Concealed Weapons Inroduction: The Idea of Carrying

Concealed Weapons

INRODUCTION: The idea of carrying concealed weapons is not new.

This writer argues that the only people carrying a concealed weapon should be those who have a clear need to do so.

SUPPORTING ARGUMENTS: It is not possible to keep loaded, concealed guns from people who should not have them.

OPPOSING ARGUMENT: Some argue that the Second Amendment justifies allowing most people to carry weapons.

The laws serve no useful purpose because those who need concealed weapons can already get permits.

The idea of carrying concealed weapons is not new. Most if not all states have allowed selected people, for instance, diamond cutters and jewelers, who must carry items of great value, to carry a concealed weapon for many years. The newer issue regarding concealed weapons refers to states such as Missouri, which has passed a new loaded and concealed weapon law allowing the great majority of the state's residents to carry a concealed weapon solely because they want to. This writer argues that the only people carrying a concealed weapon should be those who have a clear need to do so.

Using Missouri as an example, the state requires that the person seeking a permit pass a gun handling test and that it be fired only in self-defense. The law forbids that a concealed weapon permit be issued to anyone under a certain age, have a protective order out against them, have a history of drunk driving, or of felonies or violent misdemeanors. They have to pass both state and federal criminal checks. These are important protections. Very young people might tend to be more impulsive about firing that concealed weapon; those who were in, say, a violent fist fight, might be tempted to pull out a gun next time; and people with a history of drunk driving have demonstrated both little regard for the law and poor self-control regarding intoxication, which could be a very bad combination if they also had a loaded gun on them.

The construction of the law in Missouri is interesting. It requires that the gun-handling test include firing the gun at a silhouette from at least seven yards. That's only 21 feet and doesn't seem like much of an accuracy test. The law also stipulates that beyond 21 feet, the person should consider whether escaping or evading the "life-threatening situation" might be a better plan. But wouldn't that be a better plan in all cases? If the person threatening the gun holder has a knife, just pulling the gun out should be enough of a deterrent. If the other person also has a gun, then being 21 feet away isn't nearly enough protection, as the person may well be an accurate shot from more than seven yards away.

In addition, one wonders who needs to have a loaded, concealed weapon who cannot already get permission to carry it. Private detectives and police personnel as well as air marshals already have permission to carry a loaded weapon. People who carry valuables, such as jewels or bank deposits, can already get a permit. There is a large population of people, however, who do not yet have any criminal history but who might want a weapon for all the wrong reasons. Many bank robbers wait until after their 23rd birthday (the minimum age in Missouri) to rob their first bank. Many men and women who eventually become abusive spouses have committed no violence or stalking toward the opposite sex that early in life. A spouse who intended to keep an obsessive hold on another might well now apply for a gun permit before the other person had any cause to get a restraining order. Many, many people who have serious substance abuse problems have never been arrested for driving under the influence. Inevitably, loaded, concealed weapons will end up in the hands of people who are sometimes or even often under the influence of some kind of intoxicant. Finally, there might be concern about gang members. Not all gang members have a criminal history, and unfortunately, owning a weapon is a status symbol among gang members of all backgrounds.