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Guns, Carried Openly or Concealed, Threaten Our Safety

Handguns do not serve as deterrents but rather consistently threaten our safety

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I do think that it was ironic that a huge carry advocate was killed while she was unarmed. If she had her pistol her husband would have either a. Not done that or b. been shot by her. I also think that it is not ironic that everyone against the right to bear arms tends to use faulty logic and inappropriate evidence to support their argument. It has been established that people are already carrying guns. Law abiding citizens go through an extensive background check to acquire guns. CWP holders have already paid greatly to exercise their right (which is unconstitutional to force someone to pay for a right already granted by the constitution) and subjected themselves to further background checks. So what is the problem with carrying in plain sight if the bearer so desires? I am tired of the out of sight out of mind mentality, just because you don't see it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. I suppose if that statement bothers you, you would just as easily petition an outright ban of guns altogether. There are a lot of things that happen in this world that I don't agree with, but if other people choose to live their lives making their choices and it doesn't infringe on my god given rights to life, liberty or pursuit of happiness or the right given to me by th U.S. Constitution then so be it. I am not a big fan of giving up my constitutional rights to appease everyone else. Face the facts, this country was founded on Christian principles, I am an American, I am serving in the military, I am a Christian and for that short list of reasons there are people in this world that wish to make me dead. If you fall into any of those categories you should reanalize your position. Another fact, there aren't enough police officers to protect all of the general public, and even if there were, there is a criminal out there trying to gain an advantage.

Pete of OK 10:44PM May 02, 2012

Josh--your ignorance about the 2nd amendment is getting OLD

David Carson of CA 6:13PM May 02, 2012

Notice this section: "At least 402 victims have been killed in 32 states since May 2007 in non-self-defense incidents involving private citizens legally allowed to carry concealed handguns ... This includes 20 mass shootings, 11 dead law enforcement officers, and 31 murder-suicides."

It is worth noting is that most murder-suicides occur in the home, where a concealed weapons permit is not required to own or conceal a weapon.

Reading the cases presented as data from which these figures came shows that many of the cases didn't actually involve concealment of a weapon or legal open carry. In many of the cases, the firearms were being brandished in a manner that was already illegal, which rather negates the idea that legal carry, concealed or open, contributed much to the incidents.

These statistics ALSO appear to include pending cases that may be ruled self-defense, and may not have actually been violations of the law. Some also include accidental shootings in the home, which also would have nothing to do with permit status.

Also consider the number of wrongful deaths at the hands of LEO, who are sanctioned to use guns.

Alex of WA 3:17PM May 01, 2012

Just because it did not save her no one should ever need it... Screw the lives it just saved in SLC when a crazy knife wielding maniac tried to stab anyone he could reach..

Jacob of UT 3:14PM April 28, 2012

We should ban forks as well because they make people fat. Just because you can not control yourself does not mean that others also lack this control.

Duff of CA 11:07AM April 27, 2012

Mr Sugarmann, a handgun saved my life in 1995. To be truthful, I saved my life using my gun. I didn't have to fire it, I didn't even have to point it. My would-be assailant got the message and left. If I had not had that small, concealable handgun, the kind you hate, I would have been dead or gravely injured and my female partner would have been raped and possibly killed. I can only assume, given your passion for firearms regulation/prohibition, that would have been a desirable outcome in your view. There are millions more stories like mine - would you have preferred that all of us become victims?

Roger J of NC 7:48AM April 27, 2012

No, Josh. NOT carrying a sidearm is dangerous to ME. Society can look out for itself, by exercising the same right.

BHirsh of FL 10:25PM April 26, 2012

It is just "normal" to see people carrying openly here in AZ. at Walmart, Target, gas stations, anywhere. The problem is all these lefty socialists don't live in the REAL world.

An armed society is a polite society!

Tom of AZ 6:18PM April 26, 2012

"At least 402 victims have been killed in 32 states since May 2007 in non-self-defense incidents involving private citizens legally allowed to carry concealed handguns, according to the Violence Policy Center's Concealed Carry Killers online resource."

A closer vetting of this claim from the VPC reveals they have done in everything in their power to inflate the number. Read through their compiled examples. Included among these "concealed carry killers'" victims are 134 suicides (including 90 where only the suicidal person died, and the method of suicide is unreported), numerous domestic violence squabbles where the killing took place in the home (i.e. the presence or absence of a carry permit was a non-factor), a few situations where the "killer" has not been charged or has been acquitted, and at least one where a permit-holder strangled his girlfriend to death; no gun was present.

This is what they've compiled over five years. Out of 10 million concealed carry permit holders nationwide, some 200-300 killed someone, frequently just themselves, in a five year span, an average of 40-60 per year. In other words, greater than 99.999% of concealed carry permit holders are not going to kill anyone unlawfully. Talk about inventing a crisis. It must be so frustrating for Josh Sugarmann and the VPC that states keep relaxing their gun laws, the crime rate keeps dropping (lowest in 43 years as of 2010!) and gun ownership keeps increasing (18-year high according to a recent gallup poll). Why won't those pesky gun-owners shoot each other more often?! The VPC needs more dead bodies to feed their agenda.

Scott of WA 5:10PM April 26, 2012

Your data seems to be purposely skewed to your advantage. I have Open Carried for many years and shall continue to do so. I am not aggressive and mot who carry tend to be more polite when armed. I pity your fear.

MSG Laigaie of WA 12:30PM April 26, 2012

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