In the quest to insert guns into as many situations as possible, Texans will now be allowed to carry guns into the state's psychiatric hospitals.
Sure, why not?
Before the state’s new open carry law went into effect, guns were banned at those state facilities. No one — visitors, deliverymen and the like — could bring firearms anywhere on campus. Even local law enforcement officers, who were already allowed to bring their weapons into the facilities, regularly lock up their guns before entering Austin State Hospital out of an abundance of caution.
Now visitors can bring guns into the buildings where patients live. Employees are still prohibited from bringing them on campus.
“Good God,” said Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, who opposed open carry.
My sentiments exactly. The Onion could do no better than this.
Psychiatric hospitals are hardly the only location where guns will make an appearance now that open-carry is the law of the land, but it may be the most obviously ridiculous place to carry a gun. Proponents of the law, which went into effect last Friday, claim this will somehow enhance public safety, but you'll forgive my skepticism.
The only question remaining is just how many shootings Texas will see this year.