U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- After watching the debate in The House Of Representatives on the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, I kept hearing the same talking points over and over again. What was interesting was that a lot of the rhetoric was misleading at best, and flat-out lies at worse. I decided to compile a list of the most prominent lies told by the anti-gunners during the debate.
Lie 1: Because of this bill criminals will be able to bring guns into states without reciprocity.
Truth: Criminals cannot carry guns in any state. A national concealed carry reciprocity bill will prevent accidental criminals. Take, for example, Shaneen Allen who is a mother from Pennsylvania who the police stopped in New Jersey while she was carrying her handgun that she had a permit for in her home state.
She admitted that she had the gun to the police officer was arrested for having the firearm. The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office wanted to make an example of Ms. Allen, but Governor Christie pardoned her.
Lie 2: Women will be less safe because of this bill.
Truth: This bill will make women safer. Women traveling to states like New York will be able to carry a concealed firearm. New York laws are some of the most stringent concealed carry laws in the country. John Stossel applied for a concealed carry permit in New York City, and the police rejected his application.
They stated he did not show a “special need” for the permit. He showed them death threats that he had received, but it didn’t matter. If a famous TV reporter with credible death threats could not get a concealed carry permit in New York City then what is the chances of a single mom getting a permit?
Lie 3: Domestic abusers will be able to get a concealed carry permit from another state to be able to conceal carry a handgun.
Truth: Domestic abusers cannot own firearms. They are banned by a federal law called the Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban. If you cannot own a gun, then you can not get a concealed carry permit in any state.
Lie 4: The gun crime rates will go up.
Truth: Conceal carry permit holders go through criminal background checks. They are also the most law-abiding section of society. Statically they break laws less than law enforcement officers. See Related : “The Staggering Safety Of Living With Concealed Carry Holders”
Lie 5: This bill will allow stalkers to carry guns.
Truth: Anyone who has a restraining order against them is not permitted to have firearms in any state. (see Number Three) The people who this bill will help is the very people that are being stalked by allowing them to carry a gun for their protection.
Lie 6: Even if a person is prohibited from having a gun, this bill will give them the right to carry one.
Truth: Once again, this bill does not overturn any laws on prohibited people. If you are banned from possessing a gun, then you cannot own a gun. I research the origins of this notion. The earliest mention I could find of this lie was from the Bloomberg group Every Town For Gun Safety.
Lie 7: This is a handout to gun manufacturers and the NRA.
Truth: There are 16.3 million concealed carry holders in the United States. This bill would empower every single one of those permit holders to be able to travel freely with their firearms. Those are the people most affected by this law.
The NRA also represents the interest of firearms owners. The NRA is about protecting the second amendment rights of the people, and this is what this bill does.
The anti-gun left tried to use a lot of emotion to defeat this bill, and they will do so as it moves to the Senate. The reason they use emotion is that the facts are not on their side. The people on the pro-gun side have to keep hitting them with factual arguments, aka the Truth, and not get drawn into an emotional battle.
Contact your Senator and tell them ” Pass National Concealed Carry Reciprocity”
See Related : Attaching “Fix NICS” To National Carry Bill, Means Both Dead on Arrival”
About John Crump
John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on the history of the patriot movement and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss or at www.crumpy.com.