JACKSON, Miss.–You can carry a gun on your hip, a la old west style, especially after July 1, when a new law goes into effect stressing that Mississippi’s constitution allows for open carry. But, not everybody is happy about it.
That includes some state lawmakers and law enforcement who are concerned about the amount of violence happening in the state. A group met at the state capitol Tuesday.
“If this law is not overturned,” said State Sen. John Horhn, “you might easily see some of the same kinds of showdowns that were carried out in the wild, wild west or at the OK Corral.”
This seems to be a turnaround for Hohrn, who, according to the state legislature website, voted for the bill. LINK: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2013/pdf/votes/senate/0510018.pdf
Horhn and the group of county constables called for Gov. Bryant to overturn the law before it goes into effect.
Though that is not likely to happen, as Bryant has stated he is all for Second Amendment rights and has attended and spoken at events like the Second Amendment rally, there is at least one Republican lawmaker who has made overtures aimed at the new law.
U.S. Cong. Steven Palazzo, who represents the coast and south Miss., was quoted as saying the legislature should re-think the new law on TV station WDAM.
“I’m a strong supporter of the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms. I’m a concealed carry permit owner myself, I own a lot of firearms, but there’s just something about strapping a pistol to your side and walking around in public,” said Palazzo. “It would make me personally as a father of three young children kind of uncomfortable, so I don’t know what they were trying to do. I think their intent was to clarify a law that was already on the books, but I haven’t seen an issue. I haven’t seen anybody walking around the state with a gun, but I do know if I’m in a restaurant and someone comes in with a gun on their side I’m probably going to you know get out of there as quick as possible and take my family and business elsewhere.”
Rep. Andy Gipson has defended the bill numerous times as already being a part of the Mississippi constitution.
