Conceal/Carry: All Pro's No Con's

Today I am going to talk about conceal/carry rights here on Simple Man Politics. The reason for this is because there is a lot of talk about a possible law being passed that would require states to recognize conceal/carry permits from other states. This fear is both from states with strict laws regarding these permits and anti-2nd amendment activists.

This past Wednesday legislation sponsored by Senator John Thune (R, SD) was voted on. This legislation would have made it legal for conceal/carry permit holders to carry handguns across state lines. The legislation would only allow reciprocity in permitting, while still requiring the individual to obey the states laws that they are traveling within. This is exactly the same way that driver’s licenses work.

However gun control activists are about to have a stroke over this piece of legislation and are predicting the worst. Senator Frank Lautenburg (D, NJ) accuses the gun lobby of putting its agenda ahead of security and safety. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D, NY) calls the legislation a “harmful measure” that will put the public at risk. Senator Chuck Schumer (D, NY) says the bill would reduce the dramatic success of reducing crime.

These arguments are the very same ones that were used back when conceal/carry laws were originally passed. . At that time gun control advocates assured everyone that permit holders would get mad and there would be blood in the streets. Considering the fact that there had never been conceal/carry permits before I am sure that this was an obvious concern for law makers at that time.

Fortunately for gun rights advocates and unfortunately for gun control activists none of the expected horrors that were foretold ever came to pass. Instead approximately 5 million law abiding American citizens currently possess conceal/carry permits that allow them to carry across 48 states. There are also 39 of these states that have fairly liberal right to carry laws requiring background checks, a fee, and some training.

I personally have a conceal/carry permit issued in the state of Florida and will obtain one in Arizona eventually as well. I have carried a weapon concealed in virtually all of the states and no one has ever been the wiser, of course you shouldn’t advertise the fact that you are carrying in that fashion anyway. As a civilian carrying a concealed weapon I have never had to draw my weapon let alone fire it in self defense either thank God.

Data compiled from the beginning of conceal/carry rights until now indicates that violent crime where concealed weapons are legal has resulted in a drop in violent crime. The same is also true were gun ownership alone is legal as well. The reason violent crime drops in these environments is because the criminals have to worry about their victims being able to defend themselves so violent crime is less likely to occur in those areas.

I for one refuse to give up my 2nd amendment rights and my conceal/carry permit as well. I fervently hope that this is true of all of those who read Simple Man Politics too. If you want to see how gun control has worked you need only look at countries like the United Kingdom and Australia. Their law abiding citizens who are prevented from defending themselves have become nothing more than victims.

That’s all for now here at Simple Man Politics but I will be back again very soon my friends. I hope you all have a great evening and a terrific Tuesday too CIAO4NOW!!!!!

P.S. The aforementioned piece of legislation did not pass, but the facts are still the same.