Do you think more people will openly carry guns given Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen's opinion

sheboyganpress ^ | 11 May, 2009 | na

[marktwain]

No, people who wanted a gun in their possession had one. The right to carry one openly will not encourage a normally anti-gun person to go out and buy one. If and when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Give us the right to still bear arms if we feel the need.

Jack Wirtz, Sheboygan

There is absolutely no need for the average citizen to strap on a gun and parade around in public. Our police officers face enough danger every day. They certainly don't need to deal with this. Enough already.

Grant Mattes, Town of Sheboygan

I hope not. Not every citizen is trained, intelligent, sober, responsible and stable. Yet we all have the "right to bear arms." If everyone has a gun, some of those guns are going to go off and many will hit something or someone other than their intended target.

Martha Safford, Kohler

Does that mean that we should all go around wearing a gun belt with the gun fully loaded? Or does that mean that our country needs to maintain a strong military body to defend us against aggressors? It's just a matter of interpretation. And that's what Hollen's opinion is.

Marjorie N. Mattern, Sheboygan

It's a matter of "responsible" use; sort of like not yelling "fire" in a crowded auditorium. Learn to shoot, then get a license to carry concealed, this serves to protect the lives and sensibilities of all concerned.

Bob Schmidt, Louisburg, N.C.

No, I do not believe we should all be walking around carrying guns. This is not the Wild West. However, I am 100 percent in favor of concealed carry for those people that have been given the proper training and have had background checks.

Donald Sofia, Sheboygan

Most people could care less. A well-armed citizenry was the intent of the Second Amendment. Remember, an armed society, is a polite society.

Jess Nack, Sheboygan

I really don't think so. To transport them in motor vehicles, they will have to unload and uncase the weapon; they will not be able to carry their weapon in most public buildings; and the police have stated that they will question them. Where can they go? And why bother?

Norman Veldboom, Oostburg

I hope not. Legal or not, his statement should never have been made public! Perhaps Mr. Van Hollen should consider the greater good before he goes off pandering to the pro-gun lobby.

Bob Linke, Kohler

Yes, I'll bet more people are carrying guns openly already because of all the crimes. Wanting them for self-defense. Someday, people will be carrying a gun like a MasterCard. Don't leave home without it.

Dan Diener Sr., Sheboygan

Hopefully not. How scared of "bad guys" do you need to be to carry a weapon in the daily routine of life? Stop smoking and driving – these two items alone are much more statistically probable to affect your life and health.

Mark Briese, Sheboygan

I don't think that the average gun owner is going to carry a gun around on the streets and in their car. A legitimate gun owner knows his rights already; it is going to create more work for law enforcement by stopping people carrying guns.

Bonnie Gramlow, Random Lake

Yes. I can just imagine some psycho's packing dual pistols with loaded ammo belts slung over their shoulders walking around in stores and parking lots trying to make their delusional statement of grandeur by intimidation. Are our lawmakers going insane?

Dan Sohre, Cleveland

I hope not. The last thing we need is people openly carrying guns. J.B. Van Hollen's been a do-nothing attorney general and this is what he comes up with? Maybe he's still hung over from his election-stealing party. We'd have been better off with Kathleen Falk as our AG.

David Henning, Sheboygan

Do you think more people will openly carry guns given Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen's opinion that this, by itself, is not disorderly conduct?

[marktwain]

I wonder if the commets are edited at all. Most of the time these comments are pretty one sided in favor of Constitutional rights.

[Tarpon]

Why would carrying something, be it a stick, a knife, a sword, a baseball bat, or a gun be against the law?

Hunters carry guns openly all the time, and no one says anything.

[GlennBeck08]

There is absolutely no need for the average citizen to strap on a gun and parade around in public. Our police officers face enough danger every day. They certainly don’t need to deal with this. Enough already.

Here’s the thing, police officers don’t have to worry about me whether I am carrying a .40 cal semiautomatic pistol or a nuclear bomb. I am not going to use these items in an illegal manner.

[Hodar]

Whenever we make ‘Gun-Free’ zones, we make “Murders Welcome” zones. Those shooting rampages the libtards are so worried about do NOT happen in areas where there are armed citizens. These shootings happen where the criminal knows that the citizens he is about to murder are helpless and unarmed. The more the libtards push for ‘Gun Free’ zones, the more opportunity you give a mentally disturbed person with a zest for mass homocide,

But, then again; I consider myself somewhat educated, I can ‘see’ the “cause and effect” of thier legislation.

[wolfcreek]

Personally, I wear very few clothes in the hot months here in Texas. I would look ridiculous wearing a sidearm with baggy shorts and a sleeveless shirt.

The occasional option would be nice though.

[Gaffer]

While you think your opinion is logically rational and reasonable, the point is that you do not have the right to ponder about anyone’s rights enumerated in the US Consitution. They were placed there specifically to keep ‘well-meaning’ people from taking ‘living’ interpretations willy nilly of some very potent words that actually mean what they say. Regardless of whether you are right, wrong, or somewhere in between it is still simply none of your business what someone does with their rights as long as they don’t actually tangibly infringe on yours.

[mad_as_he$$]

You are out of your freaking mind. I do not feel like keying in all the reasons but let me say that TWICE in my civilian life I have had to draw a weapon to protect others. THERE WERE NO COPS in sight or anywhere near. I am one of thousands who have had to do so.

[AvOrdVet]

Regardless of whether you are right, wrong, or somewhere in between it is still simply none of your business what someone does with their rights as long as they don’t actually tangibly infringe on yours.

That is the absolute fact! I usually carry concealed, but over the last year I have been "Open Carrying" at least a couple of times a week, and I will continue to do so.

Whether I carry a cell phone, wallet or .40 cal semi-auto (concealed or "open", it is no ones business except my own. "Open Carry" is also a way to "DE-Sensitize" people to seeing other citizens using their rights.

With the way this administration has positioned itself, we need to push forward as hard as we can in every state we can! To back off now in any area, is to invite passage of a myriad of gun control legislation.

[GlennBeck08]

The above quote was a quote taken from the text (probably should’ve italicized it but don’t know HTML).. my opinion is: the 2nd Amendment is a right to bear arms. LEOs don’t have to worry about anything I carry because I am not going to act unlawfully with anything I’ve got, whether it’s a gun or a nuke. I would encourage everybody to take advantage of all the rights the Constitution gives us, not take away those rights.

[magslinger]

You are out of your freaking mind. I do not feel like keying in all the reasons but let me say that TWICE in my civilian life I have had to draw a weapon to protect others. THERE WERE NO COPS in sight or anywhere near. I am one of thousands millions who have had to do so.

One to two million people use weapons each year in the US. Also cops are part of the reason for the 2A. Not all of them are the honest defenders of the law that we hope they would be. Also, an armed citizenry is a guarantee that a cop who finds himself in a " When seconds count, the police are minutes away" moment a citizen will be prepared to help.

[Gaffer]

Sorry, I misinterpreted what you said then.....