So it’s pretty clear now that the number of people getting carry permits is going up (via SayUncle). I got some wicked deja vu when I started writing what I wanted to write about this subject, and sure enough I already did, and fairly recently too. So even if 99.95% of concealed carry permit holders are folks with good judgement, and can be counted on to be responsible, the overall number of morons with permits are going to go up, and those incidents are very likely to end up as media stories, and used by our opponents as examples of why no one should be permitted to carry.
UPDATE: It occurs to me that our opponents might have a better argument convincing people that society is safe enough that carrying just isn’t worth the hassle, rather than making the argument that the law must forbid nearly everyone from this behavior for their own good. But I don’t think the idea of gentle persuasion has ever entered their thoughts.
99.95% is a little too high. Detailed numbers coming soon.
If NY/NJ allowed carry permits, those numbers would skyrocket.
NYS does allow CCW, and the ease of getting it varies greatly by county. Once you get outside the urban centers of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and Binghamton it’s practically shall issue. That’s why I always laugh when NY types scream about a race to the bottom when discussing reciprocity-their neighboring county is already near the bottom and permits are valid statewide (outside of NYC-that’s a whole other animal)
I confess, some of the examples of carry license issuance that I see from upstate New York State suggest that issuance is practically shall-issue, even for people with pretty serious bad histories.
Like everything else, the “bell curve” applies to the behavior of CCW permit holders. Fortunately, self preservation kicks in to greatly inhibit the rash actions of most civilians with permits. So most people with permits act responsibly when the chips are down, even if they are not.
Stranger
“It occurs to me that our opponents might have a better argument convincing people that society is safe enough that carrying just isn’t worth the hassle, rather than making the argument that the law must forbid nearly everyone from this behavior for their own good. But I don’t think the idea of gentle persuasion has ever entered their thoughts.”
If society is so safe, and only 0.05% (or whatever number it is) are causing the problems, then what do they care if we’re inconveniencing ourselves?
Isn’t that what gun control is for?
In a free society, carrying a gun only requires buying a gun and carrying it. (An expense of merely $400-500 at minimum). Yes, a responsible person will also get training, etc., I’m just talking about the minimum expenses.
Every form of gun control serves to add hassle, so people won’t bother.