You can set your watch to it. Every time a state passes constitutional carry, some nanny stater in mainstream media pens an opinion piece about the dangers of restoring 2A rights.
The latest to do so is MSNBC columnist Michael A. Cohen, who published an article titled, “Making It Easy to Carry a Concealed Gun Is Absolute Madness,” for The Daily Beast in the wake of news last week that Indiana became the 24th state to go permitless.
In the piece, Cohen cites questionable research that purports permissive carry laws increase crime. I say “questionable research” because a recent in-depth review of these laws from the Crime Prevention Research Center indicates there is no positive correlation between the two.
In fact, the CPRC study saw a decrease in murder rates following the passage of constitutional carry. Not sure if Cohen is aware of the CPRC study or if he just ignored it altogether. We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that he never saw it.
That said, it’s impossible for him to ignore the reality that 23 other states have adopted permitless carry, and, so far, not one has turned into the Wild West. Not one.
If it was truly the problem anti-gunners make it out to be it stands to reason there would be no shortage of examples for them to make a clear-cut case that allowing law-abiding citizens to freely carry endangers the safety of the public.
Think about that for a sec. Nearly half the country has made the move and critics like Cohen can’t point to one state to show that it’s been problematic.
However, there is a longstanding example to the contrary. Vermont. Citizens in Vermont have always been free to carry without a permit, and the mandated training and background check that accompanies it. Yet, no one can argue with a straight face that it’s ever been a hotbed for violence.
Research: Constitutional Carry Does Not Result in Higher Murder or Violent Crime Rates
So why oppose it?
For Cohen, it appears he doesn’t believe in the concept of personal responsibility. He doesn’t think gun owners will seek out training unless they’re forced to by big government.
“It boggles the mind that anyone would want people running around with guns they have no training or experience in using,” Cohen wrote. “But of course, in America, the way we treat guns and gun ownership is anything but normal.”
We can agree that the way we treat arms, in general, is anything but “normal” because we’re one of three countries with a Second Amendment. We’re special in that regard, part of a wise minority that understands that the best way to keep tyranny in check is through a well-armed populace. Perhaps a lesson Ukraine is learning right now.
SEE ALSO: Ukrainian Officials Relax Gun Buying Rules to Allow More Civilians to Buy More Guns
We can also agree that no one wants imbeciles running around with firearms. Where we disagree, however, is the notion that government-mandated training is gonna fix that problem.
Just as gun control doesn’t stop criminals from getting guns, a basic 4-hour firearms course can’t fix stupid. Idiots will be idiots no matter how many classes they take. And responsible individuals will seek out training from competent gun owners whether it’s required or not. Such is the natural order as it relates to gun safety.
What this means, ultimately, is we can put our faith in grown adults to do the right thing when it comes to how they exercise their fundamental rights or we can put big government on the case and see where that leads.
Well, we know where that leads. The incremental revocation of the right to keep and bear arms. As mentioned, we’re one of only three countries with a 2A (Mexico’s on that list, so it’s really one of two. Guatemala being the third). The default mindset of big government types around the world, and columnists like Cohen, is access to arms should be a privilege for a select few — not a right for all.
What one ends up realizing is that turning fundamental rights into privileges doesn’t make society any safer. What it does do, however, is make people less free and therefore more dependent on Big Brother.
So, if you ask me, making it easier for law-abiding citizens to carry isn’t madness at all. What’s absolute madness is empowering the government to compel us to ask permission to exercise something that was ours from the start, all in a feigned attempt to increase public safety. Now that’s crazy.