#TXLEGE: Chickens of RECKLESS #2A advocacy come home to roost

"Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me."
Nehemiah 4:18

Last week, when committee assignments came out, we said the following:

• Poncho Nevarez at public safety is an obvious message the more overzealous Second Amendment types.

Of course, those who most needed to hear that message were the most oblivious:

Speaker Bonnen's Betrayal of Texas Gun-Owners
Published on Wednesday, 23 January 2019 13:18 

Newly elected Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, Republican Dennis Bonnen, campaigned as a pro-Second Amendment candidate. However, actions speak far louder than words and we now see he lied.

[Note: Over the top, BRIGHT RED HEADLINE, very much in original.]

Blah, blah, blah....  They're not wrong in their substantive criticisms of the committee chairs.  It's just that, displaying the trademark lack of self-awareness for which they've become known, they engage in exactly the type of behavior that got them there in the first place.

Then there's this piece of silliness:

[G]un owners must start working now to ensure that Dennis Bonnen never again holds the Speaker’s gavel.

Shut up.  Dude, you can't back that threat up.  If you actually think you can back that threat up, you're even more delusional than we thought.

Eventually, Bonnen weighed in:

In other words: CHILL.

One of the problems constitutional carry has faced in recent sessions is that its advocates act like assholes tend to be unnecessarily aggressive and hostile (especially with staff).  This behavior has alienated many members who otherwise don't object to the policy.  That is the dynamic that, unfortunately, Dennis Bonnen has to manage.

Like it or not, it's a completely self-inflicted wound.

That's what Dennis Bonnen is trying to explain to you.

It's up to y'all whether you want to heed this advice (you won't).  But if you don't (which is what will happen), don't be surprised when nothing changes (which, somehow, you will).  When that happens, you'll have no one to blame but yourselves (which is the last person you'll blame).

Two options moving forward:

• Operate Within Reality:  Understand that this issue carries a lot of baggage.  A certain amount of fence-mending is in order.  You've gotta start somewhere....

• Pointless Hostility:  No, really, keep threatening legislative staffers.  That's been super effective.  At least you're a big shot in the comments section.

Bottom Line: You may not like hearing it, but the self-inflicted wounds need to stop....

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Note: This topic probably deserves a full blog post, but Bonnen may have unintentionally put Poncho Nevarez in a very awkward general election position by making him the face of killing constitutional carry.