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Carrying A Concealed Weapon, In California, Is A Threat To Society

Good Essays

“Matilda Crabtree, 14, was shot and killed by her father when she jumped from the closet and yelled ‘BOO’ to scare her parents; her last words were, ‘I love you, daddy.”(Rottenberg 87) Laws that regulate carrying concealed weapons (CCW) have been wildly debated in the California and the US. There have mainly been two different types of laws. One is a type of legislation known as “may need” laws, which issues licenses to people who are in absolute need of carrying a concealed weapon. The other is known as “shall use” laws, which is a lot more lenient for people and makes it easier for the general public to get a gun. This law gives state authorities to issue concealed weapon licenses to any adult who does …show more content…

According to the FBI, there were 49 handgun murders for every one civilian justifiable homicide in 1994 (Fisherman). In fact, carrying concealed weapons makes you more vulnerable. Researcher Arthur Kellerman, Director of the Center for Injury Control at Emory University, warns, “If the bad guys know more people are carrying guns, they just might shoot first and reach for the wallet later.” (Sojourners)

Legalizing concealed weapons would make sense if the public supported more lenient CCW laws. An April 1995 study, Illinois Statewide Survey on Public Attitudes Toward Concealed Handguns, found that more than 73% of Illinois residents do not think that citizens should be able to carry concealed weapons, which also happens to be one of the Mafia capitals of the world. A Michigan survey of 600 state residents found that 71% opposed laws that make it easier for people to carry concealed weapons. (Kirchner)

There are many arguments that gun clubs and the NRA try to reassure society about concealed weapons. Many say, society is safer if criminals do not know who is armed; but if that is what society thinks, then why conceal weapons in the first place? It could be argued that concealed weapon laws might make criminals more violent; criminals might anticipate a potential victim to be armed and shoot first. Another argument gun lovers say is, an armed society is a polite society. Surveys taken

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