We can expect the amount of hysterics over HR822 to continue, and for it to get ridiculous, such as this editorial in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
H.R. 822, or the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, would force every state to honor every other state’s permit to carry a concealed gun — no matter how lax the other state’s standards. That would mean a convicted felon who can’t pass muster in, say, Pennsylvania, could get a permit elsewhere, and local law enforcement would have no choice but to let him walk around with a loaded weapon.
You see, she must have heard of this “Florida Loophole” thing, but instead of doing actual research to understand the issue, she’ll just shoot her ignorant mouth off. First off, in the language of HR822:
Notwithstanding any provision of the law of any State or political subdivision thereof, related to the carrying or transportation of firearms, a person who is not prohibited by Federal law from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm, and who is carrying a government-issued photographic identification document and a valid license or permit which is issued pursuant to the law of a State and which permits the person to carry a concealed firearm, may carry a concealed handgun (other than a machinegun or destructive device) that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, in any State, other than the State of residence of the person, that-
That automatically excludes felons, people who have been adjudicated mentally ill, and anyone with a misdemeanor domestic violence convictions. That makes sense, since these people may not legally own or possess firearms in all 50 states. She also brings up Florida Loophole poster child Marqus Hill. I have shown why Mr. Hill is a failure of the City of Philadelphia, and not the State of Florida. That irrelevant to begin with, because HR822 does now allow you to carry in your state of residence on a reciprocal license, so HR822 would have been no assistance to someone of Marqus Hill’s disposition.
So either MAIG is employing the ignorant to speak out against HR822, or they have resorting to being deliberately deceptive. Not that I can blame them. Half truths and hysterics is all they know.
Why let the facts get in the way of the debate.
I like this bill a lot, but am not too optimistic about getting it passed. I expect a lot of opposition from the states.
Nevada recently stopped honoring Utah permits, and Texas has been threatening to do the same. One of our state legislators explained to me that it really has nothing at all to do with differing permit requirements. That’s just a smokescreen. The real issue is that Nevada and Texas want to have control of issuing permits to their own people. If having to honor a Utah permit upsets them, how upset will they be at having to honor permits from all states?
This doesn’t create that problem. To carry in your home state, you need a permit from your home state, under this law.