Concealed Handguns

The core argument in favor of Constitutional Carry is that the ability to own a firearm and use it in self-defense is protected by the 2nd amendment of the US Constitution. Many gun owners feel strongly that no license should be required by the government to exercise one’s right to keep and bear arms which includes the right

The 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution allows the people to carry a weapon, such as a gun as a form of self-defense. In certain states that allow the carrying of a firearm, the government or anyone in power are not allowed to infringe their right to keep and bear a firearm.

One case that proofs its validity is the case of the District of Columbia vs. Dick Anthony Heller (2008) at the Supreme Court. “JUSTICE SCALIA delivered the opinion of the Court. We consider whether a District of Columbia prohibition on the possession of usable handguns in the home violates the Second Amendment to the Constitution” (D.C. vs. Heller 2008:01). D.C. generally prohibited the possession of guns without a special license from the chief of the police, valid for one year. Furthermore, such guns needed to be “unloaded and disassembled or bound by a trigger lock or similar device unless they are located in a place of business or are being used for lawful recreational activities” (01).

In this paper, I will discuss Pennsylvania Concealed Carry laws, benefits of concealed carry and my views on such, states that Pennsylvania has reciprocity with and the troubles this creates, and the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2014. Concealed Carry is the act of carrying a handgun that is hidden, usually under clothing. Concealed Carry is a controversial topic in today’s age, especially with the gun laws that were dominating politics in 2013 and 2014. There is currently a bill in office to make Concealed Carry laws much better for the carrier. I will write more about this later in the paper.

According to The Washington Post, in the past, shootings have been prevented or stopped by concealed-carry holders. Examples include an Uber driver shooting and wounding a gunman in Chicago, A Bystander in a Philadelphia stopping an owner of barber shop from killing anymore of customers, and a church member in Colorado knocking down and wounding Matthew Murray after he killed four people at her church.

In the past six months, there have been a total of 19,635 gun incidents. Out of those 19,635 incidents, 107 were mass shootings, 829 were home invasions, and 604 were for defensive use, according to Gunviolencearchive.org. It is unbelievable to see the number of gun related incidents that have happened in just the past six months. What is even more unbelievable to imagine is that so many of those incidents could have been avoided if people were allowed to carry concealed guns in certain places. Concealed carry, or concealed weapons, is the practice of carrying weapons, such as a handgun, in public in a concealed manner. All fifty states in the United States allow concealed carry in public places to some degree. But, some places, for example, schools, restaurants, and stores, prohibit concealed weapons. The controversy about whether concealed weapons should be prohibited in certain locations has been debated for years, and more often in the past decade. On one side of the debate, supporters of the “gun-free zones” claim that prohibiting concealed weapons in certain locations will reduce crime and ensure that the location is free of gun violence, allowing concealed weapons can result to more guns landing in the hands of criminals, and some even insist that public safety should be left to professional, qualified police officers, not ignorant citizens with little to no expert training. However, it is absolutely necessary to know that prohibiting weapons in certain locations

On every news channel in the nation, the current controversy is whether the citizens of the United States should be put under more gun control or have more freedom to carry. Political parties, courts, and individuals have different viewpoints on the matter as a whole, but they fail to mention a few aspects. All states should recognize concealed carry gun laws because of the citizens constitutional right, the safety benefits, and the financial benefits that firearms bring to the United States.

There have also been references to second amendment that it states that the ownership of handguns rights are not protected, and that it should be easy to make a law to ban them(Roleff, 82). Another person also says that stricter laws on gun control is needed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of other citizens of the United States(Roleff, 144). Handgun control inc. also supports tough and stricter gun laws and states “waiting periods will reduce the number of criminals who obtain handguns”(Roleff, 153).

Recently, the topic of gun control has been at the top of everybody’s list in regard to what this country needs to focus on. With the recent tragedies in Las Vegas and Orlando, some may claim that giving more people the ability to carry a concealed weapon would deter some criminals from committing crimes due to fear of failure. This theory was discussed and tested in an article by David Fortunato entitled, “Can Easing Concealed Carry Deter Crime?” This article shows results of many surveys and case studies completed within the US regarding topics like types of permits, ease of issuance, and the perceived number or carriers per state. It then goes on to break down this data, and draws a conclusion from it that may surprise some.

The Second Amendment allows every law abiding citizen the right to bear arms and to protect oneself as an individual and these rights shall not be infringed and is one of the original 10 amendments in the Bill of Rights. Over the years the government has implemented laws and regulations such as the Gun Control Act and the Gun Free School Zone Act to deny citizens their basic rights. Court cases such as McDonald v. Chicago No. 08-1521 (2010) and District of Colombia v. Heller No. 07-290 (2008) paved the way for every state to have a form of conceal carry as of 2013; which authorized the use of a handgun for personal and home defense. The Fourteenth Amendment incorporated the fundamental rights, to keep and bear arms for the purpose of and home

Carrying a concealed handgun increases the chances of a confrontation and turning lethal injuries For example, on Jan 13, 2014, a retired police officer with a legally concealed handgun shot and killed another man during an argument over text messaging in a movie theater. Most existing CCW permits are full of dangerous gaps, allowing many people to carry weapons in too many public places. Contrary to the claims of the gun lobby, CCW laws do not decrease crime. In fact, these laws may increase crime. More guns have reduced crime in other states. Crime has gone down everywhere in the last decade with the growth in the economy, but it has dropped twice as fast in states that turned down this legislation, including Michigan. Police chiefs, prosecutors

Heller, the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm to use for lawful purposes, such as defending oneself within their home/property. The court case ruled that the Amendment was not connected to service in a militia (Constitution). Handgun possession is banned under District of Columbia law. This law prohibits the registration of handguns and makes it a crime to carry an unregistered firearm; additionally, all lawfully owned firearms must be kept unloaded and dissembled or bound by a trigger lock unless they are being used for lawful recreational activities or located in a place of business.

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: “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.” The constitution is clearly saying all citizens have the right to be able to own and carry a weapon or firearm. On June 26, 2008, in District of Columbia v. Heller, the United States Supreme Court held in a 5-4 decision that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home and within federal enclaves (Cornell 1). This is showing how our founding fathers supported the right to bear arms.

I think concealed handguns should be legal in public with the right background/ history. First of all, if a crook thinks or knows that the soon to be victim has a gun the crook will back off and that person will not become a victim. An FBI study in 2000 showed that murders went down 8.5%, rapes by 5%, aggravated assault by 7%, and robbery by 3% in states with shall issue for concealed handguns. This means that crime rates in aggravated assault, burglary, murder and rape will go down drastically across the us. Sure there might be a downside like “Someone might have a concealed permit with there gun and they are desperate for money. They will do anything for money like killing. ” Well if that person were any smarter they would have sold the

There are many different types of firearms including rifles, pistols, and shotguns and people use them for many different purposes. “Guns have been used to implement both the highest and basest goals of humanity - to put food on the table, to provide personal protection, to enforce or defy the law, to defend or acquire territory” (Supica). An example of this is using firearms for America to obtain their freedom from Britain. The advancements in firearms drastically changed warfare, hunting, and self-protection for the better by becoming more accurate, more convenient, and more powerful.