Do concealed-carry laws lead to increased gun violence? The Violence Policy Center counts 319 people killed by concealed-handgun permit-holders, although it’s hard to know what role, if any, the permits played in those killings. Crime is complex. But common sense needn’t be: More hidden guns increase the potential for violence, and that can’t be good.
The above excerpt comes from an article on Bloomberg.com. Common sense easily sees through yellow journalism. Reporting the news is different than offering commentary: especially when that commentary that is a poorly written rationalization to reflect the personal convictions of the author. Here is the legislation to allow us to defend ourselves as intended by the 2nd amendment:
H.R.822 – National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a national standard in accordance with which nonresidents of a State may carry concealed firearms in the State.
Here are some details:
- Provides National Reciprocity for people that have permits from their home state
- DOES NOT extend carry privileges to those who live in no-issue or may-issue states. We must still fight the good fight in the courts.
- Requires that a state recognize a valid out-of-state permit at the equivalent level of their highest, or unrestricted, permit given to their own citizens.
- While it preempts the obvious state laws, it in no way attempts to override local regulations regarding the manner, wear or carry of a weapon. So if it is illegal to bear arms in a restaurant with a bar in a North Carolina, you will not be exempt from these rules because you are from out of state. You need to know the rules where you carry.
- There is a severability clause. If any portion is struck down, the remaining portions survive.
- You will need to have a valid state ID with your permit when you carry.
More from Bloomberg:
The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity bill would require all states to allow out-of-state visitors to conceal and carry firearms as long as the visitors are permitted to do so in their home states. The relatively stringent conceal-and-carry laws of California, Illinois and New York, for example, would be rendered obsolete. So- called shall-issue states, where authorities have little discretion over permits (and thus “shall issue” them to anyone who meets the criteria), would become the new norm. The state with the most lax laws would establish a lowest common denominator for the nation.
I encourage you to contact your US Representative and express your support for this legislation. Based on the way Congress is handling our economic crisis, this legislation can’t be passed soon enough. Again I have to ask why we need legislation to regain rights already guaranteed under the Constitution?
David DeGerolamo
OK … now I’m going to rain on your parade. I do not like this bill. Here are my reasons:
1. As an advocate of State sovereignty, clearly expressed in the founding documents of these united States, any “National” policy to force conformity across the several States rankles me. Even when it achieves an outcome I desire.
2. The legal arguments supporting H.R.822 undoubtedly invoke the due process, privileges or immunities, and equal protection sections of the 14th Amendment. I despise the 14th Amendment as coercive Act that was forced upon the States of the former Confederacy, not legally ratified, and is therefore null and void (along with all consequent legislation that uses the 14th Amendment as its justification).
3. We already have a lawful Right, documented in the 2nd Amendment, to carry any weapons of our choice openly or concealed: “…the Right to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Nothing more needs to be stated or understood in order to defend the ownership and posession of ANY tools for self-defense. PERIOD.
Any questions ?
It is not my parade. I like the concept but agree with your points.
Another flaw is Vermont which has no concealed carry permits: they follow the 2nd amendment as intended. This bill is struggling with how to give reciprocity to a “state citizen” from Vermont in other states.
If Vermont is given reciprocity because they have no concealed carry mechanism for their citizens, does this mean all illegal aliens have reciprocity also?
As I stated when I posted this article on facebook: when are we going to stop begging for our rights? I went back and bolded the last sentence in the article.
RE: “… does this mean all illegals have reciprocity too?”
You might not like my answer, but it has to be “yes”… please refer back to my post “Who are ‘The People'” and my conclusion:
“As much as I am disturbed by illegal imigration, Rights are inherent in people, not dependent upon their “status”. Any man should claim his right to self defense.”
https://ncrenegade.com//editorial/who-are-%e2%80%9cthe-people%e2%80%9d/
And the right to self-defense is why the United States enjoyed freedom to live and prosper. HR 822 would not give illegal aliens the right to carry a concealed weapon unless the solution for Vermont overlooks this contingency.