Gun Control & RKBA
In reply to the discussion: Where do you stand on banning guns? [View all]spin
(17,493 posts)Is my concealed weapons permit an item that I possess?
Does my state granted privilege to carry a concealed weapon allow me the ability to defend my myself using an effective tool for legitimate self defense when I find myself under attack from a individual who intends to inflict serious injury or to kill me and has the capacity to do so?
Do I as such a victim of an attack have the right to defend myself using lethal force when truly necessary?
Obviously although I have a concealed weapons permit I have no right to use my weapon unless I am a victim or are trying to defend another individual who is under such an attack. If I did so I would be the aggressor and if the law was written to allow me to carry a weapon and use it to attack another person without punishment, it would be both a victim rights law and a criminal rights law. The intention of the "shall issue" concealed carry law in my state is not to allow criminals to carry but to enable victims to effectively defend themselves. (Of course if the law is poorly written or if the legal system fails its responsibility an individual might not be a victim but the aggressor might escape punishment for his actions.)
Therefore a law that allows me to carry a concealed weapon with certain restrictions is indeed a victim rights law.
Your idea of banning all concealed carry would enable armed criminals to attack innocent victims without finding themselves facing equal or more lethal force. "Shall issue" concealed carry has swept across our nation and the violent crime rate has not increased. In fact it has returned to levels last seen in the late 60s.
I will state that I don't totally attribute this drop in the violent crime rate to concealed carry laws and other victim rights laws that have been implemented in the same time frame. There are far too many factors in the violent crime equation to prove such a conclusion. Still if victim rights law were as bad as many suggest we would see far more violent crime rather than a significant decrease.