monsternav
Member
Trying to get real CCW in MD!
CCW reform may not be your hot button issue, but consider what it will do. With shall-issue CCW any law-abiding citizen will be able to get a concealed carry permit. When they trust any law-abiding citizen to carry loaded guns in public then how could they consider that law-abiding citizens would have to have integral locks on their guns; or couldn't be trusted with semi-automatic rifles with pistol grips; or that they would have to wait 7 days to get another gun (while they are already wearing one) .... CCW reform changes us from always being on the defensive concerning gun rights - to making them prove their position. If CCW reform passes then suddenly the gun control folks will look quite silly to everyone.
Please take a moment to write Governor Ehrlich. Use this model letter, or use your own words:
==========
Governor Robert L. Ehrlich
100 State Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401-1925
December 27, 2004
Dear Governor Ehrlich,
As I'm sure you already know, Maryland is #3 in violent crime, #2 in murders, and has more robberies per capita than any other state in the nation. Criminals here can and do carry guns, but the average law-abiding citizen cannot carry a gun to defend themselves.
Thirty-seven states now have shall-issue CCW laws, including most of our neighboring states - all of which have far lower rates of violent crime than we do. While Maryland is #3 in violent crime, Pennsylvania is #23, Virginia is #36 and West Virginia is #42. Are the people of these surrounding shall-issue states so different from our Maryland residents, or is the lower crime due to law-abiding citizens being able to defend themselves with shall-issue concealed carry? Isn't it time we tried following their example?
The idea that allowing law-abiding citizens to have CCW permits will result in more gun use and killings is not supported by facts. In reality, the experience of thirty-seven states over more than a decade proves otherwise. Maryland will give permits to businessmen who handle cash, but not to citizens to protect their lives. Is money more valuable than life?
Law-abiding Maryland residents can easily get CCW permits from Florida, Pennsylvania and Virginia that combined will permit them to carry in 30 states - including every state touching Maryland - yet they cannot get permits to defend themselves in Maryland. Why do 30 states trust Maryland residents more than Maryland trusts her own law-abiding residents? What happens when some Maryland resident who is permitted to carry in other states, but is turned down for a permit here, is injured or killed because they are unable to defend themselves?
It is my understanding that a simple directive from you to the Maryland State Police could loosen the requirements of "a good and substantial reason" to where law-abiding citizens could get permits here in Maryland the same as they can in most other states. Please send that directive to the Maryland State Police. Also please make it known that you want to see CCW reform legislation passed in the current session to ensure a permanent solution.
Sincerely yours,
Full Name
Street address
City, State Zip
phone number
=================
Additional methods of contacting the Governor:
phone 800-811-8336
fax 410-974-3275
email [email protected]
=================
FREE BUMPER STICKERS! "Self-Defense for MD: www.marylandshallissue.org" - just send a SASE to: Maryland Shall Issue, P.O. Box 314, Libertytown, MD 21762
Also please visit our web site often for updates: http://www.marylandshallissue.org
CCW reform may not be your hot button issue, but consider what it will do. With shall-issue CCW any law-abiding citizen will be able to get a concealed carry permit. When they trust any law-abiding citizen to carry loaded guns in public then how could they consider that law-abiding citizens would have to have integral locks on their guns; or couldn't be trusted with semi-automatic rifles with pistol grips; or that they would have to wait 7 days to get another gun (while they are already wearing one) .... CCW reform changes us from always being on the defensive concerning gun rights - to making them prove their position. If CCW reform passes then suddenly the gun control folks will look quite silly to everyone.
Please take a moment to write Governor Ehrlich. Use this model letter, or use your own words:
==========
Governor Robert L. Ehrlich
100 State Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401-1925
December 27, 2004
Dear Governor Ehrlich,
As I'm sure you already know, Maryland is #3 in violent crime, #2 in murders, and has more robberies per capita than any other state in the nation. Criminals here can and do carry guns, but the average law-abiding citizen cannot carry a gun to defend themselves.
Thirty-seven states now have shall-issue CCW laws, including most of our neighboring states - all of which have far lower rates of violent crime than we do. While Maryland is #3 in violent crime, Pennsylvania is #23, Virginia is #36 and West Virginia is #42. Are the people of these surrounding shall-issue states so different from our Maryland residents, or is the lower crime due to law-abiding citizens being able to defend themselves with shall-issue concealed carry? Isn't it time we tried following their example?
The idea that allowing law-abiding citizens to have CCW permits will result in more gun use and killings is not supported by facts. In reality, the experience of thirty-seven states over more than a decade proves otherwise. Maryland will give permits to businessmen who handle cash, but not to citizens to protect their lives. Is money more valuable than life?
Law-abiding Maryland residents can easily get CCW permits from Florida, Pennsylvania and Virginia that combined will permit them to carry in 30 states - including every state touching Maryland - yet they cannot get permits to defend themselves in Maryland. Why do 30 states trust Maryland residents more than Maryland trusts her own law-abiding residents? What happens when some Maryland resident who is permitted to carry in other states, but is turned down for a permit here, is injured or killed because they are unable to defend themselves?
It is my understanding that a simple directive from you to the Maryland State Police could loosen the requirements of "a good and substantial reason" to where law-abiding citizens could get permits here in Maryland the same as they can in most other states. Please send that directive to the Maryland State Police. Also please make it known that you want to see CCW reform legislation passed in the current session to ensure a permanent solution.
Sincerely yours,
Full Name
Street address
City, State Zip
phone number
=================
Additional methods of contacting the Governor:
phone 800-811-8336
fax 410-974-3275
email [email protected]
=================
FREE BUMPER STICKERS! "Self-Defense for MD: www.marylandshallissue.org" - just send a SASE to: Maryland Shall Issue, P.O. Box 314, Libertytown, MD 21762
Also please visit our web site often for updates: http://www.marylandshallissue.org