Concealed Carry should be legalized throughout the United States. Throughout the Nation a rising controversial issue is the debate whether or not concealed carry should be allowed. However, each fifty states have their own laws and regulations on conceal carry and its extent of legalization, although concealed carry should be legalized throughout the United States. Moreover, People’s rights, Safety and the main justification of Protection are proper reasons for the legalization of conceal carry, or the right to carry a weapon.
As a U.S citizen, Americans have the right, according to the Second Amendment of the U.S Constitution, to bear arms. Many people argue that the Second Amendment applies to a “Well-regulated Militia” and not to personal carry (Procon.org). However, that statement by people opposing gun rights is not fully correct considering that the full amendment states that “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (findlaw.com). Therefore, the people oppsing gun laws do not state the full amendment to “prove” their point. Furthermore, if people want to carry a weapon then they should have the right to, with attention to the Second Amendment stating that it is the right of people to bear arms (procon.org) (findlaw.com). This statement infers that for an average citizen, if they feel most safe to conceal a weapon, whether it is in their home, in their vehicle or with them walking down that street that they have the justification to conceal a weapon.
As well as the Second Amendment giving the right to bear arms, the NRA (National Rifle Association) also gives the privilege of a person to carry a weapon. The NRA is an organization in which provides people the oppurtunity and the rights to carry a concealed weapon. However the NRA does have certain limitations and rights to carry and conceal a weapon that go only as far as the state’s and National laws will allow such as the act of carrying a loaded weapon in some states. With the NRA, to carry a weapon is privlige and unlike purchasing groceries at the store it is not that simple (nrailia.org).
To purchase a weapon a person would have to go through in-depth steps, including a universal back-round check to purchase a gun. Such as a back-round check, when purchasing a gun, the person behind the counter, uses the NICS (National Instant Check System). The NICS does the back-round check in a matter of seconds and insures that anybody unable to purchase a weapon for reasons such as a criminal record, felony or are mentally disabled cannot purchase one (epic.org). Also, when purchasing a gun, the transaction will be put on file, and the person purchasing a weapon will also be given an NTN (National Transaction Number) which is an identification number that is unique with each transaction (epic.org). The reason for this system is for safety and was put into effect in 1994, called the Brady Act. This act was put in after an incident that happened 13 years before on March 30th, 1981 with the attempted assassination of President Ronald Regan, when instead his Press Secretary Jim Brady was shot and badly wounded (epic.org) As well as back-round checks to purchase a gun, a person would also need a FOID (Firearms Owner Identification) card, which also takes some time, steps and requirements such as, if a person is under the age of 21 they need a legal parent or guardian to sign the application. Also, a photo ID is required for everyone and if a person is 18 years or older they need their drivers license or Illinois Identification Card and there is a $10.00 purchasing fee. These are some of the information needed on the Illinois Application Form to receive a FOID card (isp.state). However, these are just requirements for a FOID card for Illinois, the applications, requirements and laws vary from state to state (isp.state). Generally speaking, people should have the right to carry weapons especially if the weapons are registered. If the weapons are registered by a legal citizen of a state then purchasing a FOID card should not be a problem. Not everybody in the world are “bad” people and going to kill and harm others.
Moreover, if citizens do have weapons then each person would be able to protect themselves and others from injury and crimes. Again, to purchase a FOID card and a weapon would take steps and requirements, and in Illinois if a person has committed a felony, has been in a Mental Institute or are intellectually disabled and they do not fit the requirements they will not have the opportunity to conceal carry (isp.state). Furthermore, weapons are not just being given out to anybody. With this amount of safety and protection, concealed carry should be legalized with attention to, when purchasing a gun, it would be difficult for anyone un-fit to buy a gun to actually purchase one considering the back-round checks and history of an individual. In addition, no matter what criminals have access to have weapons. If concealed carry is illegal that does not stop criminals from having guns, such as having marjuina be illiegal does not stop criminals from doing drugs. The illegalization of carrying a weapon is only hurting citizens by having a disadvantage of criminals, espeically when the criminal has a weapon. If criminals have illegal and unregistered weapons, innocent citizens should have the legal right to carry weapons for whatever their reason is, with the main reason being protection. It is unfair and unsafe to provide criminals with weapons which is giving them more of an advantage against people. Without a weapon, when being attacked a person will become more in danger condering they would most likely not have a form of proper protection. Concealed carry should and needs to be legalized for reasons like the safety of an individual or others. Concealed carry could and most likely would save lives. (nrailia.org) (ny.gov) (tactical-life.com).
Owning a weapon with being the right of a person, a person should be allowed to carry a weapon for their protection and safety of themselves and other people. Studies show that people are more likely to be attacked on the street rather than at home, so why own a weapon but defeat the purpose of owning one by having it be illegal to carry with you on the streets. If a person owns a weapon they should be able to carry it on the streets with them. For instance, on April 2nd, 2013, a women was walking down the street when she was grabbed from behind by her ponytail then dragged down the street, however she managed to grab her registered legal handgun and point it at the suspect when he then fled (gunssavelives.net). Luckily, whatever state she was from had concealed carry leagalized because if she wouldn’t have had the handgun, no one knows what could have happened to her, varying from; kidnap, rape and murder. Having a weapon most likely saved this women’s life and if a person feels most comfortable and more safe carrying a weapon, it is their right to register and own a weapon. People should be given the right to carry weapons used for safety and protection throughout the United States , and like Wayne LaPierre-the Executive Director of the NRA said “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people” (nrailia.org) (gunssavelives.net).
Besides protecting ourselves, weapons could be used to protect others. Such as at gas stations, schools and even locally on the street. For instance, you are at a gas station and a burglar comes in with his/her own weapon, the gas station attendant pushes the silent alarm for the police to come. Considering a gun being shot could happen in a matter of seconds, this is not enough time for the police to arrive. However, if the attendant has a weapon secured behind the counter, he or she could push the silent alarm and also grab the weapon which would most likely be protecting not only themselves but other people as well. In instances like this example, are when guns could help a situation for the better and save lives. Also, if the criminal sees the weapon, there is a less of a chance that they would attack because they would be going against someone with as much “power” as their own. Although there are not yet any statistics saying that “Reduction in crime when concealed carry is legal” being reported, many people do agree with this statement. (Washingtonpost.com).
In agreement with this, police officers also agree with this statement. Although some people say that legalizing conceal carry would take away jobs from Police Officials (procon.org), 15,000 police officers were surveyed and 91 percent supported the right of citizens to bear arms. Also, along with citizens to bear arms, 76 percent of police officers polled that Teacher’s should be qualified to have a weapon at school for protection of themselves and students. Along with the majority of the police officers agreeing to the legalization of concealed carry, 96 percent agreed that banning guns and other gun restrictions would not reduce the rate of crime considering criminals do not care if something is legal or illegal and that criminals will still carry weapons no matter what. Besides the matter of banning guns due to criminals, 68 percent of the police officers said that “banning weapons would affect them in a negative way personally.” (humanevents.com). Besides just this survey, a statistic has been shown that people without guns are 5.7 times more likely to be arrested without guns then people with guns. In conclusion to these statistics and surveys, it is clearly shown that even the ones carrying weapons believe that the legalization of concealed carry would mainly benifet everyone, including themselves as officers. (concealedguns.procon.org) (procon.org) (humanevents.com)
Finally, guns are apart of the every-day world in the 21st century. Having weapons leagalized would make a difference in the world, and could possibly change how criminals view their “criminal oppurtunities” in which making a world a better place. Also legalizing weapons would provide people with the feeling of safety and comfort by knowing that if anything unfortunite would to happen they would have protection, and so for people opposing the legalization of weapons, if they do not want a weapon, then simple as it is to be, they do not need to purchase one. After all, guns are a legal part of the constituion in particular the Second Amendement and taking away guns from people would be unconstitunial.
Conversely, a man once said “To conquer a nation, first disarm its citizens (1933)” (skepticallibertarian.com). So by wanting to take away the rights of people, by taking away their own weapons, would be the first step of success in conquering a nation. For all people know, this could happen if the guns and the rights of people are stripped from the U.S Constitution. With attention to this quote, it is easy to say that across the United States the right to bear arms should be infringed and every man or woman fit to carry a weapon and so desire to, should have the legal oppurtunity. At last, the one of a kind man who said this, goes by the name of Adolf Hitler. (skepticallibertarian.com)
