"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed one." -Thomas Jefferson
Why does Illinois not have a concealed carry law? Who does this really affect? Do you realize that the state of Illinois is the only state in the country that does not have a concealed carry law on the books? It seems to me that if every other state has a concealed carry law then maybe Illinois should have some form of legal concealed carry. Why is there a reluctance to let law abiding citizens defend themselves against the armed criminals that do not care if there is a law? In fact I would suggest that the criminals do not want a concealed carry law passed. It is less dangerous to rob somebody if you are armed and they are not.
The mayor of Peoria, Jim Ardis, has stated that he would like for the City of Peoria to be used as a pilot program for the state. This has not happened to date as there are some issues that would have to be worked out. It would almost have to be a county wide trial and not a city trial. It would be very hard for people to carry legally in the city but not in the county. There are places in Peoria where you think you are in the city but are actually in the county outside the city limits. This proposal was actually met with acceptance by police which surprised a lot of people. The police that supported the measure looked at it as if there is a concealed carry law you just assume everyone is armed and act accordingly. It would take away some of the anxiety that goes along with a stop. Instead of wondering to yourself if this person is armed or not you just assume they are.
There was recently an attempt to pass a concealed carry law in Illinois. The main opposition to the bill came from representatives from the Chicago area. It appears once again that Chicago politicians are dictating their values and beliefs on the rest of the state. There was however one representative from a suburban Chicago area that stood up for the bill. Republican Representative Joe Walsh spoke out in support of concealed carry. He was quoted as saying “we are an embarrassment,” speaking about the fact that Illinois is now the only state in the country without a concealed carry law. He claims that the Second Amendment is the most important amendment in the Bill Of Rights. He is also not just fighting for an Illinois law but a national concealed carry law as well. He has taken a lot of flak over his comments but he has not backed off of them. It is refreshing to see a politician standing up for what he believes in. You can read more about it here. http://www.usacarry.com/illinois-congressman-battles-anti-gun-group/
I believe this is an important topic. It is not one that is going away any time soon. I hope that Illinois will finally wise up to what the rest of the country already seems to know. It could also help financially as the state could put a tax on the license. Maybe one day soon we will be able to carry concealed weapons in the state of Illinois, until then I guess only the criminals will be armed.
Im not a supporter of concealed carry. More gun availability and more guns in public simply means that there would be more gun related violence. Could you imagine people on this campus having access to guns? I'd have to start carrying one just to protect myself from them. And even if campuses were excluded that still means that places in uptown normal and downtown Bloomington would be fair game. I don't think it's a good idea.
ReplyDeleteI can see where you would be hesitant but even with concealed carry there are a lot of restrictions. It is not free reign to carry where ever you feel like it. The evidence also shows that when states pass a concealed carry law gun crimes actually go down. This is not just me spitting propaganda but empircally true. There have been several research studies that have shown this. You have to remember that concealed carry only affects law abiding citizens, criminals don't care they are carrying anyway.
DeleteI'll definitely cede that the data shows that crime in general goes down. I'm not arguing that point, its been proven to a degree of certainty. If they regulated it so people under 25 (or something) could not carry I could see some merit to it in addition to highly stringent background and mental health examinations. All I don't like is the kind of decision making I see take place out in public. I've seen (as I'm sure you have) many situations were the presence of a firearm would make things worse, not better. I'm confident that most firearm owners now are law abiding citizens and I am a supporter of the second amendment, but I have my doubts about this idea in capacity that isn't HEAVILY restricted.
DeleteI agree it should be heavily restricted. I am not for everyone carrying a gun everywhere they go, but I believe that those who are responsible should have to ability to. I just can't beleive that Illinois is the only state that has zero form of concealed carry.
DeleteEthan, the idea behind allowing concealed carry is that it enables citizens to defend themselves from imminent danger. Most critical incidents happen within the blink of an eye, leaving the police no time to respond and prevent loss of life. Your example of regulating the concealed carry laws to certain locations would defeat the purpose of the law. Despite what we all may wish, criminals are not stupid and would target vulnerable locations. Allowing concealed carry in the town but not on campus would simply put target on all our backs for terrorists or the kind of person that was responsible for Virginia Tech. I acknowledge that someone seeking a concealed carry license should have proper firearms training. Beyond that training I believe that if you are old enough to vote and old enough to serve in the military you should be allowed to carry a concealed weapon. My right to self defense is not checked at the coat rack.
DeleteI think people have a skewed image on this. As is stated above, every other state has a conceal and carry, and there is no evidence that gun related crimes are on the rise because of it. On the opposite side, there is also no evidence to support that it will decrease crime. However, if you have gone through the process of obtaining a FOID card and then to buy a gun and the wait period, it is not easy as it is. And, to qualify for conceal and carry in other states, I do believe that you have to take a class on gun safety and use. Despite what people think, it wont make it the wild west. Also, Illinois is no exception, I have a few friends that attend Northern Illinois University, and from my understanding, shootings there are frequent, but most of them happen just off campus (although there has been a few in recent years in classrooms) so we dont hear about them.
DeleteI support the idea of concealed carry in Illinois. I can understand where you are coming from Ethan, however; concealed carry does not increase crime. In fact, in many states that have adopted concealed carry laws crime rates have declined. Also, you must remember that the criminals are going to buy and carry weapons whether or not a law pertains. I feel as though criminals will think twice before committing a crime and ponder the possibilities of each citizen potentially being armed. I think there are many steps that need to be taken before we transition into a concealed carry state (educational courses, ect..), but I think it is something that needs to be considered more aggressively.
ReplyDeleteAs a future police officer, I do not support concealed carry, due to the fact that there would be more guns on the streets to worry about. This would most likely lead to more violence and crime. Because people have the power to take someone’s life at any time if a situation where to get out of hand. However from a citizen stand point, I am a supporter of concealed carry. I think it is our right to be able to defend or protect our self’s if need to. Crime as dropped since states allowed concealed carry. Criminals are thinking about if the individual is armed before committing the crime. I think it is a great subject to debate about, I see both sides
ReplyDeleteI think it is a great topic because of the fact it is easy to see both sides. The one thing I find amazing is that in every study I have seen police officers support concealed carry in general. The one thing I want to point out that people seem to forget is concealed carry laws only affect law abiding citizens.
DeleteI like that way of thinking about it Jake. As future law enforcement; it is scary to think that everyone you engage on patrol could be armed. However, as a citizen I feel it is almost necessary. If the other 49 states have concluded it is successful then it must work. Everyone is concerned about the limitations and restrictions but I still think it goes back to the basic essence of the principle which is that the law abiding citizens will continue to abide. Very interesting argument, but there will never be 100% consensus.
DeleteI agree that Illinois should have a concealed carry law. I know many people that would disagree with that, and I think for them it tends to be more of a moral issue, but I think that the people that misuse guns are people that are not legally supposed to have them anyway. Most people that have legal guns don't commit crimes with them. I was a little surprised, but happy, to hear that concealed carry laws actually tend to decrease crime. In light of that fact, I have a hard time understanding why Illinois doesn't have some sort of a concealed carry law. It decreases crime, and the state could make money by charging for a permit and charging for any necessary classes. There doesn't seem to be much of a downside to me.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how Illinois can be the only state that doesn't have a concealed carry law. I feel that the representatives in Chicago impose their own will over the whole state. Those few representatives shouldn't have that much power to make such laws for such a huge state. People in the state of Illinois should have the same right as everyone else in the United States to go out and purchase a concealed carry permit if they so chose to do.
ReplyDeleteGREAT ARTICLE! I am a full supporter of concealed carry in Illinois. It has been proven across the nation that concealed carry reduces violent crimes. This is a fact, not a myth! Extreme gun control (especially Illinois) only penalizes those who want to have legal access to their firearms. More recently, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanual wants everyone in the state of Illinois to have their handguns registered. He claims that this will make it much easier to track down crimes. He is absolutely crazy! Does he really think that those who partake in violent crimes are going to register their handguns? Take it one step further, do you think those who partake in violent crimes even own legal guns...NOT A CHANCE! A couple years ago I took a local concealed carry class that offers the Utah concealed carry permit. The class was excellent and now allows me to carry my handgun in many states. My wife and 2 daughters travel throughout the summer and most recently went to Colorado. I take my handgun with me on every family vacation. I did find it interesting that Colorado is one of a couple states that permits open carry. While I only took advantage of this right while camping in a very secluded are, it is certainly a great deterrent. I would also like to comment on a post within this article. Someone commented how it would be a bad idea to have concealed carry at a University. I hope we all remember the massacre at Virginia Tech several years ago. This guy could have been stopped quickly had someone else been armed and well trained. Undoubtedly, fewer lives would have been lost. Yet another post within this article stated that an age limit (nobody under 25 years old) needs to be put in place before someone can carry a concealed firearm. So, at 18 we can vote and die for our country but we can't legally carry a concealed firearm? Clearly, I am a huge proponent of concealed carry in Illinois. Unfortunately, this will never happen in Illinois, unless Chicago becomes a state of its own. The far leftists of Chicago run this state and those who live downstate suffer from their lack of sense. In the mean time, if you would like concealed carry and appreciate your second amendment rights, you should become a member of the National Rifle Association. www.nra.org Great article Brad!
ReplyDeleteI am also a supporter of concealed carry in Illinois. As Brad mentioned in his post, many police officers are actually in favor of this legislation because it allows them to assume that everyone that they come into contact with is armed. As a future police officer, I understand the argument that concealed carry will provide a greater number of weapons on the street, but it has many benefits. As was also mentioned earlier, law enforcement can assume that everyone they some into contact with is armed - and that any law-abiding citizens would not be a problem for the police anyhow. It is my opinion that concealed carry may even decrease the amount of crime (as proven in studies) because criminals may be less likely to commit crimes against citizens due to the fear of them being armed. Finally, I'd also like to comment on a previous comment on this post: While it's extremely important to limit who can carry a weapon, the age of 25 is not a practical idea. Like many other laws, a person one day before and one day after a certain age is not really a more mature person. Another concern that I have with this is that you can become a police officer at age 21 - so would officers under the age of 25 not be allowed to carry a weapon?
ReplyDeleteI would have to say this is my favorite blog I have read and commented on yet. As a gun owner myself I do believe in carry and conceal, Illinois is the worst state for gun ownership and its completely ridiculous. People in Indiana can walk into a gun store, buy a weapon, and walk out with it like its a pack of gum. In Illinois you need a FOID card, have a waiting period(which in my opinion is the one law I do like because of crimes of anger and passion). Chicago law does dictate most of Illinois because they have half the population and is the area where most gun violence happens. The media only reports on the people who do the killings and the victims of gun violence, and never the father that teaches his son of proper gun safety and what they are really meant for. Not having a carry and conceal in Illinois is a slap to the face of legitimate gun owners in Illinois, because the people who are carrying and concealing them are the ones who shouldn't have them in the first place. I completely agree with you 100% gun laws in Illinois need to be a little less strict and help the people who legally obtain and pay for them. It is our right to have them and our right to protect ourselves as long as we do it in a legal means and justification.
ReplyDeleteThe mayor of Chicago is trying to impose his will on the rest of the state. He is now trying to make the handgun registration policy that the city has a statewide thing. I just don't understand why these politicians cannot understand that the only people affected by these gun laws are the law abiding citizens. The criminals do not care and are not going to register their handguns, especially because their guns are probably illegal in the first place!
DeleteI completely agree with the writer of this blog. The way I see it is that laws like this do not really protect anyone. Criminals are going to do whatever they want no matter the law, it is the people that abide by the law that get the short end of the stick. It seems weird that this has occurred to the rest of the country except our state. It is not rocket science and, I think at least, if they gave it a shot crime might just go down a bit. Afterall it is an amendment to bear arms, so back off Illinois government!
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