Yes, you heard that right, as stupid as it sounds. While I discussed the recent actions in the S.C. Senate, I didn’t read the amendments. But thankfully someone did.  NARG.

So basically with the amendments, the S.C. Senate passed a new bill that requires a permit to carry in any fashion, open or concealed, and tacked on some additional stuff. But that’s the situation now – open or concealed carry with a permit, or permission slip from the state.

This is legitimately wicked. They’ll go home and tell their constituency that they “did something,” and support the RKBA, knowing full well that they did nothing at all good.

Liars one and all, at least the ones who voted for it.

They listened to the LEOs, didn’t they? The LEOs don’t like you carrying without their approval and power to check you out to see if you have their approval. No they don’t. They’re not “special” then.

We did open carry with a permit (if you recall, I listened to and reported on the entire floor debate in the S.C. senate that day). And I told you that we needed to embrace incrementalism. Now it’s time to do more.

A bill passed in the South Carolina Senate on Thursday would allow gun owners to carry their weapon in public without a concealed carry permit and would provide free firearms training.

The bill was approved by a 28-15 vote after nearly two weeks of debate surrounding concerns from some lawmakers and law enforcement officials over the open carry aspect. The addition of free firearms training is what led to a compromise and ultimately ended the debate.

The proposal now returns to the House, where representatives will need to agree to the Senate’s addition of the free firearms training, and other changes, in order for the bill to make it to Gov. Henry McMaster’s desk.

If signed into law, South Carolina will join 27 other states – including nearly every one in the Deep South – that allow open carry without a permit.

[ … ]

Law enforcement leaders have expressed worry over people carrying guns without training or experience, and the possibility of encountering armed people at a shooting scene and not being able to determine who is a threat and who is trying to help.

Oh, you know law enforcement is going to be against it. When it came attached to a permitting scheme, they didn’t want to waste their power because they knew it was going to pass.

Now, they’re inveighing against it.  I would suspect that SLED is especially against it, including that corrupt, awful head of SLED, Mark Keel, whom we’ve discussed at length.

Post and Courier.

The S.C. House of Representatives approved legislation that allows adults to legally tote a handgun with no training required while creating a felon-in-possession crime designed to enable officers to charge more people who shouldn’t own a gun.

The bill approved 90-30 on Feb. 22 mostly along party lines would allow anyone 18 and older who can legally buy a gun to carry it around, whether openly or concealed, without needing a permit.

It does not change where guns are banned. Places where they remain illegal for almost everyone include schools, day cares, courtrooms, jails, hospitals, businesses that post “no weapons” signs, and city and county offices.

The bill adds clerks of court and public defenders to the list of exempted people — primarily, judges and prosecutors currently — who can carry where others can’t, but with one caveat. Public defenders still couldn’t take their handgun into a jail or prison.

Amendments approved during the debate encourage gun owners to get training without mandating it, and require them to report a stolen gun to local law enforcement within 30 days without setting a punishment.

Republicans argued the effort is about restoring a “constitutional right” in the Second Amendment that shouldn’t need government permission, while Democrats countered it’s a dangerous bill that will lead to more murders and accidental deaths.

[ … ]

Republican Rep. Alan Morgan of Greer, a co-sponsor, responded by citing statistics from the 25 states that have already passed so-called “constitutional carry” laws, arguing they haven’t led to a rise in gun-related killings there.

It’s the lack of predicted “Wild, Wild West” scenarios here over the last two years that changed some minds, said Rep. Bobby Cox, R-Greer, the main sponsor.

In 2021, Republicans pushed through a law allowing South Carolinians to openly carry their handguns, as long as they have a concealed weapon permit.

As I told you before, I listened to the entirety of the debate (a full day of it) when the S.C. senate passed open carry (the largest pill for the fearful and timid to swallow, mainly because of law enforcement).

“The majority of the state probably doesn’t even know we’re an open-carry state yet,” said Cox, an Army Ranger currently in the Reserve. “That goes against the Wild, Wild West argument we hear.

“People were very worried about guns being seen everywhere, especially in the tourist areas,” said the executive for Sig Sauer gun manufacturer. “I work in the area, and I’ve only seen one person carry.”

[ … ]

Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds said he can picture King Street, which attracts throngs of people to its shops, restaurants and bars, awash with guns.

“We are prevented and precluded — because they’re entitled to carry a gun — from even asking them if they’re illegally carrying it,” he said.

And you should be prevented from asking them.  It’s none of your business.

Law enforcement screamed long and loud about the wild, wild west when open carry passed two years ago.  Hopefully they’re adequately shamed now and they’re staying silent this time around, so that they don’t look even more ridiculous than they already do.

Baby steps.  I was delighted to see open carry pass two years ago.  I’ll be delighted to see permitless carry pass as well, but I predicted exactly this sequence of events if you will recall.  I told you that permitless carry was next in line and will pass at some point in S.C. (I gave it a year, it has taken two), but they had to see for themselves what every other state has seen.

The state doesn’t become a war zone and burn to ashes.  The manner of carry doesn’t change a man’s character.  I dream of a day when a man is seen for the nature of his character rather than the method of his carry.

After passage in the House and Senate, and signature by the governor of S.C., the exception was made in the new law that cities could ban open carry in public buildings and parades.  With that exception, there has been a massive scramble to do just this.  It’s now Columbia, Greenville, Charleston, Spartanburg, and now Conway.

CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) — Conway’s police chief supports the new rule passed by Conway City Council Monday that bans openly carrying guns in city buildings and during city-sponsored events.

The City of Conway passed the second and final reading of a new gun law following Monday’s city council meeting.

“It’s just an ongoing process of trying to get some things that would help out with some of our city buildings and venues,” Conway Police Chief Dale Long said.

The new ordinance was unanimously passed at Monday’s city council meeting.

“You cannot carry into state house, you can’t carry it into the state senators or legislators office, you can’t carry it in courthouses,” Long said. “And we just decided here in the City of Conway, there’s a need for our city buildings, like coming into the police station or go into city court.”

In November, the City of Florence also passed an ordinance implementing those same restrictions. As Conway joins it, News13 reached out to other cities to see if they had considered the same.

In a statement from North Myrtle Beach public information officer, Pat Dowling, he said: “Weapons are not allowed in city buildings in NMB, including concealed weapons. the city has not addressed open carry at city events.”

For other cities like Darlington and Hartsville, the issue has yet to come to council.

“We are still exploring the best path forward for this in the city of Hartsville to keep all of our employees and residents safe in city facilities and at events,” Lauren Baker, public information officer for the City of Hartsville, said in a statement to News13.

Long said he believes this was a good call on council’s part in keeping the community safe.

“If you’re coming to do city business and at times, there could be things that you’re not happy with the way things would go. And we just wanted to make sure that we try to de-escalate things before they could even become a problem,” he said.

But of course the police chief supports a ban, as they will support gun bans everywhere, all of the time.  And that last paragraph makes no sense whatsoever … “there could be things that you’re not happy with the way things would go.”

It doesn’t even make grammatical sense, and it doesn’t because he can’t even elucidate the concern.

But boy do we feel safer.  Guys are hiding their weapons rather than carrying them openly.

But hey, as long as they’re hidden from view, they don’t exist …

News from South Carolina.

An ordinance restricting the open carry of firearms passed its first reading with the Anderson City Council on Monday night.

The ordinance would prohibit residents from openly carrying firearms during events that take place on public property. These events include protests, according to the officials.

The background for the ordinance states, “While the City recognizes and appreciates the First and Second Amendment rights of its citizens and visitors, the presence of firearms at protests can serve to escalate tensions.”

The council will discuss the amendment again before it becomes a part of the law.

There’s always an excuse, isn’t there?

“While the City recognizes and appreciates the First and Second Amendment rights of its citizens …”  No, of course it doesn’t.  Otherwise, they wouldn’t be debating the prohibition of open carry at events.  They always have to declare their support for your rights while they refuse to recognized them, don’t they?

As for the reason – “the presence of firearms at protests can serve to escalate tensions?”  They don’t believe that, otherwise they would be trying to ban concealed carry, because there is no difference between concealed and open carry except for the fact that the firearm can be seen with open carry.  The reality of the firearm is still there.

The good thing about the declaration of tyranny among the cities (Spartanburg, Greenville, Charleston, Columbia, and now Anderson have made it clear they intend to ban open carry) is that the tyrants self identify.

That’s good.  It gives patriots information on who to cast out of office next.

It’s all the rage.

First, to no one’s surprise, Columbia did it.

The city of Columbia has banned openly carrying guns during events, such as festivals and parades, in the wake of a recent state law.

City officials approved a measure Sept. 7 to banning the open carry of firearms during permitted city events and from carrying a gun of any kind into city buildings or facilities without permission from the city manager or police chief.

Next up, Greenville.

The city may ban guns from being carried openly at events and by people picketing after South Carolina changed its law to allow open carry of firearms.

On the first of two readings, and without public discussion, City Council voted 7-0 to ban open carry of firearms at permitted public events like Fall for Greenville and Saturday Market or by individuals seeking to protest. It still must pass a second vote.

Ah, Fall for Greenville where all the crappy hot dog vendors get to sell their awful food.

Finally, Spartanburg has had its first reading of the same sort of statute.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – Spartanburg City Council has moved ahead on the first reading for a ban on openly carrying a gun at city-permitted events in Spartanburg.

During the first reading of the ordinance at Monday evening’s city council meeting, council members voted unanimously to prohibit the open carrying of firearms during city-permitted events on public property.

Councilwoman Erica Brown told 7 News, the ban applies to citywide-permitted events, like festivals and protests. Council is able to do this through a clause in the Open Carry with Training Act.

Brown said the vote couldn’t be timelier.

“Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would see that the City of Spartanburg has had quite a bit of gun violence as of late,” said Spartanburg City Councilwoman, Erica Brown.

Kyle Marlow is passionate about guns. He told us, especially using them safely. In fact, he calls himself a Second Amendment advocate.

“South Carolina is doing it the right way. It’s an Open Carry with Training law so they still have to go through all that training and background checks,” said Manager at T & K Outdoors, Kyle Marlow.

But with that being said, he told us he understands the intent behind the ban for protests.

“Just encourage all these people to follow all laws, whether that’s in the city, state or federal level,” Marlow told us.

In spite of his slow venture towards freedom, Kyle Marlow loves his enslavement.  Open carry with permit – still a government permission slip.  Open carry, except when we say not to.

We in N.C. don’t have much room to talk.  We’re under the same restrictions concerning permitted events.  Here’s one solution.  Don’t go to permitted events.

News from South Carolina.

In hotels, though, gun owners will have additional rights, and will likely be allowed to carry their weapons into the hotel and up to their rooms, regardless of what hotel owners say.

As it should be.  If I stay on a hotel, it is my home for the night.  I have as much God-given right to self defense there as anywhere else.

But there’s something more interesting in this article.  The author cites 707 Gun Shop owner Robert Battista in the caption to a video saying “Robert Battista, 707 Gun Shop owner, is opposed to a law allowing anyone to buy and openly carry a weapon in South Carolina.”

So I figured that Robert is either an idiot (it has never been the case that anyone can purchase a firearm) and allowed himself to be used by the media, or friendly to tyrants.

Listen to the video.  It’s worse than that.  First of all, he isn’t in favor of constitutional carry, but prefers what he calls “national carry” where every state is the same and it’s all controlled by the FedGov.  So he isn’t just friendly with tyrants, he is a tyrant himself.

Second, he lies about S.C.  He says it is a tourist state.  That’s not correct at all.  Myrtle Beach may be a tourist destination (a poor one at that), but the upper part of the state has the largest inland port in the Southeast, and the scale of the industrial production between Greenville, S.C., and Charlotte, N.C., would stagger anyone.

Third, he says that it’s going to be a “law enforcement nightmare” if S.C. passes constitutional carry.  This, despite the fact that in the 22 other states that passed constitutional carry haven’t experienced a nightmare, and blood isn’t running in the streets.  He’s lying.  He isn’t just fabulating or exaggerating, he’s lying.

Fourth, he lies again and says that the people who want constitutional carry are the people who can’t pass the background check.  What a liar, and what an idiot.  You can’t purchase without filling out Form 4473 (unfortunately), and the people who are pushing constitutional carry are patriots like you and me.

He wants the schema where you just have to ask the government for the permit.  “All you have to do is ask,” he says.

His accent gives him away.  He’s not a native South Carolinian.  He’s from out of state.  Go home, tyrant.  And to any readers in his area, never visit his store.

News and views from South Carolina.

“For the law-abiding Concealed Weapon Permit owner, today is a very significant day because they can decide whether they want to carry open or concealed,” said Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan.

[ … ]

As valid CWP owners choose to open carry, Sheriff Boan is making sure his officers and dispatch personnel are trained to respond.

“When you get that call that somebody’s walking down the road or parking lot or something openly carrying a firearm, that’s not a crime. That’s not a crime,” said Boan. “We’re not going to investigate something that’s not a crime.”

What?

Has he been reading TCJ?  Because that sounds like something I’ve said many times before.  Yes, I’m sure of it.  Many times.

Good on him.  Instruct your 911 operators to ask the right questions: “Is he brandishing a weapon or is it holstered?”  “Is he threatening anyone with a weapon?”  “No, we won’t send a patrol to respond.  He isn’t breaking any laws.  Open carry is legal in South Carolina.  Good bye.”

This is the best way to save time and avoid wasteful encounters.

News from lower state South Carolina.

BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) – On Aug. 15, a new law will go into place that will allow those with the proper permits to open carry handguns in South Carolina.

The Beaufort County sheriff was very clear that he does not believe the new open carry law will directly correlate to an increase of gun violence in the county. He did acknowledge though, that this is a change that will take time for everybody to get used to.

“There’s going to be a training curve through this and there’s going to be mistakes made. There’s going to be mistakes made by those who are carrying an open carry weapon and there’s going to be mistakes made by law enforcement officers,” Sheriff P.J. Tanner said.

The sheriff went on to explain that he doesn’t believe this will be as common in the Lowcountry as it will be elsewhere in the state.

“Currently, we’re on Hilton Head Island. I don’t know that we’ll see that big of an issue here on Hilton Head, but I think there are other areas of South Carolina that I think open carry is going to be trendy and I think people will take advantage of it,” Sheriff Tanner said.

He went on to explain that the law does have some benefits, including allowing officers to see someone’s weapon immediately on approach.

Ooo … “trendy.”  “Issue.”  “Take advantage of it.”

Here’s what needs to happen with law enforcement.  Ignore it.  It isn’t trendy.  It’s a God-given right, finally recognized by the tyrants in South Carolina.

Educate your 911 operators to tell callers that this is within the law and no LEO will be sent out to stop peaceable men.  Don’t make “mistakes.”  Just ignore it.  Cops in North Carolina do.  That’s how you keep from making mistakes.

News from S.C.

Openly carrying a firearm will be legal in South Carolina starting Aug. 15, and the State Law Enforcement Division is trying to make sure gun owners and law enforcement officers understand this upcoming change.

[ … ]

“Anything as far as protecting our Second Amendment rights, I’m all for any time it comes up,” said state Rep. Cal Forrest, R-Saluda, one of the bill’s early sponsors. “I think what is lost on most people is that it makes South Carolina a Second Amendment sanctuary state.”

Deescalation techniques?  Why would they need to learn about deescalation techniques?  Do they intend to harass open carriers?  In spite of the fact that S.C. isn’t a stop and identify state, and the fact that the open carry bill contains no proviso for being stopped by LEOs while openly carrying, do they intend to making unlawful demands of open carriers?

If so, then there will be problems, and they’ll end up in court.