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EDITORIAL: Concealed carry still a bad idea
Wisconsin does not need more weapons on the streets.
FOR SOME REASON, Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature are determined to authorize citizens to pack weapons.
It's lunacy.
The so-called “concealed carry” legislation is making its way through the process again, toward an almost certain veto from Gov. Jim Doyle. The Democrat executive axed a previous bill and it's unlikely anything legislators fashion this time around will find a better reception.
THE JUSTIFICATION from advocates of concealed carry is fairly straightforward. They claim that armed citizens can protect themselves against thugs and street crime.
Law-abiding residents who pass gun training and obtain permits would be allowed to pack concealed handguns, knives and clubs in most places. Exceptions include schools, taverns, churches, sporting events and so forth.
To make matters worse, advocates have been trying to keep secret any public permit records indicating who may be carrying a weapon. That is not only absurd, it undermines Wisconsin's long tradition of assuming openness in government records. Does it make sense, for example, that one can check records to see when an individual got married or paid his taxes, but not whether he may be packing a deadly weapon?
BEFORE ANYONE GETS the wrong idea, let's make this clear: We are suspicious of most gun control efforts. In our view the Constitution guarantees the right of the people to own firearms. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea to encourage people to stuff handguns in their waistbands when they go out on the town.
Those who should know best - Wisconsin's law enforcement professionals - are adamantly against concealed carry. They are convinced more guns in more hands means trouble. And they believe more armed people may place police officers in even greater peril.
This is a dangerous and wrongheaded approach. It's likely to pass the Republican-controlled Legislature, since the earlier version won approval.
If that happens Doyle should quickly repeat his earlier veto. If the cops think concealed carry is still a bad idea, that's good enough for us.
FOR SOME REASON, Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature are determined to authorize citizens to pack weapons.
It's lunacy.
The so-called “concealed carry” legislation is making its way through the process again, toward an almost certain veto from Gov. Jim Doyle. The Democrat executive axed a previous bill and it's unlikely anything legislators fashion this time around will find a better reception.
THE JUSTIFICATION from advocates of concealed carry is fairly straightforward. They claim that armed citizens can protect themselves against thugs and street crime.
Law-abiding residents who pass gun training and obtain permits would be allowed to pack concealed handguns, knives and clubs in most places. Exceptions include schools, taverns, churches, sporting events and so forth.
To make matters worse, advocates have been trying to keep secret any public permit records indicating who may be carrying a weapon. That is not only absurd, it undermines Wisconsin's long tradition of assuming openness in government records. Does it make sense, for example, that one can check records to see when an individual got married or paid his taxes, but not whether he may be packing a deadly weapon?
BEFORE ANYONE GETS the wrong idea, let's make this clear: We are suspicious of most gun control efforts. In our view the Constitution guarantees the right of the people to own firearms. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea to encourage people to stuff handguns in their waistbands when they go out on the town.
Those who should know best - Wisconsin's law enforcement professionals - are adamantly against concealed carry. They are convinced more guns in more hands means trouble. And they believe more armed people may place police officers in even greater peril.
This is a dangerous and wrongheaded approach. It's likely to pass the Republican-controlled Legislature, since the earlier version won approval.
If that happens Doyle should quickly repeat his earlier veto. If the cops think concealed carry is still a bad idea, that's good enough for us.
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