Any of you who get legislative updates from the NRA or the Kansas Rifle Association (KSRA) have read by now about a new proposed constitutional amendment here in Kansas, that, if passed will allow concealed weapons to be carried with no permit. The way the proposal stands now, nothing at all will be required; no class, no background check and no permit.
Now I’m a gun guy. I hunt deer, turkeys, geese and coyotes and trap as well, so I have guns for all occasions. I don’t have a concealed carry permit, but I believe strongly in the privilege. Yes, I said privilege; I believe it’s my 2nd Amendment right to own guns and to defend myself and my family with one, but I believe it’s more of a privilege to carry one concealed on my person wherever I go.
Like I said, I’m a gun guy and I believe strongly in being able to carry a concealed weapon, but I have a problem with this proposed amendment for a couple reasons. My first issue is with dropping the requirement to take any kind of class or training before carrying concealed. When I was a kid, I took a coworker pheasant hunting one day. I didn’t know this guy very well but figured “What could go wrong?” The guy carried an automatic twelve gauge, and I soon found that whenever a pheasant or quail erupted near us, he would turn in the general direction, fire two rounds, then aim! I soon wished I had found out beforehand how INCOMPETENT he was with a gun. The training class currently required to carry concealed teaches way more than just how to shoot. They spend a goodly amount of time on the escalating use of deadly force and on the many things one must consider before discharging a firearm to protect yourself and your family.
The second problem I have with the proposed amendment is with dropping the required background check. In 2014, 20,660 concealed carry permits were issued in Kansas. Also, because of criminal history and felony convictions revealed by background checks, 82 permits were denied, and because of criminal charges brought against concealed carry permit holders, 12 permit renewals were denied, 87 permits were suspended and 52 permits were revoked. These statistics are all public record available on the Kansas attorney generals website. Each time there is a mass shooting somewhere in our country we all get on our soapboxes, and rightly so about keeping guns out of the hands of people who should not possess them. In my opinion, requiring no background checks to carry a concealed weapon would be a step backwards in that regard.
I spoke with a member of our local law enforcement who said the proposal makes him a little nervous. He told me it’s already a challenge when stopping someone carrying a concealed weapon WITH a permit, let alone stopping someone with no permit available and having to rely solely on the person telling them the truth as to whether they have a concealed weapon.
Like I said, I believe strongly in being able to carry a concealed weapon, and it gives me some comfort when I’m out and about in our insane world today knowing there are people around me who may be able to intervene should I find myself in a possible life-or-death situation. But, like my experience taking my coworker hunting, I also want to feel comfort in the fact that those people carrying a concealed weapon are in all ways competent to possess one.
Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].