You know I’ve got a lot more to say about this but with time short today I didn’t want to let this slide. There’s a new forum for CCW advocates in California online at californiaccw.org. Most notable for people in LA would be the General Discussion and Los Angeles County sections. There are also breakouts for every other county in the state if you don’t actually live in LA County and want to talk to people in your area or find out what the local scoop is. The LA Forum is already getting some good posts with a note about Ken Masse who is running for Sheriff against notoriously anti-CCW Sheriff Baca, as well as a fantastic letter to Assemblyman Lieu written by one of the board users named glennh10 which gets right to the heart of the CCW issue here in CA. He writes:

Dear Assemblyman Lieu:

Liberalization of the right-to-carry procedures for handguns in California is sorely needed. I’m sure you realize that every person in California has an inherent right to defend themselves against criminal assault. As a result, every qualified person as well should have at their disposal the most effective tool of self defense, a concealed handgun, if they so choose. In the 36 states that have passed “shall issue” right-to-carry/concealed-carry laws, crime rates have declined. Criminals are discouraged when they don’t know who is armed. These 36 states require that carry permits be issued to all applicants who meet uniform standards established by the state legislature, regardless of whether the applicant is a celebrity “in the public eye”, or not. This is a smart move, since it is not just celebrities, politicians, and the like who could be victims of violent crime. Far from it. The current policy in California of “discretionary” issuance results in politicians, movie stars, sports figures and other people of influence acquiring permits, while the average woman or man who is equally or more likely to be a target of violent crime is most often denied; issuance or denial being at the discretion of the local sheriff or police chief. In addition, a concealed firearm “evens the odds”; it provides the greatest help and protection to the weakest and most vulnerable of society.

The current “discretionary” issuance policy is both archaic and discriminatory. And, as you can imagine, it is also subject to abuse. I ask that you introduce a bill in Sacramento to establish objective “shall-issue” right-to-carry procedures for handgun carry in California, similar to the majority of other states that have already done so. Thank you for your understanding and assistance in addressing this need.

Related posts:

1. LA Sheriff Baca vs. OC Sheriff Carona on Concealed Weapons
2. Anyone wanna buy a badge and a gun?
3. I feel safer already…
4. Guns in Los Angeles
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