From The Truth About Guns:  http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2017/03/robert-farago/constitutional-carry-safest-option/

Robert Farago
March 23, 2017

Rachel Malone  writes:

Constitutional Carry is on a roll. In 2013, only a few states allowed open and concealed carry without a government permission slip. Now, close to 25 percent of these United States recognize the [relatively] unfettered right to keep and bear arms, with more working toward that goal.

Everytown for Gun Sense in America, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and their billionaire benefactor Michael Bloomberg hate this trend. It’s the exact opposite of their goal: civilian disarmament. But if the antis were sincere about wanting to promote safety, they’d be fighting for it.

Constitutional Carry keeps us (and our children) safer. But first, recognize that Constitutional Carry is not a danger to society.

Constitutional Carry does not allow felons to carry. It does not allow prohibited people to carry guns. It does not make murder or violent crime legal. It does not in increase the availability of firearms to someone who’s intent on breaking the law and causing you harm from doing so.

Criminals break the law. They don’t worry about government permits for carrying firearms. Which is why Constitutional Carry does not “encourage” or “enable” criminality. In fact, believing that government vetting prevents violent crime or suicide is a dangerously deluded idea.

Constitutional or “permit-less” carry simply allows more law-abiding citizens to arm themselves, fight back and take responsibility for protecting themselves and their loved ones — without having to register with the government in order to carry a tool.

As John Lott’s points out in his definitive book More Guns, Less Crime, the more law-abiding Americans carry a firearm, the safer we are — not just in terms of defensive gun use, but also in terms of deterrence.

My home state of Texas is currently working on passing Constitutional Carry. HB 375 would allow anyone who is not prohibited from possessing a handgun to carry it open or concealed without a permit. The committee hearing on the bill is scheduled for has March 28 (public testimony welcome).

To put this “radical” change in perspective, to understand the injustice of the current regulatory regime, let’s look at the current state of affairs in Texas.

Let’s say a Texas resident doesn’t have a Lone Star State License to Carry. She can load up her GLOCK, holster it, get in her car, and drive all over town. Legally. No permit necessary.

She drives to the gas station. To get out of her car and pump gas without committing a crime, she has to disarm. How is this the safer option, for her or for society? Being unarmed is dangerous. So is being forced to handle a firearm in a confined space like your car.

And if Jane Doe should be able to carry a firearm while pumping gas without a permit, why shouldn’t she able to buy groceries while armed? Play with her kids? Leave her own property — where she’s legally armed without a permit — to talk to a neighbor?

Those who believe that a government mandated carry permit makes us safer are muddling along under a false sense of security. Besides, it’s not the government’s job to guard us from criminals or stupid people – nor are they able to do so. It’s their job to bring justice to someone who causes harm. It’s our job to protect ourselves.

Continue reading at:  http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2017/03/robert-farago/constitutional-carry-safest-option/