Concealed Carry For All

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The right to carry a concealed handgun has been a sensitive subject for years, however, due to recent acts of gun related violence, the issue has become a political controversy. Although the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution which states, “A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed”, guarantees citizens the right to bear arms, the argument is based on the interpretation of when and where Americans are permitted to exercise this right. All 50 states allow the general public to practice concealed carry; however, The District of Columbia permits concealed carry licenses only to active and retired law enforcement officers (Concealed Guns 1). States that allow concealed carry licenses may have a lower crime rate than those that do not; therefore, the District of Columbia should adopt private citizen’s concealed carry laws. Illinois (specifically Chicago) is notorious for crime. The state is ranked number twelve out of fifty-one (the fifty-states and District of Columbia) as of 2008 for violent crimes and ranked number five out of fifty-one in armed robberies by the FBI (United States Dept. of Justice 3). In turn, the District of Columbia reported a forty percent increase in violent crimes for the year 2012 (Noble). Gun rights activists view concealed carry licenses as a crime deterrent based on the reasoning that criminals will not attack someone who may be armed (Concealed Guns 2). The Chicago Gazette published “Gun rights groups challenged the [Illinois] law banning concealed weapons” in 2009. Acitivist with funding fromthe National Rifle Association sued on behalf of an Illinois woman who had been attacked while volun... ... middle of paper ... ...ns of defending themselves and or others in the event of an attack. The District of Columbia should develop a new law that allows private civilians to carry permits and educate them on gun safety and training. Works Cited “Concealed Guns.” Concealedguns.procon.org. Procon.org, 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 March 2014. “Guns on the Bus? Bad Idea.” Chicagotribune.com Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 March 2014. Lorenzi, Neal. “Concealed Carry Gun ruling Stirs Controversy: Aldermen opposed.” GazetteChicago.com. Gazette, 1 Feb. 2013. Web. 22 March 2014. Noble, Andrea. “Violent Crime in D.C. Surges in 2012.” Washingtontimes.com. The Washington Times, 19 Feb. 2012. Web. 21 March 2014. United States Dept. of the Justice. Office of Public Affairs. “Illinois Crime Rates 1960-2011” Disastercenter.com. Federal Bureau of Investigation. 2012. Web. 21 March 2014.

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