OK, I totally ment zero disrespect with any comment I've made. Comming from a family myself with recent immagrants throughout our history here in the US (mostly from Norway, not that it matters) I am overly sensative to any injustice done to immigrants - both real and percieved. Every generation of my family line has had at least one if not more immigrants that have come to the US to better their current and future family's lives. It seems to me that many forget that there are many more of us that have not been here for hundreds of years than those that have. My perception has been that folks see Alien before they see Legal and assume none have the right to be here and be safe until they are Citizens. Laws are here to protect citizens and visitors alike, but only citizens have a say in how they are written and who writes them. That is why it's me and not my wife that is vocal on this particular cause.
I also felt that I had answered the questions about my wife's bid for citizenship, but here's some additional information. She has her federally-approved resident status and we are in the process of restarting her bid for Citizenship. We're in a position to get her paperwork moving ahead again. We were concerned that her citizenship could get revoked at any moment due to her being liberal minded. That grew out of the fact that the former cheif of Homeland Securty under W had stated that any proof found under the Patriot Act that showed they 'lacked moral character' a naturalized citizen would result in denaturalization and loss of citizenship status. "Moral Character" of all Liberals has been under fire for some time and The patriot Act reads more liek the Alien and Seditious Speech Act. At this point, her desire to be a Citizen is stronger than her fears.
My wife's needs for CCW are not more important than her Citizenship. Her lack of naturalization also should not stand in the way of her personal safety.
Really, this issue is more than just my wife's inability to get a MO CCW at this time. She'll be getting a FL non-resident with me this year after we submit her paperwork for naturalization. The issue is that while RA's are waiting to be eligable for naturalization, they are only able to keep themselves secure in their person in their homes or possibly their cars without having to go out of state to secure their personal safety. If no other state had set precidence for allowing folks that are legally residing in the United States in general to gain the legal ability to be covertly armed, I would never have thought to go down this road. The question in my mind at this point becomes less one of 'why do the other states have it' and more of 'why don't all states that allow CCW extend it to legal non-citizens'?
Many have stated that Immigration Law is too hot a topic to discuss without things getting ugly. While there are many different perspectives on illegal immigration, I don't understand the hostility being shown twards those who are going through the process legally. Citizens don't 'magically' gain rights and the government doesn't 'bestow' them either. This is not just 'changing the law' to suit me. This is 'when it is wrong, bring it to right'.