With all respects for those that oppose open carry, CCW, I’m Paging this to illustrate that like advocacy, objections have merit, real effects on the ground. Even the most ardent advocate must sometimes admit they went too far, screwed the pooch. It’s an easy mistake to make when you compete for attention with the likes of HCI/Brady.

You (we, the public at large really) made our point strongly enough to push back on an unwise and dangerous kind of protest action.

Here we have a (partial) press release from a organization dedicated to open carry and CCW. And it’s on a site that prides itself on publicizing self defense incidents when a gun was used. Lots to not like for many readers. Admitted up front.

To their credit the site posts MSM links for every incident cited and has a lot less foam at the mouth tea party crap than other similar sites about gun rights.

I’m posting the carry advocates press release, it illustrates them backing up and recognizing they hurt themselves with long gun open carry protests often in or near franchise restaurants.

I was going to clip in the whole statement, changed my mind. Link provided of course so you can look further.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Come and Take It Texas, Texas Carry, Gun Rights Across America and Open Carry Texas Joint Statement on OC of Long Arms - May 21, 2014

… As we have grown, we have had to adjust our efforts based on lessons learned through hundreds of open carry events, big and small.

Looking back, it has become clear that there is one area in which we have gotten the most resistance and suffered the largest setbacks: open carry of long arms into private businesses. This is not a new phenomenon. Early on, because of our efforts, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) sent a message to all TABC licensees warning them about allowing our members to open carry into their businesses. This resulted in places like Smashburger asking us to leave our guns at home. Since then, Starbucks, Wendy’s, Jack In The Box, Applebees and most recently, Chipotle have come out asking we not carry our firearms into their establishments.

Whereas, our mission is to get open carry of handguns passed in Texas, we must once again adjust in a way that shines a positive light on our efforts, our members, and our respective organizations. We are humbly and emphatically imploring our members to cease taking long arms into corporate businesses unless invited…

For all further open carry walks with long guns, we are adopting the following unified protocol and general policy to best ensure meeting our respective legislative mission to legalize open carry:

1) Always notify local law enforcement prior to the walk, especially the day of.

2) Carry Flags and signs during your walk to increase awareness.

3) Carry the long gun on a sling, not held.

4) Do not go into corporate businesses without prior permission, preferably not at all.

5) If asked to leave, do so quietly and do not make it a problem.

6) Do not post pics publicly if you do get permission and are able to OC in a cooperate business.

7) Do not go into businesses with TABC signs posted with a long gun (Ever).

8) If at all possible, keep to local small businesses that are 2A friendly.

We ask that members take a step back and make an objective assessment of what we are trying to accomplish and help us to get open carry passed for everyone. We must be willing and able to recognize what works and what doesn’t, but we need your help to make these efforts a success….

…It is simply time to focus on what has been proven to work. The conversation has shifted from open carry of handguns to rifles in businesses, negating our efforts and distracting us from our mission.

Open Carry Texas, Texas Carry, CATI-TX, GRAA

More: Texas Gun Rights Groups Issue Statement on Open Carry, Clarify Stance on Long Gun Carry