David French: 'Time to Rethink Open Carry' Laws After Rittenhouse Trial

David French used social media commentary Tuesday to focus on the plight of Kyle Rittenhouse, describing open carry of firearms as “menacing” and calling for laws to be rethought.

French tweeted: “Open carry is materially different from concealed carry. It’s often designed to be menacing, to intimidate the public and public officials. And after the debates around Rittenhouse, it’s time to rethink open carry, as a matter of ethics and law.”

Open carry is materially different from concealed carry. It’s often designed to be menacing, to intimidate the public and public officials. And after the debates around Rittenhouse, it’s time to rethink open carry, as a matter of ethics and law. https://t.co/2daiagOyJI

— David French (@DavidAFrench) November 16, 2021

French’s use of Rittenhouse in an attempt to criticize open carry as a means to “intimidate” others brings to mind prosecutor Thomas Binger’s claim that Rittenhouse lost his right to self-defense because he was armed.

Binger said, “You lose the right to self-defense when you’re the one who brought the gun.”

Binger missed the fact that having a gun for self-defense via concealed carry is legal in all 50 states. And French missed the fact that carrying a gun for self-defense via open carry is the law of the land in over 45 states.

Breitbart News noted Texas became the 45th open carry state when Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed open carry legislation on June 13, 2015.

Demonstrators with opposing views gather outside of the Kenosha County Courthouse as the jury deliberates in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse on November 16, 2021 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

In the lead-up to signing the bill, Abbott said, “Let me briefly follow up on a word I mentioned a moment ago–liberty. In a single word, it encapsulates what the country stands for, what Texas symbolizes. I will expand liberty in Texas by singing a law that makes Texas the 45th state to allow Open Carry.”

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) signed legislation in May 2021 making his state the 46th open carry state.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. Reach him at [email protected]. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.

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