Concealed Weapons?

[TunesRus90]

Okay, well this is aimed at USA users, but other's feel free to contribute. I am in a program called Youth in Government, and we have to write up a bill and debate it, and the bill I chose it to allow carrying concealed weapons. Currently, Wisconsin (where I live) and Illinois are the only states which do not have some sort of law allowing carrying concealed weapons, though some other states are very strict about giving out permits. Anyways, since I have to debate this bill, I was wondering what your thoughts are on it, and I was hoping you guys could bring up some points that I could look into so I can have an argument prepared ahead of time. Please try to avoid flaming, though I really want to hear everyone's thoughts on this issue.

[Veegie]

No.

[Darco]

the only reason you would need a concealed weapon is for self defense, i understand why some people would want the permit, especially women who may not feel safe traveling somewhere alone but have no choice. but its not for me. infact, the wife of one of my dads friends has it for that reason, because her husband is on the road a lot so she keeps a pistol when hes gone for self defense reasons.

[ScottyGEE]

Since guns are so freely available there, the only way to counter guns is with bigger guns.... :/ Or at least more guns than the other person concealed away.

But then, that comment has little to do with the response that you're asking of me...I don't feel like helping people with their own homework.

[TunesRus90]

Well ScottyGEE, I'm very capable of doing my homework. The thing is, I can't think of every possible counter argument by myself, so I am looking for points brought up by others. Anyways, I get the feeling some people are very uneducated on just how helpful carrying concealed weapons can be. Check out these statistics. It seems pretty clear to me that allowing carrying concealed weapons reduces violent crimes, so why not allow it?

[[cc]z@nd!]

i'm for it because of how nasty the world today is. hell, i'd like one myself. i'd like to think that i have the option to defend myself if i have to. then again, if you get mugged at gunpoint, what would pulling out your own gun do? sometimes, it can just complicate the situation and get you killed, but sometimes it can save your life.

[ExileLord]

It seems pretty clear to me that allowing carrying concealed weapons reduces violent crimes, so why not allow it?

There are too many "do-gooders" out there who have it set in their mind that guns are always bad. They will do whatever they can do to prevent the law...

[Tural]

It's already passed here in Nebraska, I believe 179 people have permits to have concealed weapons. There is little reason for it really. It's not illegal to have a weapon on you, you don't need it concealed for defense. Having it out in a holster is going to serve to defend more than having one concealed will. Most places wont permit people to enter with a concealed weapon, such as clubs, bars, schools, and many other places where it could pose a problem. While there are people who have them for legitimate reasons, you have to think about the people who will have one when they get pulled over by the police, and will choose to use it. In addition to that, the current law here requires people to inform an officer that they have a concealed weapon if they are confronted. However, I can guarantee that some idiot will try to show the police officer by drawing it, in which case they can technically be shot in self-defense of the officer. Most people don't need a weapon for any reason, let alone a concealed weapon.

On another note, I feel I should give a little more explanation about getting a permit. From what I've gathered, over 300 people signed up to get a concealed weapons permit, out of those 300, only 179 went through the lengthy courses to get one. Thinking about it, the people I mentioned about using it in a violent way really couldn't care less about a permit, if they plan to kill someone, a lack of a permit isn't going to stop them. So in the end, it could really go either way, but now that I have established this, it does seem like less of a problem than my initial thoughts seem to claim.

Edit: Here's the article that was in our newspaper the other day. So correction: 139 people, not 179. Also, the list of people who have a concealed weapons permit would benefit police, as the article mentions.

[TunesRus90]

On another note, I feel I should give a little more explanation about getting a permit. From what I've gathered, over 300 people signed up to get a concealed weapons permit, out of those 300, only 179 went through the lengthy courses to get one. Thinking about it, the people I mentioned about using it in a violent way really couldn't care less about a permit, if they plan to kill someone, a lack of a permit isn't going to stop them. So in the end, it could really go either way, but now that I have established this, it does seem like less of a problem than my initial thoughts seem to claim.

Thats similair to my philosophy. While I don't believe that there are no possible reprocutions, I believe that the benefits of having a law similair to this outweight the problems. Basically, if somone plans on shooting another person, odds are they aren't worried about whether its legal for them to have a concealed weapon. And, anyone planning a robbery, murder, etc would have to think twice knowing that somone else on the street could have a weapon. Therefore, I believe that as the statistics show, the decrease in violent crimes that would result from this law would be worth the chance that a few stupid individuals might abuse their right.

[shadowkhas]

The more guns you have, the more chance you have of gun abuse, gun crime, and accidents with guns...I don't think you'll avoid that. Making them concealed will give people (not all, but there will be some nuts out there) a mentality that because they have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, they can use it whenever they damn well feel like it...and that's where I don't want people using guns. I'd much rather have them unconcealed then concealed.

[ScottyGEE]

I must be one of them do-gooders because I think having no guns prevents more than having a gun concealed just in case another person who also has a gun threatens you because they obtained the gun easily and feel powerful because of it.

That and because there are rarely any shootings, robberies, threats that I ever hear around here, on the news etc...

But then, since there are already heaps of guns, having concealed guns may not do any more harm through people being scared further from paranoia that another person does or does not have a gun on them.
The sentence probably didn't make sense.

[Geo]

If you just banned guns, altogether, you'd have much fewer problems.

[ScottyGEE]

haha I'd LOVE to see their method of trying to get guns back...
The problems already started, so the concealing weapons thing kinda fixes the problem

[turk645]

Im not for concieled weapons but i do plan on getting one myself for when i move out though. Then again its going to stay in my home/app for self defence reasons since i dont expect much from the US. I might put it in my car also depending on where i live because my sister had a gun pointed at her once while her husband was driving home.

[Geo]

Surely, it would only escalate the situation. I know if I were threatening someone with a gun, and they pulled one out... I would shoot them, no?

[Darco]

If you just banned guns, altogether, you'd have much fewer problems.

i disagree, it think laws keep honest people honest. if you banned guns, you would have over population of animals (in all honesty this is true, one of our presidents protected a certain species to the extent that they are all gone now). and if somebody really has it in their mindset to do something, i dont think one law banning guns is going to help them. it would only make people completely rely on police whom will not always be there to save the day when somebody is breaking into your house with a gun.

[Shur'Tugal]

If you just banned guns, altogether, you'd have much fewer problems.

no, people would just get them illegally, as is already done, or they would find a differen't weapon. Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

Surely, it would only escalate the situation. I know if I were threatening someone with a gun, and they pulled one out... I would shoot them, no?

depends on the situation, if someone is breaking into my home, i would use a gun before they got far enough to point their own at me. walking down the street with a gun on your hip immediately makes you an un-attractive target, and will make someone think twice before waving their own around. the point of carrying a gun is primarily strategic deterrence (albeit on a person-to person scale.) if that fails, then you use it to defend yourself.

[-DeToX-]

If you just banned guns, altogether, you'd have much fewer problems.

Many drugs are illegal. Are they still on the Streets? Yes.

Same with many other products. I don't think that would solve it. But neither would gun permits...

My final answer is no.

[GametagAeonFlux]

Detox, it's a lot easier for someone to make drugs in a house than guns.

[-DeToX-]

Detox, it's a lot easier for someone to make drugs in a house than guns.

Yeah maybe my comparison was harsh. But My point is... Even if guns are banned from there, there will still be guns around...