[TroutStalker]

And here is the KC Red Star's editorial:

Recognize the folly of concealed weapons

Posted on Tue, May. 06, 2003

Recognize the folly of concealed weapons

Early Friday morning, two men and a woman were shot to death on a Kansas City street.

Just hours later in Jefferson City, the Missouri Senate approved legislation to let residents have concealed weapons on their persons, in purses and briefcases, and in their cars.

The paradox is disturbing: While three people were shot to death, lawmakers were trying to pass concealed-carry legislation that would increase the dangers of gunplay in the state.

The Senate action, and passage of similar legislation by the House, fails to answer the fundamental question: Why does Missouri need concealed-carry legislation?

Its supporters argue that people should be allowed to defend themselves with firearms. But adults in Missouri already have the right to carry firearms and to have them in their cars or homes. We don't need to create more situations where we wonder who is carrying what.

Supporters of concealed-carry also like to talk about how often Americans use firearms in self-defense. Estimates vary from less than a million to three million times a year. No one can say for certain how often concealed weapons were used in those situations and how effective they were.

Supporters also note that 43 states already issue concealed-carry permits. But that doesn't justify bad policy.

The Missouri Senate and House still must reconcile their measures, but it seems obvious that a concealed-carry bill will soon be on Gov. Bob Holden's desk.

To his credit, Holden has said repeatedly that he would veto the bill. But supporters of the legislation have a realistic chance of overriding the veto. If the recent votes are any indication, concealed-carry supporters would have the necessary votes to override in the Senate and would need just one more vote in the House.

Encouraging people to carry hidden weapons is not a good solution to gun violence. Let's hope that at some point more of Missouri's elected representatives recognize this and reject concealed carry.

[marktwain]

Same old lies about concealed carry bringing blood in the streets. If there is one issue that shows the deciet of the left, it is guns and the freedom to have and carry them.

[TroutStalker]

bang

[Shooter 2.5]

I noticed that there weren't any Republicans in opposition to the CCW law. I hope the ones who are constantly saying there isn't a difference between Republicans and dems take notice.

[SpinyNorman]

We don't need to create more situations where we wonder who is carrying what.

Actually, yes you do. It is precisely this benefit of the doubt that protects those not carrying weapons, as the potential perpetrator cannot distinguish who has them and who doesn't, and must weigh the risks. The result? Crime goes down. I remember that the town of Chappaqua in NY (rings a bell...) tried to become a "gun free zone" and posted such on the entries to the town. The crime rate shot up, because to a criminal, a fat cat rich suburban town with a guarantee that there will be no armed resistance is like shooting puppies in a barrel, manna from heaven. Needless to say, Chappaqua quickly changed their idiotic policy.

Will Hillary insist that her bodyguards (ugh!! the very phrase makes me feel unclean!) be "gun free?" Doubt it.

[Freedom2specul8]

"The House passed the bill 105-40, four votes short of the number needed to override a governor's veto. However, some members were absent Monday because of tornado damage in their areas, and the measure is expected to garner the 109 votes necessary for an override."

awesome!

[chuknospam]

Bump

[chuknospam]

Bump again.

[Shooter 2.5]

Call Governor Holden at 573-751-3222 or fax at 573-751-1495.

[Shooter 2.5]

MISSOURI LTC UPDATE 5-5-2003

Historic Days for Missouri.

After 12 long years of debate, the Missouri legislature has finally put a License-to-Carry [LTC] bill on the Governor's desk.

Last friday, after 11.5 hours of filibuster, Senator Harold Caskey [bill's floor handler in the Senate] made a privileged motion to call the question [end debate and vote on the bill]. His motion broke the filibuster of seven senators.

By a vote of 23 "yes" to 7 "no" with four not voting [two were absent from the floor, one - DePasco - is ill, and one refused to vote].

Senator Caskey, with successful passage out of the Senate, then returned control of the bill to the House sponsor, Representative Larry Crawford.

Today at approximately 4:20 pm, the House also ended debate and called the question. In the end, the House truly agreed to and finally passed SS HS HCS HB349 by a vote of 105 "yes" to 40 "no" and one "present". Seventeen representatives were not present for the vote due to very severe weather that struck many parts of the state. One representative who was absent even lost his house during one of these storms.

If your representative was recorded as "absent" do NOT read anything into it. According to the last vote on this bill BEFORE it was sent to the Senate, the total votes in favor of the bill could be as high as 115 "yes" votes IF this were the veto override vote.

There are some differences between what the House passed the first time and the Senate approved version, but most were of a technical nature. The only amendment taken in the senate was one to change the age from 21 to 23 years of age.

With final passage from the House and Senate, the bill now goes to the desk of Governor Bob Holden and may be there as soon as tomorrow. For the FIRST time in twelve years, a LTC bill will land on the Governor's desk!

IF he choses to veto it right away, the override could also proceed right away. With the current "spirit" at the capitol, his veto would probably be overridden.

The bet is he will wait unitl after session IF he is to veto it so as to NOT jeapardize several other bills he DOES want to get passed.

That is good. That means we have time to convince him that his opposition is in error. That thirty-four other states cannot be wrong. That it is an issue that needs to be put to rest and can ONLY be put to rest by PASSING LTC.

If he waits til after the regular session that ends on friday May 16th, we may have to wait until September for the veto override session.

This is NOT over. We have not won... YET.

We need your help now more then ever to bring this issue home and turn it into Missouri law.

Call Governor Holden at 573-751-3222 or fax at 573-751-1495.

Politely inform the staff person that so far this year, Colorado, New Mexico and Minnesota also passed LTC reform and became the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth states to debate AND PASS LTC reform since Missouri started talking about it in 1991.

It is now up to Governor Bob Holden if Missouri will move with the enlightened thirty-four total states or remain one of six that totally deny their honest citizens the ability to legally defend themselves outside the home.

It is now up to you. Call and write and fax the Governor and ask him to allow SS HS HCS HB349 to become Missouri law.

A REMINDER: Whenever you deal with an elected official, or their staff, ALWAYS BE POLITE, even if they are not. ALWAYS be brief and thank them for their time. Follow up with a nice handwritten letter too.

ALWAYS be POLITE... even if his staff is not.

More updates and more detailed information will follow. Stay tuned to our websites or sign up for these emails.

Greg Jeffery
Legislative Chairman Gateway Civil Liberties Alliance: www.gclastl.org
Legislative Coordinator Missourians for Personal Safety: www.moccw.org
Designated Part-time Spokesman Western Missouri Shooters Alliance: www.wmsa.net

[Just another Joe]

"Just because this law comes out doesn't mean people are going to go out and get a firearm."

That's right, I won't go out and buy one.
I will go out and get a permit though.

(For those of you wondering, I don't need to buy one.)

[Just another Joe]

This is great news, TS.

I may have to e-mail the gov's office and let him know that he will be committing political suicide if he vetos this. (As if he was actually going to win another term.)