Will "Constitutional Carry" be the undoing of the 2nd Amendment?

CPT Jack Durish — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 10:49:44 -0400

Should gun control advocates be hailing the rapid spread of Constitutional Carry laws rather than fearing them?

Sometimes giving people what they want is a great way of demonstrating that what they want isn't a good thing. For example, how many of us were given our first cigarette by a parent? Oh, how grown up we felt until we took that first drag. After several minutes of coughing and gagging and maybe even puking, we swore off of them, possibly making good on our oaths for life. And look at the British who voted for a socialist government immediately following WWII and then quickly voted it out after living with socialism for a brief period.

So now we have Constitutional Carry. It just became law here in Texas. Maybe it will be fine. Maybe not.

Those of us who served, especially in the infantry know about gun control. I well remember that first day on the firing line when the sergeant explained our first task: We were each facing down range with our rifles in our hands while standing in front of a wooden peg driven into the ground. On his command, we were to place our weapons on the ground with the barrels leaning on the peg facing down range and the butts between our feet while standing at attention. It took several repetitions of this simple task to satisfy his need for precision. In truth, he was establishing "control", making sure that we were paying attention and doing exactly what he wanted.

Gun control was likewise practiced on the battlefield. As a platoon leader, I would not allow anyone to "lock and load" until we were outside the wire and on return, I had the platoon file past me one man at a time to insure all weapons were cleared. Both outside the wire and in defensive perimeters, we assigned fields of fire. More gun control.

Currently, I am studying for my concealed carry permit. I most likely won't carry outside my home, but want to know the local laws (only moved here recently) and need a good refresher on gun safety as well as target safety (target environment, background, etc.). None of this knowledge is required for Constitutional Carry. Unlike driving which is a privilege and we must demonstrate driving knowledge and skill to get a license, Constitutional Carry is a right. No license required.

So, what's my point? (Do I really have to tell you?) If Constitutional Carry results in a plethora of tragedies, how will We the People respond? We can't just stop people from exercising a right. We must take it away from them.

No, I'm not advocating the elimination of the 2nd Amendment. I have long advocated for it. I am merely pointing out that inasmuch as we are now unleashing it in it's rawest form, we must now act to insure that people are prepared to exercise that right responsibly.

Sadly, We the People (well, most of US) aren't prepared to keep and bear arms responsibly. Once upon a time (long ago when the earth was without form and I was a school child) we learned those lessons in school. We grew up with firearms in the home. Pickup trucks in many high school parking lots could be seen with rifles and shotguns in rear window racks for students going hunting or target shooting after classes. Personally, I fired thousands of rounds of small bore ammunition as well as trap and skeet before I enlisted in the Army. And, as I mentioned above, I am taking the time to study local laws. I am a responsible gun owner and well appreciate the value of gun control.

I only hope and pray that my fellow citizens do as well...

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 3 at 2021 11:09 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 11:09:38 -0400

Here in Idaho, we have Constitutional Carry. Hell, in Idaho you can open carry AND carry concealed without a permit as long as you're at least 18 and can legally own a firearm. No training required. When our Governor signed that bill into law (allowing conceal carry without required training), he did state that he was concerned that folks will be carrying concealed weapons without training (and of course a bunch of us asked why he signed it into law if that was his concern). Thus far, we have not had an uptick in violence that involves firearms.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Sep 3 at 2021 11:36 AM

SSG Edward Tilton — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 11:36:25 -0400

1. no one being compensated for a Psychiatric disorder should be allowed to have firearms.
2. No one on medication for a Psychiatric disorder should be allowed firearms.

Response by CW3 Harvey K. made Sep 3 at 2021 12:51 PM

CW3 Harvey K. — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 12:51:50 -0400

The principle of "Constitutional carry" is excellent. The effect of it is questionable.
The foremost question in my mind is how Law Enforcement will properly deal with it. Without a CCW or other "permission slip", how is an LEO expected to know if an armed person he encounters is a lawful possessor of a firearm, and therefore entitled to carry in public? He may very well be a career criminal. Should the "assumption of innocence" be made? Would it be more prudent to "detain" that armed person until his "qualification" is determined?
A CCW settles the question immediately and directly. Perhaps it should be left to the individual to decide if he wishes to bear arms "by right", and risk being "detained" while his qualification is determined, or concede some of his Liberty to the bureaucrats and get a document that eliminates any question of his "qualification".

P S --- I recall the NRA once suggested that the driver license of the "unqualified" to carry a gun be so noted. IIRC, the license of a "qualified" person would be unaltered. That would raise questions about the indignity of having that "disqualification" displayed anytime the license was used as ID.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 3 at 2021 1:16 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 13:16:41 -0400

I like how you frame it as a balance between a right and the responsibility incurred by that right.

I have always believed that owning firearms is a right. It’s also a power. Great power, great responsibility, something Uncle Ben said to Spider-Man.

I do not like most of those whom I term “hard core” hun advocates. They rarely talk about the responsibility or the power inherent in exercising the right. They just want an MLRS in their garage and seem to not care what happens to other people.

I also believe that NO right, no matter how enshrined in the Constitution, is so absolute as to be without some cautiously considered limitations.

Is open carry a right? Yeah. But it’s stupid to exercise it.
Is a concealed carry permit a right? Yeah, I personally think it should be “shall issue” but without some sort of background check and training, it’s stupid to exercise that right also.

I have maintained for decades that the real problem with the entire debate and discussion around guns is that the reasonable people don’t get air time. It’s always the extremists one way or the other. I think the NRA is a joke. I also think the Brady Campaign is a joke. They don’t want compromise, they want absolute victory.

Let’s inject some common sense and rationality into the conversation. There is lots of compromise to be had, that balances personal freedom with public safety. And maybe those of us who believe in the right can reengage in emphasizing the responsibility right alongside it.