Texas Republicans are convinced that the right to bear arms is a God-given right.  This has been a primary argument in their fight to bring concealed carry and open carry of firearms to Texas campuses.  It leads to some interesting exchanges on the Senate floor.  Such as when Sen. John Whitmire (D- Houston), the longest serving senator, questioned gun rights advocate Sen. Brian Birdwell (TP- Granbury).

Whitmire:  “You believe it’s a God-given right to arm yourself and to defend yourself. I don’t want to put words in your mouth. Is that the premise of your legislation?”

Birdwell: “The Declaration (of Independence) says we are endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights and that to protect these rights, governments are instituted among men to preserve them. Article VII of the U.S. Constitution brings forward the Declaration as original law, therefore, creator and God are the same to me.  The right to self preservation and the right to defend one’s life is God-given because of the language in our Declaration and Article VII of the U.S. Constitution.”

Whitmire:  “And you’ve explained that to me and I do not understand fully the God right…I don’t remember in the Sunday school lessons or in my Scriptures that God spoke, obviously to weapons, or concealed weapons holders.”