False Hope: Concealed Carry Permits

Of the fifty states in the Union, only three — Vermont, Alaska and Arizona — do not require their citizens to apply and pay for a concealed handgun permit. Yes, pay for. There are always fees. It's like the poll tax. No money, no permit. If you are a law-abiding citizen, but can't come up with the $200 or $300 for classes and a permit, too bad. Is this fair? No. Does anyone making the rules care? Not so much.

But, as many people will say, aren't permits a good thing? Don't they weed out the bad, the unstable, the questionable who might want to carry a loaded gun concealed among the rest of us? It's a hope. But, as I hope to show, a false one.

What's in a permit that might provide a higher level of safety among the public? Well, you have to get a background check. Yes, but what does that mean? It usually means that if the applicant is known to the system, flags will be raised. A criminal record? Flag. A restraining order? Flag. Some record of alcohol or drug abuse? Flag. Arrest record? Flag. It should be obvious that many people who are flagged by a background check may not, indeed, be a liability with a firearm or anything else for that matter. Some people would then be prohibited from carrying a concealed firearm when there may be no actual or practical objections.

Then, those who can pay for the necessary training classes and permits, and who don't get flagged by the system, are issued permits and can carry concealed amongst the unarmed public. Does this make the world a safer place? No. It just means that there are fewer people who can carry a concealed firearm for self defense to counter those other people out there who don't have permits, never applied for a permit, and don't care about permits, rules, laws and regulations.

People who have their reasons to harm others, whether those reasons be for greed, religious fervor, malice, envy, power or just a twisted psychopathic brain don't care about permits and never bother to apply. They carry what they want, when and where they want and are much happier if they know you, and those around you, are unarmed.

In states where legislation that would follow Vermont, Alaska and Arizona's rule that the citizenry should not be prohibited from arming themselves if they so desire has been defeated, and those opposing such legislation get all dewey-eyed and jubilant that they've somehow made themselves safer, no one stops to observe that in those three free-carry states, there has never been an increase in violent crime that could be legitimately connected to permitless concealed carry. The violent crime waves tend to occur in states and cities that make it extremely difficult for a citizen to walk armed for their own protection.

But, as we all know, reason plays little part in this struggle. Reason will show that an armed society is a more polite and less dangerous society. Reason, however, usually loses out to fear, fear among the ignorant, uneducated and timid who just don't like guns and don't like people who do like guns. They would rather have a cop on every corner and in every classroom, but they of course, want someone else to pay for that.

Me, I respect cops and the job they do to keep us as safe as they can, but I certainly don't want to encourage a police state. I would rather be able to stand a chance against the bad guys, the terrorists and the ones who want to kill you and me as their ticket to their twisted version of heaven.

Posted with Blogsy