More from the Arizona Daily Star....

And the usual cast of anti's in the comments sections.



http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_f9de1ebc-f046-5d78-8f19-5f55670725ba.html

New gun law poses dangers
Story (242) Comments Posted: Sunday, July 25, 2010 12:00 am | Comments

Thursday you can carry a concealed weapon in Arizona without a permit. We hope that if you choose to do so, you will also choose a safety course first - even though the training will no longer be required.

As the Star's Clayton Norman reports today, the state's new liberal weapons law will allow you to tote a firearm in your purse or briefcase or under a jacket without first taking a CCW (carrying a concealed weapon) safety course and getting a permit from the state.

Until Thursday, when the new law goes into effect, you can legally carry a weapon only openly, unless you have a concealed-carry permit. (You also can't carry if you're a "prohibited possessor" - for instance, if you've been found mentally incompetent by a court or been convicted of a felony.)

Supporters of the new law say it's all about freedom and extending Second Amendment rights.

Some supporters even argue that the more people who carry firearms, the safer we will all be from robberies, assaults and lunatic shooting sprees.

We think not. We suspect a bunch of armed citizens trying to intervene in such incidents will be more likely to endanger innocent, unarmed citizens than to prevail over the bad guys.

More at link.



And.....


http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_359bccac-5dab-52dd-90f0-5cf903f5fa8e.html

Packing heat in AZ to become easier soon
Story (217) Comments Clayton R. Norman Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Sunday, July 25, 2010 12:00 am | Comments

The Wild West is about to get wilder - on Thursday, Arizona will join Alaska and Vermont as one of the states with the country's most liberal gun laws.

Senate Bill 1108 removes the requirement that gun owners must be trained and licensed to carry a concealed weapon.

Arizona already allows for "open carry" - anyone not legally prohibited from possessing a firearm, such as convicted felons or those adjudicated mentally incompetent, can carry firearms in public as long as they are clearly visible. After Thursday, the requirement that weapons be displayed openly will be dropped, and anyone who is not a "prohibited possessor" will be able to carry concealed weapons.

The new law will not remove restrictions on places where it is forbidden to carry weapons, including schools, hydroelectric or nuclear power plants, polling places, federal buildings or businesses that have posted specific signs prohibiting weapons. Establishments that serve alcohol will still be "no-carry" zones for those without a concealed-weapons permit, and gun owners will not be allowed to drink alcohol while carrying a weapon.

More at link.

I don't care for the way the article is written, but I'll concede the do have a tiny sliver of a point.

While I certainly don't think anyone should ever have to ask permission to carry a weapon, I would likewise expect that anyone who chooses to do so exercises their right responsibly.

As far as the antis' fears that EVERYONE will start carrying concealed (except for them, which is why they're scared in the first place, but that's besides the point), I can't logically conclude that is what will happen.

The probability of anyone who currently does not carry a weapon starting to do so on the 29th is slim at best. Simply being able to CCW does not a CCWer make.

The article cites the expense of the course and the certification. What it leaves out is the expense of a holster, clothing, mag holsters, etc... designed for concealment. Unless people start running around Mexican carrying, I don't think gun shops will be able to keep enough concealment holsters in stock.

Furthermore, CCW'ing is more than just strapping a gun on as with OC. Because the weapon is concealed, and because modes of carry can vary depending on your attire, it takes some getting used to. The first time I ever carried concealed I felt as though everyone's eyes were on my and I had a big sandwich board on pointing to my hip saying "GUN --->" So again: anyone who hasn't been doing this regularly is going to have a learning curve to follow.

The demographic I would most likely peg to take the best advantage of this new law are those gun owners who do not have a CCW permit and likewise do not enjoy the "attention" or what have you that goes with open carrying.

Just another Daily "Red" Star article bemoaning Arizona's lax gun laws. The Star also endorses Illegal Immigration.

The Daily Red Star would do well to read the AZ Constitution. Art 2 Sec 26 to be exact. The CWP (permit) didn't even exist prior to 1994. I suppose 16 years is more than half a lifetime to the person that wrote that article... beyond their cognitive memory. I suppose concealed may be 'done' up north, but down here? Where in the devil would you put a concealed handgun w/o a purse of fanny pack? Mex carry? It won't affect me at all... but I'm happy to see RKBA recognized 'unimpared' in Arizona again.