NH: For the safety of all, concealed carry permits are necessary

The Manchester Union Leader ^ | March 29, 2004 | Peter Giese, Chief of Police, Enfield NH

[mvpel]

THE New Hampshire House is considering Senate Bill 454, which would eliminate the permit requirement to carry a loaded, hidden weapon. It still will allow permits to be issued for those wishing to carry hidden weapons in reciprocal states. Your local police chief would be issuing permits to citizens to carry a loaded, hidden gun in far-off states, but not in New Hampshire.

Should this legislation become law, everyone with the exception of convicted felons will be allowed to carry a hidden, loaded firearm. Now, ask yourself — should habitual drug users, mental patients and the town drunkard carry a loaded, hidden weapon?

The current New Hampshire law requiring a permit to carry a concealed pistol or revolver does not infringe upon a person's right to bear arms. It does not take anyone's guns away. The permitting procedures and requirements favor the gun owner and are set with a number of checks that prevent tyranny or the abuse of power by the local issuing authority.

In this current debate, there has not been one shred of evidence presented even suggesting that qualified individuals are being denied permits to carry concealed weapons in New Hampshire. None. The current permitting system is so soft that decision makers cannot fingerprint the applicant at a time when identity fraud is prevalent in our nation.

Why then do we need to change this law? Do you honestly believe that convicted drug users, mental patients and the town drunkard should be allowed to carry a loaded, hidden firearm? Are all but felons suitable persons to carry loaded, hidden firearms? I should think not.

Think for a moment of the peacekeeper on his or her nightly patrols in an environment that allows all to carry a hidden, loaded gun. Think for a moment of the frail and weak that cannot safely handle a firearm. Who speaks for them?

The current permitting requirement does provide New Hampshire law enforcement a limited oversight. The Second Amendment is not absolute — it does not allow a person to keep a loaded shotgun in his or her prison cell. With the right to gun ownership comes the duty to be responsible, reasonable and respectful.

We must be responsible enough to see that firearms are not misused or do not fall into the hands of the utterly irresponsible. We must have the reasonable laws to protect all of our citizens, including the young and our senior citizens. We must be respectful to those who have a morbid fear of guns. What is so difficult about following a few simple rules?

Somehow there is misplaced belief that universal gun ownership and the right to carry a loaded, hidden gun will protect all of society. Crime and violence will just disappear if everyone is armed, people say. That is just a bunch of malarkey! On the continent of Africa there are said to be over 100 million guns. Anyone for a family vacation in Uganda? Do we really want to live in a society where every male over 12 years of age has an AK-47 to fire in the air at every celebration?

My duty is to protect society. After each incident involving gun violence, there is a hue and cry to rid society of all guns. It is the irresponsible who misuse firearms and subsequently become the poster children for gun control. This current legislation, if passed and signed, will untimely lead to irresponsible incidents that will be felt by all gun owners.

How simple the solutions are to this debate. Keep firearms out of the hands of the irresponsible. Why can't good people join with the peace-keepers in a noble crusade to protect all citizens from gun violence? All of us are aware that violence begets violence. Guns don't die — people die. This is the type of legislation that begs for cool heads. Anyone from either side who takes the far extreme does a grave disservice to the public.

As our state erodes or abdicates our responsibilities in protecting our citizens, the federal government will certainly fill the void. It is true that Vermont does not have gun laws. But, are you aware that a federal task force is being formed in Vermont to enforce and prosecute federal gun violations? The question is this: Do we want to keep our common-sense New Hampshire gun laws intact with local oversight, or do we prefer a bumbling bureaucrat in the federal government to regulate gun ownership?

Peter Giese is the chief of police in Enfield.

[prion]

Now, ask yourself - should habitual drug users, mental patients and the town drunkard carry a loaded, hidden weapon?

Now, ask yourself - are habitual drug users, mental patients and the town drunkard obeying all the laws in the first place? Is there any reason to believe a new law will impact their decision-making in any way?

[Redcoat LI]

"Do we really want to live in a society where every male over 12 years of age has an AK-47 to fire in the air at every celebration?"

I thought he was talking about concealed weapons,kinda tough to make an A.K dissappear under your coat.

And isn't there a Federal Law calling for background checks at the point of sale?

[proudpapa]

I for one would much rather take a family vacation to Uganda then New Hampshire. It would be much more exciting, a trip we would never forget.

From what I've heard New Hampshire was nice but is now rather infested with liberal fleas from Massachusetts.

[coloradan]

The current New Hampshire law requiring a permit to carry a concealed pistol or revolver does not infringe upon a person's right to bear arms.

Liar! It turns a right into a privilige, by requiring government permission. A right is the sovreignty to act without permission.

[larrysav]

Vermont seems to work just fine with no permits for concealed carry. Criminals and mental defectives are going to carry regardless of the law.

Why does Chief Giese think that the citizens of New Hampshire are not be to trusted? Why are the citizens of Enfield required to ask Chief Giese for permission to defend their lives?

It sounds like Chief Giese is on a power trip. He must be clarivoyant and can determine who will act illegally in the future. We should put our faith in him rather than the citizens of New Hampshire. Right.

[goldstategop]

I'd tell Peter Giese the good people of New Hampshire sure as heck don't need HIS permission to defend themselves. He must have forgotten N.H's motto. God forbid the Granite State should be anything like its neighbor. Even though the good Chief can't cite ONE instance of a law enforcement officer being shot by a citizen over the border. My attitude, is if its good enough for Vermont, its good enough for N.H.

[Teacher317]

The response is incredibly simple. Vermont has had this law in place for decades. Do they have a gun crime problem? No. The reactions of public officials should be noted with that in mind.

[ahayes]

Think for a moment of the peacekeeper on his or her nightly patrols in an environment that allows all to carry a hidden, loaded gun. Think for a moment of the frail and weak that cannot safely handle a firearm.

Well goodness knows the "peacekeeper" is in no danger now since criminals don't carry guns illegally! As for the frail and weak, if they don't think they can handle a gun, they don't have to carry. :-D

[larrysav]

My letter to the Union Leader:

Chief Giese appears to think that the citizens of New Hampshire can't be trusted to carry firearms responsibly without a piece of paper from his office ("For the Safety of All", March 29, 2004). Citizens of Vermont have been trusted for decades carrying firearms without such permission slips. Are the citizens of Vermont more trustworthy than the citizens of New Hampshire? Of course not.

Criminals and mental defectives aren't deterred from carrying firearms because they don't have a permit. Police chiefs are not clairvoyant and cannot determine who will commit illegal or unstable acts in the future. No citizen should have to ask permission to defend their own life. Otherwise, we should change the license plates to read, "Ask permission, or die".

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NH Freepers should write letters to the Leader as this bill's passage is far from certain at this point.

[mvpel]

David Pouzzner is drafting an op-ed in response - he was apparently arbitrarily denied a CCW in Portsmouth, and his NH Supreme Court appeal was denied without comment.

[cruiserman]

Should this legislation become law, everyone with the exception of convicted felons will be allowed to carry a hidden, loaded firearm. Now, ask yourself — should habitual drug users, mental patients and the town drunkard carry a loaded, hidden weapon?

What's stopping them from doing so now?

[mvpel]

Hey folks, see my related post about my experience of being grabbed, disarmed, and detained by the Manchester Police Department for carrying openly.

[mvpel]

Er, that is to say:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1107601/posts