Since we're talking personal opinions here:
My personal opinion is that it should be a persons
own responsibility to know the laws concerning carry in any and all areas they plan on carrying. As a matter of fact, neither of the CCW/CHL courses I've taken covered all of the laws in the state I've taken the course in - I've had to do addtional research into the laws, and I still don't know them all in either state.
I do a bit of traveling to different states. It is my responsibility to research and know the laws in the different areas I travel in or through.
There are some who don't feel "comfortable" around someone who hasn't taken a course and been taught the law. How do ya'll feel about travelers who have a permit, just not one from your state? As has been pointed out, the laws where I live are different from where you may live, sometimes drastically different. Do we need to have a class on your laws before we can travel to and carry in your state? Or should it be our own responsibility to learn your local laws before traveling there? And, if that's the case, why can't someone who lives in your area do their own research into the law instead of going to a state mandated class?
Granted, Alaska & Vermont don't have large populations when compared with other states, but... how often do we hear of someone using a handgun when having a permit would have stopped them?
...they just might be using me, my wife, my mother, my friends or someone else I love, as the backstop....
Earlier I mentioned a case in AZ where LEO had a shootout with a suspect and the only person hit was a kid in his bedroom across the street. That is not the only time law enforcement officers have hit someone they weren't aiming for. Are private citizens going to be trained better than law enforcement officers, so that we
always hit our target? If so, how??? Semi-annual training maybe? - 'cause anything less than that and you're going to loose your edge. And is the training going to include stress inducing elements? During a situation where your handgun comes into play you're sure as heck going to be under a ton of stress. Just popping holes in paper is not going to prepare anyone for such a situation. And before you go there, keep in mind that at least one advanced training course I've looked into won't take someone who is unable to hit the ground rolling, jump up & shoot; which includes a lot of older folk. So, are you planning to take away the ability to carry from a large portion of the population because they can't take the training course?
The Second Amendment does
not give anyone the right to injure an innocent person. It also does
not specifically give the government the right or ability to regulate how we can carry, or even when we can carry.
I've noticed that no one has addressed the fact that it cost almost $300 to get a permit here - and they're not free anywhere. (Can't count Alaska or Vermont, because they don't have permits). This in itself can prevent some individuals from carrying, they simply cannot afford the cost of getting a permit. How would you "permit required" folks fix this so
everyone who wants to can afford to carry?
This country seems to be getting more and more into the mind-set of "safety for everyone, at all times, even at the expense of "some" of our freedom" and "the government will take care of it". What ever happened to personal responsibility and looking out for yourself, family and neighbors? Is everyone
really that scared all the time? "OMG, s/he might be carrying a gun! And they might decide to use it to stop a criminal!! And they might miss!!! And they might hit ME!!!! OMG!!!!!" Or, "OMG, s/he might be carrying a gun! And they might decide to walk into a liquor store!! And, and, and - they might buy a bottle of beer!!! OMG!!!!"
