Everyone Should Have a Concealed Handgun Carry Permit - Research Paper Example

?Everyone should have a concealed handgun carry permit/license. Introduction The benefits as well as the problems associated with being a concealed handgun carrier have been widely discussed and there have been a number of legislations in this regard as well. Most of the states in the United States have formulated laws to permit carrying a concealed gun for one’s protection. While critics of the concealed handgun carry permit/license argue that carrying concealed guns would result in more of violence and bloodshed in the streets, there are many who hold that gun carry reforms have not increased the homicide rates in the nation. For instance, Clayton E. Cramer and David B. Kopel pinpoint that in Florida “a murder rate that was 36% above the national average when carry reform went into effect in 1987, fell by 1991 to 4% below the national average” (Cramer & Kopel 2010). Realizing the significance of handgun permits the California State has made the process easier for such domestic violence victims who are in immediate danger to obtain a handgun license. Thus, it can be argued that the gun carry permit reforms do not endanger public safety; on the other hand, concealed handgun carry permit/license would help many to guard their lives from criminal attacks. 2nd amendment – interpretation The second amendment to the United States’ constitution was a landmark as far as the concealed handgun carry permit/license of the nation is concerned. It was the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that legalized carrying concealed weapons and granted “citizens of the United States the right to carry and use firearms” (Cato, 2010). However, the process of acquiring such a gun carry license included various steps in many of the States. The eligible candidates need to fulfill several qualifications and each of these steps made sure that public safety is maintained and that only the right people are legalized to use concealed guns. For instance, obtaining a permit to legally carry weapons concealed under clothing in Florida require that the person is above 21; answers the questionnaire of 30 questions that check his eligibility, produces five key documents that include his identity card, proof of citizenship or legal residency, proof of weapons training, disclosure of any criminal record and a written, signed intent to obtain a concealed weapons permit; obtains, fills and submits a Concealed Weapon or Firearm License Application; obtains a fingerprint card, and waits for a period of up to 90 days (Cato, 2010). A license thus obtained is valid only for seven years. All these procedures make it clear that offering concealed gun permit do not pose any threat to the public safety as it is evident that any person who is likely to cause threat to the public will not be offered such a legal permit. However, it can also be noted that in certain States it is enough for the person to be a resident or permanent resident who is a greencard holder which seems to be a bit alarming. Similarly, even though under the current federal legal precedent it is constitutional under the Second Amendment for states to offer permit for private gun use, one should also bear in mind that the second amendment also provides states the provision to formulate laws that prohibit concealed carried weapons. However, it is to be noted that Wisconsin and Illinois are the only two states that have prohibited carrying concealed weapons whereas all other states have legalized the private use of concealed guns. The second amendment contributed to a lot of debates in the American society. The gun control advocates were strongly against the provision towards legalizing concealed private gun use as they held that it would increase violence and homicides. The advocates of gun ownership, on the other hand, regarded “the attacks on gun ownership as attacks on freedom, and defended their interpretation of the 2nd Amendment just as fiercely” (Walenta, 2011). Thus, the second constitutional amendment for them preserved individual freedom and protected human rights. The second amendment can be interpreted in two ways: “The first is that the amendment was meant to ensure that individuals have the absolute right to own firearms; the second is that the amendment was meant to ensure that States could form, arm, and maintain their own militias” (Walenta, 2011). However, the second constitutional amend also provides freedom for the individual states to be either restrictive or non-restrictive in its policies towards concealed handgun carry permit/license. Does 2nd amendment protect right of private ownership of guns? The question whether the second amendment protects the right of private ownership of guns deserves attention in this regard. There are many who argue that the second amendment aim at defending the the people and property of the U.S. On the other hand, there are others who believe that permitting private ownership of guns has potential risks on the public safety. They argue that the government and the U.S constitution have the responsibility of protecting its citizens from the dangers associated with legalized use of concealed guns. The collective rights view opposes the very notion that the second amendment protects individual gun rights. On the other hand holders of the Individual Rights position “believe that the Second Amendment gives private gun ownership and use to individuals as a basic civil right to protection from government tyranny, such as the tyranny faced by the founders of the United States” (White, 2011).Thus, it can be argued that the second amendment that promotes less restrictive gun laws guarantees civil rights and as such it protects protect right of private ownership of guns. Gun control slanted in media – most media is negative about benefits of guns/media promotes gun control not gun ownership It can also be seen that the media often offers undue significance to any violence or incidents that results from concealed gun permits whereas the benefits of gun use very often go unnoticed. These media reports thus create public opinion in favor of gun control rather than gun ownership. This is very well suggested by Jon E. Dougherty, a staff reporter and columnist for WorldNetDaily when he observes that the media conditions prompt many “to oppose guns because reporting of incidents when firearms are used negatively is so much more prevalent than coverage of when guns protect lives and property, which is estimated by researchers to be more than 2 million times a year – most never involving the firing of shots” (Dougherty, 2003). Thus, it can be concluded that the media coverage on gun attacks has sensationalized concealed gun permits whereas it fails to cover positive firearm stories quite effectively. Does concealed carry make society safer? The society demands the safety of each and every individual. The present situation in U.S. demands the need of concealed carry. The developing causalities and attacks on individuals make carrying the concealed guns safer from such attacks. The different groups in America make rivalries and such tumult in the society constitute much for the safety of the citizens. Massad Ayoob strongly recommends the use of guns for public. For him, “carrying a concealed handgun in public is very much like keeping a small fire extinguisher in your car” (Ayoob, 2008, p.18). It is a rescue tool in times of emergency and so individuals can feel safer when carrying a concealed. Carrying a concealed gun make the citizens free from many dangers both from beasts and from beastly humans. Many instances show that the concealed carry laws made society safer. For instance the law allowing the civilians to carry licensed handguns was enacted in 1995 in Texas. Even though this had led for wide protest from all over the places, the reality shows that the crime rate had come down to a substantial level in the state. Daily Policy Digest tells that, “In the early 1990s Texas's serious crime rate was 38 percent above the national average. Since then serious crime has dropped 50 percent faster than the nation as a whole’” (Concealed Carry Laws Make Society Safer, 2000). The reason behind the come down of crime rate in the state mainly owed to the concealed carry law enacted in 1995.So it can be rightly say that the instances make the fact clear that concealed carry has been giving much advantage towards the safety of the people in America. Research of incidents/statistics (Virginia Citizens Defense League] In U.S. the demand of concealed carry is very high and so in the state of Virginia, an organization named Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) was at first established in 1994 and later modified in 1998. The organization stands for the self defense of the people and they have asserted that keeping arms is a fundamental human right. They say that “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people”( Dizard, Muth & Andrews, 1999, p. 216). If guns are banned murderers would use the next most convenient weapon and so the ban of guns does not make any change in rate of crimes in the country. The public safety turns to be more affective if guns are banned from the civilians. The many gun incidents in the country show that the concealed carry should have to be established to prevent mass killing by some psychologically infuriated persons. The case of Dr. Suzanna is an apt here. She witnessed both her parents killed in a massacre at Kileeen, Texas but could not prevent the gunman as the then law prevented her to keep back her revolver in the car outside the place (Ayoob, 2008, p.17). Many such instances in many states in America demand the need for concealed carry of handguns. Even the incident at the Virginia Polytechnic institute and State University in Virginia where 32 persons were killed by a student shooter named, Seung-Hui Cho. Such persons, who kill others without any reason or out of some personal reasons, can be very well prevented if concealed carry guns are allowed. Why aren’t these in national media? The national media always stand for its perspective. Most of the media stand for the gun control. They say a developed and democratic country like America should enact gun control to prevent the increasing causalities with guns. The national media wants gun control as they say that the people carrying guns would cause for the increase in crime rate and assaults. So they demand the ban for the Right of Gun. Culture of gun control against concealed carry – believe that only law officials should have guns – is this in keeping with second amendment? Is this practical? According to the second amendment all citizens are privileged to have gun. It equals with the right of gun. The constitution gives this privilege to safeguard the lives of people. Gregg Lee Carter rightly analyses the second amendment and comes to conclusion that “The Second Amendment Committee firmly believes in self-reliance regarding protection, whether it be from corrupt public officials or from crime”( Carter, 2002, p.527). Further the writer says that the constitution allows its citizens bear firearms for their safety and so safety becomes a personal responsibility. In a wide country like America it is very difficult to assure the presence of police persons in each and every place. In this country people from all over the world had come and settled. The people of different genres and culture portray different characteristics too. So it is very impossible for the law enactors to be present in each place where some assaults take place. Many associations are there in America to protect the right of gun provided by the constitution. The associations like National Rifle Association (NRA), The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), etc strongly demand for the protection of the Second Amendment. It is not at all practical to keep the police persons near each and every person, and so carrying of concealed guns make safety for the civilians’ lives. If only the law officials carry guns it will intensify the rate of crime in the country. The law offenders have their own methods always to turn against individuals and state. The introduction of new and new weapons in the hands of these offenders makes more causality and worsens the situation. So it has become a mandatory to carry concealed carry to save their lives from such incidents. More over the upcoming threat of terrorism in various parts of the country necessitates the need of carry guns. So in nut shell it can be stated that, what the constitution embodies with the Second Amendment it has to be enacted by the state. The reality of the benefit of concealed carry when you need it The public places are the interests of the assaults. The places like market, coffee shops, meeting places, and even schools and colleges. A person decided to cause wide causalities open fire at these places. If such an incident happens at these places the public becomes bit confused to what to do next. As this situation is growing in America it is highly necessary to keep fire arms with a person. The concealed carry ensures safety of a person at such instances. Such assaults can be prevented by concealed carry. The psychologically infuriated persons want maximum death rate and they don’t mind killing many. The only option to prevent them is to shoot them. It makes safety of many. If an analysis on the incidents happened in the state it can very well be seen in all these places if these gunmen were prevented the death rate would have come down to a greater level. So people carrying concealed guns have greater benefits in the present society. It not only safeguards their lives but the lives of others too. References Ayoob, Massad. (2008). The Gun Digest Book Of Concealed Carry. Illustrated ed: Gun Digest Books. Carter, Gregg Lee. (2002). Guns in American Society: A – L. Illustrated ed: ABC-CLIO. Cato, Jeremy. (2010). How to Obtain a Concealed Weapons Permit in Florida. Demand Media, Inc. Retrieved 5 June 2011 from: http://www.ehow.com/how_6685277_obtain-concealed-weapons-permit-florida.html Concealed Carry Laws Make Society Safer. (2000). National Center for Policy Analysis. Retrieved 5 June 2011 from: http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=9928 Cramer, Clayton E & Kopel, David B. (2010). "Shall Issue": The New Wave of Concealed Handgun Permit Laws. Retrieved 5 June 2011 from: http://www.davekopel.com/2a/lawrev/shallissue.htm Dizard, J.E., Muth, R.M & Andrews, S.P. (1999). Guns in America: a reader. NYU Press. Dougherty, Jon. (2003). Defensive use of guns underreported. WorldNetDaily.com, Inc. Retrieved 5 June 2011 from: http://www.realnews247.com/defensive_use_of_guns_underreported.htm Walenta, Craig. (2011). Constitutional Topic: The Second Amendment. Retrieved 5 June 2011 from: http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_2nd.html White , Deborah. (2011). Pros & Cons of Gun Ownership & Use Laws for Individuals. Retrieved 5 June 2011 from About.com: http://usliberals.about.com/od/patriotactcivilrights/i/ProConGunLaws_2.htm Read More