Guest Blog on Conceal and Carry Permits
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Feb 18, 2010
Guest Blog written by Gus Harrison of Teton County. Gus is serving as a high school intern for Rep. Jim Roscoe (D-Wilson) during the first two weeks of the session. Many thanks for his insight and perspectives.
House Bill 113 is one step closer on it’s way of becoming a law after the House Judiciary committee passed it with the recommendation it do pass the General Committee. The Bill first passed introduction last week with a strong 52-6 vote and was referred to the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Keith Gingery (R-Jackson). The committee discussed the bill, and passed it with a 6-2 vote, with the opposing votes coming from two of the same representatives who opposed the bill in it’s introduction (Rep. Barbuto, D-Green River and Rep. Patton, R-Sheridan). The bill, if passed into law, would allow anyone 21 years or older to carry a concealed firearm, providing they do not have a criminal record or, a substance abuse problem, or not be currently adjudicated to a mental facility.
The pro-gun rights belief is that the concealed weapon laws don’t deter the criminals who use weapons to commit crimes. The felons aren’t concerned with rule breaking and so the laws only keep guns out of the hands of the good, law-abiding citizens. They also believe that with the right to carry concealed guns, law-abiding citizens could help stop criminals. It is easier to defend yourself and your property with a gun and it would help even out the playing field between gun wielding criminals, and righteous citizens.
The opposing side believes, that more guns on the streets is not a solution to stop violence, but a good way to increase it. A University of Pennsylvania study found that people who carried a gun were 4.2 times more likely to die, than those who didn’t, while looking into 677 shootings over 2 and ½ years. By carrying a handgun for safety, one actually increases their chance of dying. Another thing to think about is that right before committing a crime, one is still a law-abiding citizen. Therefore, a potential criminal is legally carrying a concealed weapon, up until the moment the crime is committed. A scary thought that haunts gun control activists.
Activists on both sides of the issue shouldn’t hold their breath quite yet however. The bill still has to pass its second and third reading in the House and then repeat the entire process in the Senate.
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Re: Guest Blog on Conceal and Carry Permits
Oct 24, 2010 | Pat Duffy | staranddodger@gmail.comComing from the UK which has the strictest gun laws ther proliferation of guns in the drug gangs in particular has grown exponentially since 1997 when handguns were banned completely. In Cumbria recently (a rural county with 600,000 population) a gunman went wild shooting some 25 people with 13 dead. Nobody could respond. In Cheyenne or Lusk there would have been a concealed permit holder to take action whilst the police got there. However I think the training needs to be a condition and the training needs to be more demanding.