by Arlos » Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:24 pm
No, people who carry legally at this point normally aren't, because the process to gain a concealed carry permit is stringent, rigorous, and would, I would think, tend to weed out those who had any likelihood towards misuse, and DOES require proof of competency with the weapon, including safe handling thereof. You notice I've never called for doing away with current concealed carry laws, and for just those reasons.
It is the idea of having every yahoo and brainless dipshit, not to mention every wanna-be thug gangsta type, carrying firearms everywhere that gives me the willies.
I'll give you one example of someone I know who is my perfect case for worries about drunken idiocy. This is a friend, a guy I worked with, who was normally a really cool guy, laid back, etc. He is ex-Air Force, and is a big fan of medieval times, to where he has a small sword collection and armor collection, etc. Just his thing. He was even actually all set to run for Congress on the Libertarian ticket for the district he lived in around here. I was even going to help him run a website for his campaign, etc.
Then, one night, he was at home, got drunk off his ass, his downstairs neighbor (who he didn't like to begin with) did something that pissed him off, and he took one of those swords, and tried to hack through his neighbors door with it to get at him. Completely flew off the handle, temper exploded. Cops got called, he got taken to jail, ended up losing his job in the fallout, all plans on running for office up in smoke, and he ended up with a big fine and a hunk of probation time. Now, what if he'd had a gun? What if he'd had a gun and been out and about when something happened that set him off that bad and the target of his anger readily available? He'd be in jail for Murder 1. I've run into many other people in my time with similar tempers. Idiot fratboy types with egos the size of small planets and brains the size of brussels sprouts. You know the type.
So no, not while too many people think with their balls rather than their brains.
-Arlos