"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined…. The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is able might have a gun.”
– Patrick Henry, Speech to the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 5, 1778
Constitutional Carry, Unrestricted Carry or Vermont Carry is currently a blistering topic. Fortunately, a growing number of states have recognized our inherent right to self-defense, repealing their prerequisites for licensure. Permits for the carrying of a concealed handgun not only mandated a secondary background check, but came with monetary fees as well. Fundamentally taxing an enumerated right. What with the costs of licensing, mandated training, fingerprinting and other regulatory requirements, concealed carry permits oftentimes hinder those whom need them the most. As of March 14th 2022, 23 states have constitutional carry legislation on record, whereas 2 more are forthcoming. Half the nation now, with the feasibility of becoming two thirds very quickly.
If one were to look at our nation's states with unregulated open carry, one might not be as astounded with newly unrestricted carry cases. Thirty-one states allow the open carrying of a handgun without a permit or license. Fifteen states require a permit to carry a handgun. Five states prohibit people from openly carrying handguns in public. They are California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and South Carolina, plus the District of Columbia. In forty-four states, openly carrying a long gun is legal. Of these states, Iowa, Tennessee, and Utah require that the long gun is unloaded. Virginia and Pennsylvania limit openly carrying long guns in certain cities. Six states generally prohibit openly carrying long guns: California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New Jersey plus the District of Columbia. One might ask why the hullabaloo over Constitutional Carry if Americans had persistently carried their arms in everyday circumstances. For firearms to not be so socially awkward and frightening they must be commonplace and ubiquitous. And in becoming completely accepted I truly believe safety, respect and responsibility therefore follows. This mentality was extremely prevalent not so long ago. Hands-on firearm training and safety was abundantly more available. Our republic's founders rightfully foresaw that an armed population is undeniably necessary for freedom.
I applaud our pushing back against unconstitutional encroachment. Literally standing our ground and abiding with Constitutional law. The constitution of the United States and The Bill of Rights, not the “Comunisation of Utopia” and “The Pamphlet of Feelings.” Nevertheless, gun control advocates will relentlessly pursue, persuade, pervert and outright lie to further their agenda. Their language in debate is most always constructed from a base of fear. "Dangerous Permit-less Carry," "guns everywhere," "without background checks," "severely hinder law enforcement" and many others are examples of such ignorance. I did not call them stupid; They are billion-dollar corporations far from being unintelligent. They are ignorant, either by choice or outright stubbornness.
The Supreme Court hearing NYSRPA v. Bruen, whether the state of New York's denial of petitioners' applications for concealed carry licenses for self-defense violated the Second Amendment. Both paradigms awaiting the determination, for or against, with bated breath. This hearing may finally bring around the constitutionality regarding unrestricted carry, at the least returning severely restrictive mandates to "must issue" permits.
Reciprocity is extremely important when we speak about constitutional carry. To travel our nation as responsibly armed citizens, the necessity for reciprocity "road maps" are a reality. Where Indiana, Michigan and Ohio may recognize the other's concealed carry permits, Illinois, Iowa, or Wisconsin may not. Real time common sense ascertains easily becomes precarious. As it stands now, some constitutional carry states require non-residents to provide carry permits redundantly.
I am extremely proud to be an American, I am not a Democrat nor am I Republican. I am a Constitutionalist. I give you my greatest appreciation for your time listening and hopefully learning from these articles. We will pass the Second Amendment on to our children and our children's children if we remain vigilant.
"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them.”
– Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, 1833
Fully Semi-Incorporated