Posted by
Gerald L. Myking on Friday, December 26, 2008 12:50:27 PM
I am not familar Pennslyvania's gun laws, but if the news item I heard was accurate I really have to question carrying a pistol strapped to one's hip. In Minnesota you can carry but it must be concealed. One of the greatest concern's of law enforcement officers is someone grabbing the gun out of their holster. If your gun is concealed no one knows you have it, therefore no attempt will be made to take it.
In my book I cover the issue of the right to bear arms. I stated that I trust the people who have earned the right to carry. In Minnesota you have to go through training after a back ground check is made to insure that you are not a criminal or mentally unstable. I also stated that I felt comfortable knowing there were trained citizens out there who could intervene just in case I was a victim of a crime. I saw nothing wrong with a pistol packing soccer mom at one of the games. Some saw this as inappropriate and unnecessary. There are those who would say the same thing about the ex-officer who saved hundreds of lives when she stopped a killer in church.
The other concern about carrying a weapon out in the open is the public getting comfortable with this to the point where criminals could openly carry weapons. Like in the old West you would not know who the bad guys are from the good guys unless the good guys wore white hats.