We know that people carrying loaded, concealed guns can commit dangerous crimes. Look no further than the arrest last week of the sponsor of a law allowing loaded guns in bars, for, you guessed it, carrying a loaded gun while drunk. Or take the case of Marqus Hill, who obtained a Florida permit after his Pennsylvania permit was revoked. Hill assaulted a police officer, yet with his out-of-state Florida permit making him a legal concealed carrier in Pennsylvania, Hill shot an 18-year-old 13 times and was charged with homicide. The list goes on, with nearly a dozen police officers and 370 others killed by concealed carry permit holders in just the past four years, as documented by the Violence Policy Center. The “Packing Heat on Your Street” bill would force Nevada to allow dangerous people like these to carry loaded guns on Nevada’s streets.
Now, that part is undeniable. I'd only add that the "nearly a dozen police officers and 370 others killed by concealed carry permit holders" are only the ones we know about. I don't think the VPC folks have access to all the data. And let's not forget the wounded and victims of lesser crimes by these upstanding citizens with CCW permits.
Congress will soon be considering this dangerous assault on states’ rights and public safety. Sens. Harry Reid and Dean Heller should take a stand for Nevada and vigorously oppose this attempt to impose federal mandates that would override Nevada’s decision about who qualifies to carry loaded, concealed guns in public. It is crucial that Nevadans reach out to their senators and tell them to oppose the “Packing Heat on Your Street” bill and stand up for states’ rights and the safety of our communities.Is this part just wishful thinking or do Nevadans feel this way? There are lots of Libertarian-minded folks out there who would normally resist any federal interference, but when the fed wants to loosen gun rights, how do they feel then?
What do you think? Please leave a comment.