Doug Huffman
Banned
imported post
http://www.germantownnow.com/blogs/communityblogs/64355037.html
http://www.germantownnow.com/blogs/communityblogs/64355037.html
By Al Campbell
Oct. 15, 2009
Among the biggest surprises yesterday was the position adopted by the Milwaukee Police Chief and District Attorney John Chisholm. They made the argument for Wisconsin moving to a concealed carry status opining that this would help them in the fight against those who carry weapons today without regard to the law.
The theory espoused was that, if the law were to be changed so that concealed carry was okay, they'd have the ability to assure that those with guns were qualified and without records as felons. They would seek the change to make unauthorized carrying of a weapon a felony. This combination would, from their perspectives, give them a better toolset with which to go after the thugs who are ... using guns on the streets of Milwaukee virtually every day of the year.
This is a 180 degree change in direction and could well signal the change that many have sought for years. Wisconsin is one of the last two states in the union that continues to forbid citizens from carrying concealed weapons. The state Attorney General came out months ago saying that open carry was okay according to his interpretation of the state constitution and court cases, although this has been met with varying degrees of enforcement by law enforcement agencies in the state since it can be disconcerting for a citizen to see another openly carrying a gun and since there is no way for police officers to know with what they may be confronted.
I have favored a concealed carry law for Wisconsin for a long time. It makes sense to me that those who carry a weapon be properly vetted and trained. It makes sense to me that with "good guys" carrying, the "bad guys" will think two or more times about using a gun to commit a crime. It makes sense to me that this would also make our state safer from criminals who have little fear today. The worst thing for them today is risking harm from another criminal with a gun as is demonstrated from time to time in Milwaukee. 48 other states have made this work; Wisconsin can make it work, too.