The Case for Concealed Weapons Carry

by Jerry D. Amstutz

Individuals and organizations that oppose a responsible citizen�s free access to weapons that are appropriate for personal defensive employment generally fall within three categories:

Those who oppose defensive weapons use through uninformed ignorance;
Those whose irrational fear of weapons oppose all weapons in general; and
Those who harbor ulterior motives, seeking to disempower individuals or groups.

Ignorance

Do not confuse �ignorance� in this context with �stupidity.� The vast majority of the people in this group are very intelligent human beings who have been intentionally misled by members of the two groups that follow. The fact is, weapons save lives. Sure�guns, knives, even bare hands can be and sometimes are used as weapons offensively, but research shows that many weapons�handguns in particular�are used much more often in a defensive role. Surprising? Not really. Handguns are particularly suited to defensive use due to their convenient size and low to moderate power factor. A great deal more power may be projected with a rifle or shotgun or even an automobile. Offensively, the perfect weapon is not a firearm at all but a bomb, which can be triggered remotely in relative safety. That is the real weapon of choice of terrorist groups around the world.

I�m sure you have heard the statistic quoted that a firearm in one's possession is several times (usually quoted as 30 to 40 times) more likely to kill a friend, a family member, or yourself than any attacker. There is only one thing that keeps this statistic from being a valid argument�it is a barefaced lie, and the original sources that presented this figure as truth knew it to be false. �Friends and family members� had to be redefined, to include one's drug dealer, pimp, or anyone with whom one had at least a passing acquaintance, however remotely. It also does not take into account any situation in which an attacker was not killed, but simply injured or dissuaded from further assault. Remember that the good guy is not interested in killing the person who attacks him or his family, only in stopping the attack. The bad guy has a vested interest in not leaving behind potential witnesses who may testify against him.

The argument is often made that allowing concealed carry of personal firearms would lead to a �Wild West� society with shootouts on every street corner. This idea is preposterous. Over two-thirds of the states already issue permits to their citizens who have passed police background checks and, in some cases, mandatory firearms training. One state, Vermont, allows any citizen without a criminal record or engaging in a criminal enterprise to carry a concealed firearm for personal protection. Where are the wild shootouts between the currently licensed individuals? It has been proven time and time again over the protests of the ignorant, that Heinlein was correct--an armed society is a polite society.

Irrational fear

Many people who have no knowledge of firearms other than what they have gained through the instruction of television and movies have wildly unrealistic beliefs regarding the capabilities and relative safety of firearms. They see a firearm as a time bomb, set to detonate at some unforeseeable time, destroying anyone who happens to be nearby at the moment. It is doubtful that any firearm has ever fired without manual assistance, and especially unlikely to occur with any firearm manufactured in the last century. It would be possible to make a stronger case for alien abductions and spontaneous human combustion than for any firearm firing itself.

The members of the irrational fear group are the primary supporters of the theory that deaths and injuries due to gun accidents are a national health hazard. This has been postulated by politicized physicians at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta among others. The truth is that gun accidents have been on the decline. They are at their lowest level since 1971 (due in large part to safety training programs such as the Eddie Eagle Program formed by the National Rifle Association). It is also interesting to note that according to the CDC�s own statistics, five times as many people in the United States [or more] die each year from physician malpractice as are killed by firearms.

�But if it saves the life of one child�� I�m sure you have heard that recitation. But what of the law of diminishing returns? True, the death of any child is a tragedy. But what of the documented research by economics Professor John Lott which indicates that Americans use firearms an average of two and one half million times each year to prevent assaults which would in many cases result in death or serious bodily injury? In many cases the firearm is never even fired�its presence and appropriate display alone has oftentimes prevented incidents from escalating into lethal confrontations. If we are going to legislate an end to anything in order to save the life of one child, will we also do away with our motor vehicles, our swimming pools, our household cleansers, our bath tubs? Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics show that there are approximately 200 million firearms in the hands of United States citizens today and that less than 1% are ever used in the commission of a crime. Firearms, while (arguably) designed to inflict injury, do so much less often than motor vehicles which are specifically designed to be as safe as possible.

Disempowerment

Throughout history, groups in a position of power have sought to maintain their elevated status by keeping other groups �in their place.� Gun control has existed as long as guns have existed, with the United States of America being the first nation of any global significance that did not restrict firearm ownership to the nobility. But that changed following America�s Civil War. Firearm ownership by the newly freed slaves was seen as a threat to the established white government, and so �gun control� laws were passed. As civil rights progress was made, the right to keep and bear arms was either largely ignored or outright maligned by those who sought to uphold the other rights outlined in the Constitution. This is clearly the official position of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), whose opinion leaders can clearly see such nebulous concepts as the separation of church from state in the First Amendment, and a woman�s fundamental right to kill her unborn child

The Second Amendment, stating that �A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,� has a specific purpose. That purpose is to recognize that the power of our government is to be forever subject to the rule of law and the consent of the governed. In practice, this means that no person or group, regardless of rank, social position, or office, is to be accorded any more tolerance in regard to violations of public law than anyone else is. In today�s courts where some celebrities and popular politicians break the law and are acquitted based more upon their ability to pay counsels� fees than upon the evidence presented, the rule of law has been done serious injury. We are closer to replacing our democratically elected republic with an elitist plutocracy than we would care to admit.

But what role does the individual ownership and use of firearms play in assuring equality under the law? Look at what a firearm does. With a firearm, the weak and frail need not be the subject of the strong. The minority need not be tyrannized by the majority, and the middle class need not be the slave of the ruling elite. The government cannot enslave an empowered populace any more than a large, strong individual can victimize a physically weaker individual who possesses the means to defend his or her own self.

The courts are finally, and apparently reluctantly, coming to realize that one of the inalienable rights identified by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights was the right of each individual citizen the ability to defend themselves by means of personal firearms. This right cannot be denied, as Harvard Constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe states, �without some unusually strong justification.�

Two words in this article of the Bill of Rights, �regulated� and �militia,� have been the subject of controversy for years. �Well regulated� appears to mean in today�s parlance �confined or defined by rule and custom.� On the contrary, �well regulated,� in Colonial times, meant �well equipped,� �well trained,� and �well maintained.� The �militia� was never intended to mean any type of governmental military unit such as the National Guard or the police as critics have maintained. The very idea of a standing army was abhorrent to the revolutionary writers who recently won their independence from a colonial tyranny. The �militia� referred to was the pool of citizens who could, if need be, take up arms for the common defense. At that time this was generally considered to be all able-bodied male citizens between the age of majority and a designated cut-off age. Those who were not needed for military service were still required by early state governments to maintain a ready supply of arms and ammunition if called upon to assist in local law enforcement incidents where the constabulary was unable (or unwilling) to enforce the law.

Before we allow our birthright to be taken away, we should carefully examine the motivation of those who would do so. We would do well to become informed about our history and the reasons behind many of the events which has shaped it. We should subject what we are asked to believe to the same scrutiny that we would something we were asked to eat or drink. With rights come responsibility, and with freedom comes the need to be ever vigilant.

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Written By:	Jerry D. Amstutz
	The Case for Concealed Weapons Carry by Jerry D. Amstutz Individuals and organizations that oppose a responsible citizen�s free access to weapons that are appropriate for personal defensive employment generally fall within three categories: Those who oppose defensive weapons use through uninformed ignorance; Those whose irrational fear of weapons oppose all weapons in general; and Those who harbor ulterior motives, seeking to disempower individuals or groups. Ignorance Do not confuse �ignorance� in this context with �stupidity.� The vast majority of the people in this group are very intelligent human beings who have been intentionally misled by members of the two groups that follow. The fact is, weapons save lives. Sure�guns, knives, even bare hands can be and sometimes are used as weapons offensively, but research shows that many weapons�handguns in particular�are used much more often in a defensive role. Surprising? Not really. Handguns are particularly suited to defensive use due to their convenient size and low to moderate power factor. A great deal more power may be projected with a rifle or shotgun or even an automobile. Offensively, the perfect weapon is not a firearm at all but a bomb, which can be triggered remotely in relative safety. That is the real weapon of choice of terrorist groups around the world. I�m sure you have heard the statistic quoted that a firearm in one's possession is several times (usually quoted as 30 to 40 times) more likely to kill a friend, a family member, or yourself than any attacker. There is only one thing that keeps this statistic from being a valid argument�it is a barefaced lie, and the original sources that presented this figure as truth knew it to be false. �Friends and family members� had to be redefined, to include one's drug dealer, pimp, or anyone with whom one had at least a passing acquaintance, however remotely. It also does not take into account any situation in which an attacker was not killed, but simply injured or dissuaded from further assault. Remember that the good guy is not interested in killing the person who attacks him or his family, only in stopping the attack. The bad guy has a vested interest in not leaving behind potential witnesses who may testify against him. The argument is often made that allowing concealed carry of personal firearms would lead to a �Wild West� society with shootouts on every street corner. This idea is preposterous. Over two-thirds of the states already issue permits to their citizens who have passed police background checks and, in some cases, mandatory firearms training. One state, Vermont, allows any citizen without a criminal record or engaging in a criminal enterprise to carry a concealed firearm for personal protection. Where are the wild shootouts between the currently licensed individuals? It has been proven time and time again over the protests of the ignorant, that Heinlein was correct--an armed society is a polite society. Irrational fear Many people who have no knowledge of firearms other than what they have gained through the instruction of television and movies have wildly unrealistic beliefs regarding the capabilities and relative safety of firearms. They see a firearm as a time bomb, set to detonate at some unforeseeable time, destroying anyone who happens to be nearby at the moment. It is doubtful that any firearm has ever fired without manual assistance, and especially unlikely to occur with any firearm manufactured in the last century. It would be possible to make a stronger case for alien abductions and spontaneous human combustion than for any firearm firing itself. The members of the irrational fear group are the primary supporters of the theory that deaths and injuries due to gun accidents are a national health hazard. This has been postulated by politicized physicians at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta among others. The truth is that gun accidents have been on the decline. They are at their lowest level since 1971 (due in large part to safety training programs such as the Eddie Eagle Program formed by the National Rifle Association). It is also interesting to note that according to the CDC�s own statistics, five times as many people in the United States [or more] die each year from physician malpractice as are killed by firearms. �But if it saves the life of one child�� I�m sure you have heard that recitation. But what of the law of diminishing returns? True, the death of any child is a tragedy. But what of the documented research by economics Professor John Lott which indicates that Americans use firearms an average of two and one half million times each year to prevent assaults which would in many cases result in death or serious bodily injury? In many cases the firearm is never even fired�its presence and appropriate display alone has oftentimes prevented incidents from escalating into lethal confrontations. If we are going to legislate an end to anything in order to save the life of one child, will we also do away with our motor vehicles, our swimming pools, our household cleansers, our bath tubs? Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics show that there are approximately 200 million firearms in the hands of United States citizens today and that less than 1% are ever used in the commission of a crime. Firearms, while (arguably) designed to inflict injury, do so much less often than motor vehicles which are specifically designed to be as safe as possible. Disempowerment Throughout history, groups in a position of power have sought to maintain their elevated status by keeping other groups �in their place.� Gun control has existed as long as guns have existed, with the United States of America being the first nation of any global significance that did not restrict firearm ownership to the nobility. But that changed following America�s Civil War. Firearm ownership by the newly freed slaves was seen as a threat to the established white government, and so �gun control� laws were passed. As civil rights progress was made, the right to keep and bear arms was either largely ignored or outright maligned by those who sought to uphold the other rights outlined in the Constitution. This is clearly the official position of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), whose opinion leaders can clearly see such nebulous concepts as the separation of church from state in the First Amendment, and a woman�s fundamental right to kill her unborn child The Second Amendment, stating that �A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,� has a specific purpose. That purpose is to recognize that the power of our government is to be forever subject to the rule of law and the consent of the governed. In practice, this means that no person or group, regardless of rank, social position, or office, is to be accorded any more tolerance in regard to violations of public law than anyone else is. In today�s courts where some celebrities and popular politicians break the law and are acquitted based more upon their ability to pay counsels� fees than upon the evidence presented, the rule of law has been done serious injury. We are closer to replacing our democratically elected republic with an elitist plutocracy than we would care to admit. But what role does the individual ownership and use of firearms play in assuring equality under the law? Look at what a firearm does. With a firearm, the weak and frail need not be the subject of the strong. The minority need not be tyrannized by the majority, and the middle class need not be the slave of the ruling elite. The government cannot enslave an empowered populace any more than a large, strong individual can victimize a physically weaker individual who possesses the means to defend his or her own self. The courts are finally, and apparently reluctantly, coming to realize that one of the inalienable rights identified by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights was the right of each individual citizen the ability to defend themselves by means of personal firearms. This right cannot be denied, as Harvard Constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe states, �without some unusually strong justification.� Two words in this article of the Bill of Rights, �regulated� and �militia,� have been the subject of controversy for years. �Well regulated� appears to mean in today�s parlance �confined or defined by rule and custom.� On the contrary, �well regulated,� in Colonial times, meant �well equipped,� �well trained,� and �well maintained.� The �militia� was never intended to mean any type of governmental military unit such as the National Guard or the police as critics have maintained. The very idea of a standing army was abhorrent to the revolutionary writers who recently won their independence from a colonial tyranny. The �militia� referred to was the pool of citizens who could, if need be, take up arms for the common defense. At that time this was generally considered to be all able-bodied male citizens between the age of majority and a designated cut-off age. Those who were not needed for military service were still required by early state governments to maintain a ready supply of arms and ammunition if called upon to assist in local law enforcement incidents where the constabulary was unable (or unwilling) to enforce the law. Before we allow our birthright to be taken away, we should carefully examine the motivation of those who would do so. We would do well to become informed about our history and the reasons behind many of the events which has shaped it. We should subject what we are asked to believe to the same scrutiny that we would something we were asked to eat or drink. With rights come responsibility, and with freedom comes the need to be ever vigilant.