Brady Campaign - Obama Agrees on Dangers of Concealed Carry
By Paul Helmke | From the Brady Blog
Barack Obama: "I Am Not In Favor Of Concealed Weapons"
Would you feel safer having more loaded and concealed guns being carried in the public places you and your family visit? The issue has been in the news recently, including editorials in the New York Times last Friday and the Washington Post today.
On the one hand, the gun lobby wants to force concealed weapons (unconnected to law enforcement) into nearly every place you can imagine, including National Parks, college campuses, airports, even churches.
On the other hand, most Americans probably agree with the statement President Obama made on concealed weapons during his campaign:
"I am not in favor of concealed weapons. I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could (get shot during) altercations."
Gun advocates – including many who comment on this blog – repeat the mantra that gun owners with concealed carry permits are all "law-abiding citizens," and that the public can trust all permit-holders to be responsible no matter where they insist on carrying their loaded semi-automatic pistols.
In the comments to my post last week, for example, someone pointed to a Tennessee concealed carry permit-holder recently charged with murder. In a response characteristic of many gun advocates, another commenter replied, "After years, you got one. When you get to thousands … let me know."
Yet examples of criminals and other dangerous people with concealed carry permits are not hard to find. A new report seems to pop up every week, and the incidents that find their way into newspapers very likely under-represent the phenomenon. Indeed, one of the agenda items for the gun pushers is keeping information on who have these permits private, thus making it less likely that the public will know whether permit-holders are contributing to the violence.
The fact is that too many gun owners with concealed carry permits are not law-abiding citizens, while some permit-holders are so incompetent they shouldn't be allowed near a firearm in the first place, whether they've committed a crime or not. Just having a permit isn't reason enough to force loaded, concealed handguns into churches, airports, colleges, National Parks, and other places that Americans want to keep protected from gun violence.
Here is a look at just a few examples of dangerous or careless holders of concealed carry permits reported since last June:
* In Florida, a permit-holder pleaded guilty to second-degree murder; another was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm after a road rage incident; another was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and impersonating a law enforcement officer; another was charged with attempted second-degree murder, multiple counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and battery; a permit-holder and teacher (who is also reportedly a suspect in a battery case with a DUI record) faces felony charges of possessing firearms on school property; another was charged with violating his license after allegedly admitting he was under the influence of alcohol and armed in a bar; another allegedly shot his wife in the chest by accident while showing off his gun; another was charged with the negligent manslaughter of his girlfriend; another was charged with the murder of a Federal Customs agent; another accidentally shot himself in the leg outside a Wal-Mart store; another allegedly killed a man in a road rage incident; another accidentally shot himself in the leg at a "Downtown Disney" parking lot; another was charged with first degree murder. There is also the revelation that a Florida-certified firearms instructor allegedly sold concealed carry permits to people who hadn't passed a training test. Finally, New York Giants football player Plaxico Burress had a Florida permit until last May, just six months before he shot himself in the leg in a New York City bar. These incidents come on the heels of the Florida Sun-Sentinel series of investigative reports in 2007 finding 10 times as many Florida concealed carry permit-holders with dangerous or criminal records than previously admitted by the state. Ever since Florida first passed concealed carry in 1987, it has been one of the four most violent states in America.
* In Ohio, a permit-holder pleaded no contest to negligent assault after accidentally shooting a 10-year-old girl in the stomach; another was charged with aggravated menacing; another was convicted of aggravated menacing in a road rage incident; another was killed in a confrontation in an apparent "case of a person committing suicide by provoking police"; another was arrested with a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit and pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while impaired and improper handling of a firearm; another was charged with inducing panic after firing shots over a school baseball field; another is on trial for the aggravated murder of a police officer.
* In Pennsylvania, a permit-holder (who allegedly had cocaine in her system) was charged with the murder of an FBI agent; another was charged with two counts of terroristic threats; another was charged with reckless endangerment, aggravated assault and discharging a gun in public; another was charged with two counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault; another was charged with simple assault, stalking and harassment, and endangering the welfare of a child; another was charged with a triple murder.
* In South Carolina, a 4-year-old girl shot herself in the chest inside a Sam's Club store with the gun of her grandmother, a permit-holder and magistrate judge; another permit-holder was arrested after leaving his loaded pistol on a playground for a 7-year-old girl to find; another was charged with wanton endangerment after admitting that "he brandished a Glock Model 27 at [a] woman because he was angry with her for driving too slowly."
* In Tennessee, a permit-holder was recently charged with murdering someone in an argument over a parking space (mentioned above); another pleaded guilty to assault after allegedly threatening his wife; another was arrested for impersonating a police officer; another permit-holder, Tennessee Titans wide receiver Brandon Jones, pleaded guilty to taking his loaded gun into Nashville International Airport; another 99 Tennessee permit-holders were found to have felony convictions, DUI charges or orders of protection against them; as many as 200 were discovered to have disqualifying domestic violence records.
* In Texas, a college-age permit-holder was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after an altercation at a child's soccer game; permit-holder and country singer Billy Joe Shaver was indicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawfully carrying a handgun connected with a shooting outside a bar; permit-holder and talk-show host Russ Martin was charged with beating his fiancee and brandishing a handgun; another permit-holder shot himself in the groin. This is eight years after the Los Angeles Times reported that Texas had "licensed hundreds of people with prior criminal convictions – including rape and armed robbery – and histories of violence, psychological disorders and drug or alcohol problems."
* In Utah, a permit-holder was charged with impersonating a police officer; another, a suspected sex offender, committed suicide in a police station; a college-age permit-holder was charged with aggravated assault after pointing his handgun at a carload of teenagers; another shot himself in the foot; another accidentally shot an acquaintance in the back, killing him; another accidentally shot a toilet inside a restaurant while pulling up his pants. Utah's weak permitting system has come under scrutiny in recent months, leading to a rare, but welcome partnership between elements of the gun lobby (though not the NRA) and gun violence prevention advocates to help strengthen it.
* In Virginia, a permit-holder was charged with second-degree murder; another was charged with possessing a weapon on school property while allegedly drinking beer; two other Virginia permit-holders recently were caught at the point of sale by a Brady criminal background check, showing that between receiving a permit and buying a firearm, permit-holders can easily fall into prohibited categories without having their licenses revoked.
The list goes on. Again, since last June:
* An Alabama school teacher and permit-holder was charged with marijuana possession and selling counterfeit merchandise;
* An Arizona permit-holder was charged with 14 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and four counts of endangerment after a shootout with police.
* In Arkansas, permit-holder and University of Arkansas defensive tackle Ernest Mitchell was cited for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm.
* In Colorado, a man who apparently held permits in both Colorado and Utah was arrested while being armed and intoxicated on the grounds of a high school.
* A college-aged Connecticut permit-holder was charged with breach of the peace and reckless endangerment after allegedly brandishing his handgun at a mall.
* A Georgia permit-holder was arrested in Florida and charged with driving while intoxicated, racing and possession of a firearm while intoxicated, after allegedly driving drunk at 90-mph with two semi-automatic pistols on his lap. (Georgia and Florida share reciprocity.) As a spokesman for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation later said, "I don’t know of any way to prove [that Georgia permit-holders] are law-abiding or disprove it, because there’s no record to say one way or the other."
* In Idaho, a permit-holder shot and killed himself in an apparent gun-cleaning accident.
* An Indiana permit-holder was charged with operating a car under the influence of alcohol, a concealed carry permit violation, possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle while intoxicated, and marijuana possession; two others were charged in connection with separate road rage incidents; another was just arrested for allegedly waving his gun at a Mardi Gras party after reportedly saying, "I'll shoot anybody."
* In Iowa, a permit-holder was charged with possessing more than 150 pounds of marijuana.
* In Kentucky, a permit-holder was charged in the murder of his wife. According to the report, before she was shot and killed, "she said police told her William Seidl [her husband] had a permit for the gun, so there was nothing she could do."
* A Michigan permit-holder accidentally shot himself in the backside trying to move his weapon from one back pocket to the other.
* In Minnesota, a permit-holder was charged with the first degree, premeditated murder of his wife.
* In Nevada, a permit-holder pleaded guilty to robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery as an accomplice to O.J. Simpson.
* A permit-holder in New York is now the suspect in a quadruple murder.
* In North Carolina, a permit-holder was charged in a double murder; a licensed firearms instructor was just arrested for selling firearms safety certificates required to get concealed carry permits, and was charged with solicitation of another to commit a felony. According to the report, "Deputies said they had not yet been able to determine how many of Smith's certificates were authentic and how many were fake."
* In Oklahoma, a permit-holder faced felony charges after apparently firing his weapon into the ground when his neighbor sprayed a garden hose at him; another pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in connection with a road rage incident.
* In Washington, a permit-holder "with a history of drug addiction and schizophrenia" pleaded guilty to negligent assault in a shooting at the Seattle Folklife Festival.
...
To be clear, this shouldn't be seen as an indictment of all gun owners, and it has nothing to do with the Second Amendment. Most gun owners (as well as most non-gun owners) are law-abiding and responsible.
However, given incidents like these in just the past few months, and the life and death consequences of firearm misuse, Americans have good reason to want most places in public life to be gun-free – including free from guns in the hands of concealed carry permit-holders.
Read the Opposing Views debate, "Does Owning a Gun Make You Safer?"
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I can keep this sh't up for WEEKS, ya Brady maggots. If you want to play the game of saying that a FEW concealed carriers have committed crimes I can give you THREE TIMES that number of politicians and cops committing crimes.
So....you want to keep playing this game?
"Officer Michael Fernsler Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Two 4-Year-Old Girls". Michael Fernsler, 34, of Franklin County, was sentenced today to 26 to 52 years in prison for sexually molesting two 4-year-old girls in 2006. Fernsler is a former police officer and children's clown. http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2008/01/former_clown_policeman_sentenc.html
A Bloomberg anti-gun mayor is charged with carrying weapon
New York Sun, Nov. 22, 2006
http://www.nysun.com/new-york/bloomberg-anti-gun-mayor-is-charged-with-carrying/43999/
The mayor of Jackson, Miss., Frank Melton—who, according to news reports, carries firearms at all times and has a reputation for being tough on crime—pleaded no contest to carrying a concealed gun on the campus of Mississippi College School of Law. He also pleaded guilty to carrying a gun into a church and into a park, also illegal under state law. The first was reduced from a felony charge to a misdemeanor; the latter two were misdemeanors.
Bad cops bad cops... ======================================================================================== Parma cop charged with rape.
A former Parma police officer faces decades in prison if convicted of charges accusing him of raping a drunk and disoriented woman.
Mark McCombs, 44, of Parma, is charged with rape, sexual battery, kidnapping, gross sexual imposition, tampering with evidence and dereliction of duty.
Cuyahoga County prosecutors say McCombs took sexual advantage of the 23-year-old woman in the early-morning hours of April 1 while another officer watched. The city fired McCombs and Patrolman Christopher Dillenbeck on May 26, a little more than two weeks after the victim told police what happened. ========================================================================================
"Here is a look at just a few examples of dangerous or careless holders of concealed carry permits reported since last June:"
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And we ALL know just how law abiding your ephing MAIGGOTS are....
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"Criminal Behavior by Members of “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” ==========================================================================
Coaldale, Pa. Mayor faces pornography charges
The Times News, Carbon County, N.Y., September 9, 2011
http://www.tnonline.com/2011/sep/20/corkery-behind-bars
The Mayor of Coaldale, Richard Corkery is in jail following a violation of his bail conditions stemming from charges by Carbon County prosecutors that he downloaded child pornography. ==========================================================================
Brownsville Mayor has third DWI arrest
The Monitor, McAllen, Texas, May 11, 2010
http://www.themonitor.com/news/span-38434-style-font.html
The Brownsville Herald, Brownsville, Texas, Jun. 21, 2011
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/articles/-127960--.html
Mayor Pat M. Ahumeda Jr. was arrested after police pulled him over for driving erratically and he refused to take a breathalyzer. The mayor plead guilty to reckless driving and was sentenced to two years’ probation. Ahumeda was arrested for DWI in 1987 and 2003. ==========================================================================
Monticello, N.Y. Mayor pleads guilty
The Times Herald-Record, Middletown, N.Y., Jun. 10, 2010
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100610/NEWS/6100319/-1/NEWS
The Sullivan County Democrat, Callicoon, N.Y., Apr. 19, 2011
http://www.sc-democrat.com/news/2011April/19/news3.htm
Mayor Gordon Jenkins plead guilty to five counts of trademark counterfeiting after he and his wife were caught selling knockoff Nikes to undercover police at the store the couple own. A search of their home also turned up marijuana. ==========================================================================
Mayor of Tamarac, Fla. turns herself in
The Florida Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March 9, 2011
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/03/tamarac_mayor_beth_talabisco_t.html
Mayor Beth Flansbaum-Talabisco faces charges of bribery and official misconduct stemming from dealings with two unscrupulous developers. ==========================================================================
Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez sentenced to three years in prison
The Hartford Courant, Sept. 15, 2010
http://articles.courant.com/2010-09-15/news/hc-web-perez-sentencing-0915-20100914_1_abraham-giles-judge-julia-d-dewey-eddie-alberto-perez
Mayor Eddie Perez has been sentenced to three years in prison and three years of probation after being convicted on five felony corruption charges, including extortio ==========================================================================
Embattled Racine mayor resigns
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, March 3, 2010
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/86273007.html
Mayor of Racine, Wis. and member of Mayors against Illegal Guns Gary Becker resigned after facing charges in an internet sex sting. Becker was later convicted and received a three year prison term. ==========================================================================
White Plains, NY: After arrest, mayor denies injuring wife
LoHud.com, March 1, 2010
http://www.lohud.com/article/20103010346
http://www.lohud.com/article/20100401/NEWS02/4010405/-1/newsfront/5-new-domestic-charges-against-Mayor-Bradley
Mayor Adam Bradley was arrested for third degree misdemeanor assault. Wife Fumiko Bradley acquired a temporary protective order against him. The mayor was sentenced to three years probation. ==========================================================================
Inglewood mayor resigns before pleading guilty to misdemeanor conflict of interest charge
The L.A. Times, Jan. 25, 2010
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/inglewood-mayor-resigns-after-pleading-guilty-to-misdemeanor-conflict-of-interest-charge.html
Mayor of Inglewood resigns ahead of pleading guilty to conflict of interest charges. He also faced charges of embezzlement. ==========================================================================
Baltimore Mayor resigns after pleading guilty to stealing from the poor
The Christian Science Monitor, Jan. 6, 2010
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0106/Baltimore-Mayor-Sheila-Dixon-resigns-as-part-of-plea-deal
Mayor of Baltimore, Md. Sheila Dixon and member of Mayors against Illegal Guns was indicted on theft and perjury charges. Dixon was ultimately convicted of taking from a program intended to help disadvantaged children. Dixon had to resign as part of her plea deal. ==========================================================================
Larry Langford found guilty on all 60 counts
The Birmingham News, Birmingham, Ala., Oct. 28, 2009
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/10/larry_langford_found_guilty.html
Larry Langford, Birmingham's mayor and a former Jefferson County commissioner, has been found guilty in his federal bribery trial. ==========================================================================
Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick sentenced to four months
CNN, Oct. 28, 2008
http://articles.cnn.com/2008-10-28/justice/detroit.mayor.sentenced_1_kilpatrick-and-beatty-justice-and-misconduct-judge-david-groner?_s=PM:CRIME
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was sentenced to four months in prison after pleading to two felony charges of obstruction of justice. In addition, the mayor pled to a charge of assaulting a police officer. ==========================================================================
New Jersey Mayor and wife sentenced for extortion
The Jersey Journal, Oct. 3, 2008
http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/guttenberg/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1224916016161280.xml&coll=3
Mayor David Delle Donna, 49, of Guttenberg, was sentenced to four years, 3 months for tax evasion and the extortion of a local business owner. ==========================================================================
Mayor with a past has a future in prison
The New York Times, Aug. 22, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/24passaicnj.html?_r=1
When a federal judge sentenced former Mayor Samuel Rivera to 21 months in federal prison on Aug. 15, an era ended in this tattered city of nearly 70,000, leaving many here debating Mr. Rivera’s tumultuous past and wondering what is to come.
Will Wynn pleads guilty to assault
The Austin Chronicle, Mar. 3, 2008
http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/News/Blogs/index.html/objID599595/blogID/
Mayor Will Wynn formally pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor assault charge Tuesday, stemming from a 2006 incident where he physically ejected purported party crasher Luke Johnson from his Downtown condo; in a signed statement, Johnson described the "contact as offensive and provocative." ==========================================================================
The Mayor of Jersey City is convicted over a scuffle
The New York Times, Jun. 6, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/23/nyregion/23mayor.html?_r=2&oref=slogin
A municipal court judge in this shore town found the mayor of Jersey City guilty of obstructing justice and resisting arrest in a clash with a police officer a little more than a year ago, leading the mayor’s wife, Maureen, to hiss, “It’s a disgrace.”
The mayor, Jerramiah T. Healy, said in a news conference after the verdict that he had no intention of resigning his office, and would most likely appeal the decision, rendered by a municipal court judge, John G. Colannino, who ordered Mayor Healy to pay $828 in fees and fines and then imposed a stay of 20 days.
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A Bloomberg anti-gun mayor is charged with carrying weapon
New York Sun, Nov. 22, 2006
http://www.nysun.com/new-york/bloomberg-anti-gun-mayor-is-charged-with-carrying/43999/
The mayor of Jackson, Miss., Frank Melton—who, according to news reports, carries firearms at all times and has a reputation for being tough on crime—pleaded no contest to carrying a concealed gun on the campus of Mississippi College School of Law. He also pleaded guilty to carrying a gun into a church and into a park, also illegal under state law. The first was reduced from a felony charge to a misdemeanor; the latter two were misdemeanors.
"Obama Agrees on Dangers of Concealed Carry "
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1. Obozo is as big an idiot and traitor as Brady drones are.
2. The FACTS as presented by FBI statistics prove rather conclusively that Concealed carry has NOT caused any increase in violent crime or gun crime in particular....ie during the SAME period that the FBI numbers show a DECREASE in violent crime more and more states have been adopting concealed carry.
Brady is nothing but a bunch if ephing liars. The worst sort of human beings on the face of this planet who clearly WANT women to be defenseless and RAPED rather than ARMED standing over a dead rapists body.
An article from 2009? Written by the Brady Bunch no less. Not sure if OV is trying to make a statement or stir the pot, maybe both.
There shouldn't be any controversy on this subject, the right to bear (carry) arms is protected by the Constitutions Bill of Rights. Carrying arms is a civil right. It is not a prviledge regulated by the whims of the majority. It is not some after-thought bastard step child of the Bill of Rights. It is a full fledged right equal in in every respect to the others enshrined in our founding documents.
I don't like it that some criminals get away with their crimes because thier right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures was violated; I'd rather not have to hear what some call free speech, and I certainly have no entention of practicing what some call religion, and I cedrtaily don't like how I see some in the media use the freedom of the press in efforts to subvert and deny the free practice of others civil rights; but I'd rather those freedoms exist than live in a world where they do not.
In the same way, I'd rather live in a world where anyone can own and carry a firearm. The cirminal element will do so regadless of what the law is. The law supports keeping and bearing arms. The law does not support keeping and bearing arms for unlawful purposes. Treat flights of fantasy as what they are, so much nonsense and treat criminal action for what it is. But do not punish people for what they might do, else we should have to cut out everyone's tongue because someone might yell FIRE in a theater.
Every robber would benefit from a published list of concealed carry license/permit holders. They would then know which houses to avoid. Would it not be simpler for the anti-gun folks to just post "Gun Free Zone" signs on their homes. By not doing so, they are forcing criminals to risk being shot as they go about making a living.
Another problem with publishing lists of concealed carry holders, is that some narrow minded businesses will use those lists to fire the holders. This is the exact reason the Texas Senate refused such an amendment to its Parking Lot Carry bill.
Yes, Paul, it absolutely has everything to do with the Second Amendment. The right to keep (have) AND bear (carry) arms shall not be infringed. You are writing to promote the idea of infringing upon 2A rights and have the nerve to say you're doing otherwise. Do you really think we are that gullible?!
Some Americans (e.g. Paul Helmke) might want gun-free places while others do not (48 states which allow license-to-carry (LTC)). Paul, your "gun-free zones" aren't as safe as you would have us believe because criminals don't obey the law. Gun-free zones are not truly "gun-free" zones. I can't believe you would promote an idea which would only add more incident markers to this map: http://gunmap.org /
When drunk drivers and irresponsible LTC permit holders reveal themselves they are punished, usually by revocation of their license. If they choose to continue their behavior without a license they find themselves in more trouble. Sometimes both cause harm and they are further punished for the damages they cause. In either case responsible citizens unrelated to their circumstances or actions do not factor into the equation.
Only in Paul Helmke's world can a person claim to be doing what is good for America by attacking the very foundation of rights America was founded upon. Encouraging others to do so is not only un-American, it is a violation of allegiance towards ones' country (treason).
The acts of irresponsible people do not justify the denial of Constitutional rights for all.
Driving is not a Constitutional right, but let's apply the same logic Helmke would use in this argument. In 2007 there were 41,000 deaths in the U.S. as a direct result of drunk driving, along with an additional 2.49 million injuries. Unlike Helmke, I can give sources for my data: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811017.PDF
Keep in mind the above figures are ONLY those related to drunk driving and do not include other causes of vehicular fatalities and injuries such as reckless driving while sober, poor weather conditions, etc.
The number of drunk driving fatalities in 2007 FAR EXCEED the number of firearm fatalities for that year, a number which includes firearm suicides, homicides, and accidental deaths. Firearm related deaths per year usually total about 30,000 while firearm-related injuries number about 71,000.
There are approximately 62 million registered vehicles in the U.S. compared to roughly 280 million firearms owned by more than 100 million individuals.
How is it 62 million vehicles can produce a total of 2,530,000 deaths and injuries per year while at the same time more than 100 million firearm owners produce only a total of 101,000 deaths and injuries per year?
If 101,000 deaths and injuries from firearms are TOO MUCH for our society, what then shall we do about our vehicles which are used by drunk drivers to cause 25 times as many deaths and injuries?
I will give up my firearms when the rest of America has first given up their vehicles. Wait a second?! Driving a vehicle is not a Constitutional right while I do have a Constitutional right to keep (have) and bear (carry) firearms. I guess I won't be giving up my firearms after all.
Funny how Helmke is SOOOO concerned about improving safety yet himself won't give up his vehicle despite it being 25 times more harmful to society than my firearm. Hypocrite!!