Great read... Sad to learn that Crum's noble actions left him so scarred.  

As for the open carry debate... I'm mildly amused.  Up here in New England, land of the liberals, open carry has been legal for decades and I've yet to read of it ever being a problem.  Private property owners (stores, restaurants, etc...) have the right to post their property restricting guns, so what's the big deal.  

I thought Texans were supposed to be independent minded, self sufficient peeps.  You don't need no stinkin' SWAT teams.  :^)