Essay/Term paper: Concealed weapons

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Sociology Term Papers

Concealed Weapons, Concealed Risk


Do you feel safer sitting next to someone carrying a gun? / Many people say no to that question,/ for many valid reasons. Carrying Concealed weapons have nothing to do with your dad or uncle owning many firearms. / This issue relates solely on allowing individuals to carry these weapons/ almost anywhere in the community:/ including football games,/ restaurants,/ stores,/school buildings/ and other many other places where firearms should strictly be prohibited./ There are 7 states in the nation including Missouri/ that does not let any private citizens carry these weapons. Most people who have permits to carry concealed weapons in their proper states are people who are not law enforcement officials/and have limited training and undergo less testing than even the most basic police recruit./ Even law-abiding citizens/ with the best intentions/ do not know how hard it is to use a gun in successful self-defense. Even highly trained police officers often lose control of their weapons; /according to the National Institute of Justice/ an average of 16% of police officers killed in the line of fire/ are killed by a fellow officers bullet. Yet, they are lead to believe/ that if given a dangerous situation/ they will use the weapon with the proper safety and care that law enforcers will. You cannot ignore the fact that out of the thirty-four thousand and forty firearm deaths in 1998,/ only 212 were justifiable homicides out of self defense /by private citizens with firearms. The gun lobby claims that only law-abiding citizens get permits/. According to statistics this is false./ A recent study done by the Violence Policy Center/ demonstrated that in the first six months on 1997, /the weapon related offense rate among Texas concealed weapon license holders/ were more than twice as high as that general population of Texas. / We know that concealed weapon holders are committing crimes/ as a matter of fact/ 946 crimes were committed by Texan Concealed Weapon holders/ in the first 6 months of 1997. The full story on this has not yet been told because the Gun Lobby prohibits public accessibility to the lists of concealed weapon permit holders.
(www.handguncontrol.com/facts)

The carrying of concealed weapons were prohibited/ or severely limited in most states/ prior to the mid-1990s./ Then here comes the National Rifle Association,/ pleading that ordinary people carrying hidden handguns will reduce the nation"s crime rate./ Their first year of this new campaign they were fairly successful,/ and many states changed their laws to allow the widespread carrying of concealed weapons.
According to a 1999 study done by the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence/ demonstrates that liberalizing Concealed Weapon Laws have had an adverse effect on the states crime rate. Between 1992 and 1997,/ the violent crime rate in states which kept strict concealed weapon laws/ fell by an average of 24.8%. The 29 states that bought into the NRA line/ the line of hidden handguns reducing the crime rates, the crime rate did drop/ but only by 11.4%,/ as opposed to the 24.8% drop in crime rate by states with more strict concealed weapon laws.

Right here in our very own state of Missouri/ this same issue arose /to be voted on for this last spring (99). The title was called proposition B./ Even though proposition B was defeated,/ the threat for concealed weapon carry still exists here in Missouri.

I wanna close with a little scenario./ Forget all the statistics and facts./ Johnny and Billy Bob are arguing at a party/ out in the middle of nowhere/. The two have had a few drinks/ and the argument quickly breaks into a scuffle. Tempers flare,/ Johnny"s boys jump in,/ as does Billy Bob"s/ you know we gotta big old rumble going on/ The worse case scenario here is black eyes, /bloody noses/ and a few assault charges,/ right? Many of you know how it is to get into a fight, /things are done out of anger and adrenaline./ You normally do stuff you would not do with a clear head and calm temper./ Just imagine this scenario if these two were carrying guns./ Like I said,/ things are done out of anger and emotion. / Throw in the alcohol, /and these two guys probably won"t make very good decisions. With the right to carry these guns,/ fists will be substituted for handguns,/ bullet holes will take the place of black eyes,/ and fights will be overtaken by shootouts/

Many permit holders have been stripped of their right to carry permit for criminal behavior/….. and even the most law abiding citizen out there/ is prone to get angry/, confused,/ make mistakes,/ and escalate and ordinary argument into gun play/. /and armed society is an at risk society.