.

Before that, The Texas Supreme Court found that even slaves had a right to arms.

Now, 145 years later, Texans are reclaiming their rights.

[jagusafr]

Slight detour, but the max length of knife allowed for carry in Texas is 5 (or 5 1/2) inches. San Antonio city Council passed an ordinance that banned knives from 2 1/2 inches to 5 inches, specifically so they would have something to roust out gangbangers on. I told an SA cop that I carry a 4 inch blade and he said, “oh, we wouldn’t hassle YOU about that…”

Disturbing.

[Pollster1]

Before that, The Texas Supreme Court found that even slaves had a right to arms.

That's where I'd like to be today. "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" means exactly what it says. When a felon is released from prison, his rights to carry any weapon should be restored. If a criminal is too dangerous to be permitted to have a knife/gun, that person should have been sentenced to more time in prison. If a mentally ill person is too dangerous to be permitted to have a weapon, that person is too dangerous to be outside an institution.

The process for buying a gun (for those not institutionalized) should be the same as the process for buying an ice pick, axe, chainsaw, or just about anything else - you go to a store and buy what you want.