My Response Paul
How many more times are you going to tell this story? I get it, you used to live in LaGrange, you've talked to Kedzie (who hasn't)? I live in Sugar Creek and talked to Senator Kedzie and Representative Nass and Sheriff Graves and various Elkhorn Councilmen, and various County commissioners, candidates for Governor, Lt Governor.
Hello Paul,
I have nothing against you personally, so I am speaking to you as a fellow 2nd Amendment advocate. I will tell this story as long as it takes to get Wisconsin to accept concealed carry. This forum is read by more people than just yourself and the more I tell my story, the more people it reaches. I regret that you find it boring or repetitive, but please do not criticize me for trying to reach as many freedom loving Wisconsin Citizens as I can.
We can rail about our right to open carry all we want, but as we do so, we caution each other about the gun free school zones, local regulations, State Law, etc. Let's face it. Wisconsin has come a long way, but not far enough. There are some facts that we need to deal with. And as we vocally express what we believe our rights to be, the "sheeple" cringe thinking us a bunch of "gun nuts". We need to win their hearts and minds - one voter at a time.
Until the day when all citizens of the United States, including citizens of Illinois and Wisconsin, have the right to carry, the anti-gun lobby will incite the fears of the sheeple. OK, yes, I do believe that McDonald v City of Chicago gave us all the right to carry as we see fit, but the political reality (especially in Chicago) is that until the courts rule on test cases, some States will continue to trample upon our Civil Right to carry a firearm as we see fit.
Important points to recognize if we want to win the hearts and minds of the ordinary voter:
1) The sheeple are terrified of guns. They want to make sure that only police have them even though they know that methamphetamine crazed bad guys do not give a (insert expletive) that we have laws against that.
2) In concealed carry States, the sheeple are comforted by the fact that the government has screened concealed carry permit holders. AZ, VT, and AK have constitutional carry and there have been no problems, but ours is a war of Public Relations. The 'sheeple' only hear one side of the story and thus want to be sure that concealed carry is limited to those who can pass a background check. They do not care that AK, VT, and AZ have Constitutional Carry and have not had daily recurrences of the Gunfight at OK Corral. (The Brady Bunch is much better at PR than we are.)
3) In order for Wisconsin Open Carry to be truly successful, we need to have a Concealed Carry option. Only in this way can a Wisconsin Citizen carry openly and then conceal when the situation suggests this is the best approach.
Paul, I grew up in Wisconsin and served as a LEO there in Rock County. I now live in what is arguably one of the top 5 gun-friendly States in the USA. I am never not armed. On days I consider the threat lower than low, I only carry my back-up gun. On other days I have a primary carry and a back up carry. All concealed. When I return home to visit my family I actually now feel "naked" without a lawfully carried concealed firearm.
I keep an NRA chart on my home office wall. It shows the States that I can carry in and those I cannot lawfully carry in. As I wind down my career, I realize that I cannot and will not accept a job offer from a Black State like WI or IL - and will not accept a job offer from a "may issue" State in case they decide not to issue to me (Example: Southern Kommiefornia, New Jersey, Maryland, CT, etc.) I will never again live in a State that is not "shall issue" or "Constitutional Carry".
I live for the day when I can add Wisconsin back onto my list of States that I would establish a home in. Thus, please do not chastise me for repeating my message. I would hope that you realize I am just trying to help those "back home" achieve what I now take for granted.
Daily concealed carry is an awesome and terrible responsibility. It is one that I have undertaken after considerable thought and prayer. For me, the decision was easier because I was once paid to carry. Now, it is a personal choice. I choose to be a sheepdog rather than a sheep.
Jim