It seems to me, that the best thing for OC Supporters to do, right now, would be to start a Texas-Based Organization to start _responsibly_ working to promote open carry in Texas.
Their target should be the 2013 or 2015 Legislative session, not the 2011.
They should work in concert with the current/future goals of the TSRA, and should work to present open carry responsibly. Not stepping on the toes of the TSRA, or other organizations also promoting any other pro-firearm legislation.
Their aim should be to _responsibly_ promote open carry to both current TSRA Members, to policymakers, and to the public. They should do this slowly with facts & logic, studies and focus groups. Not by spewing one-liners after any individual crime or incident, throwing other groups under the bus, or claiming it's a "Constitutionally Protected Right, and that's all it needs to be."
All 3 of the aforementioned things negatively portray the goal to a large group of people.
Other states passing similar laws will help with this. This group should help support OTHER state groups that are closer to passing open carry than we are, as the more states that have it, the more we look like we're 'Behind' and need to catch up with the times!
This WILL TAKE TIME. Maybe even until the 2015 or 2017 session if done perfectly right!
The first step should be to promote licensed carry. As said before, baby steps. Rome wasn't built in a day. Licensed carry is perfect as a first step because you're merely saying "Hey, all these people are ALREADY carrying handguns... and nothing has happened. You just couldn't see them before. Now you might. No biggie."
If licensed open carry ever DOES pass, this organization should NOT hold Open carry rallies, in which hundreds of people openly wear handguns in a public place. This will only portray the group negatively to the gun-fearing public. Rather, they should step back for a few years. Let people forget that it was ever passed. Let it become 'old hat', let people occasionally see a handgun, and get used to it. Then, a few legislative sessions later, maybe 2017, 2019 they should simply press to remove the license requirement.
To me.. this is how it should be done. Slowly, baby steps over time. If you press for something so radical so fast, the backlash is going to be Just as radical, just as fast. Slow and steady wins the race.
Just my 2c
