CCRKBA: St. Louis CarJackings, Murder Proof that Gov. Holden Wrong to Veto Concealed Carry

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Contact: Alan Gottlieb of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, 425-454-4911 web: http://www.ccrkba.org

BELLEVUE, Wash., Aug. 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A violent string of carjackings and a murder over the weekend in St. Louis are ample proof that Gov. Bob Holden's recent veto of legislation that would have enabled Missouri residents to defend themselves against armed criminals was a terrible mistake that must be resolved by the legislature in September.

That was the opinion of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) as St. Louis police continued to investigate the crime spree. CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb called the carjackings a clear signal by the criminal element that they will take full advantage of Gov. Holden's action.

"With a stroke of his veto pen earlier this summer, Bob Holden sent a message to Missouri's criminals that it's open season on the public, with no fear that victims can fight back," Gottlieb stated. "Lawmakers in the 'Show Me State' need to show some backbone in September and override Holden's irresponsible veto."

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that three motorists were wounded, and a man walking with his wife was gunned down over the weekend. Some of the crimes appear to be related.

"How big a body count does Holden need in order to understand that his arrogance will cost people their lives," Gottlieb wondered. "How many Missourians need to be victimized before Holden admits his mistake? Perhaps he does not hold the lives of his citizens in the same high regard as do the governors of New Mexico, Minnesota and other states, where concealed carry is now the law. Thirty-five states now have right-to-carry laws on the books, and these laws work. Law-abiding armed citizens prove they are responsible all over the country, and the fact they are armed has proven to be a deterrent to crime.

"Holden's veto of a common-sense concealed carry law was wrong, and next month the Legislature can make things right," Gottlieb continued. "Blocking a sensible law has left Missouri citizens at continued risk from a criminal element that obviously doesn't care about hurting people. After this past weekend in St. Louis, Missouri residents have every right to wonder whether Gov. Holden cares if they get hurt, either."

With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation's premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States.

"With a stroke of his veto pen earlier this summer, Bob Holden sent a message to Missouri's criminals that it's open season on the public, with no fear that victims can fight back," Gottlieb stated."

This phrase is a bit incongruent. The reason:

Missouri Constitution, Article 1, Section 23 states:

”That the right of every citizen to keep and bear arms for the defense of >his home, person, or property, or when lawfully summoned in the aid of the >civil power, shall not be questioned; but this shall not justify the >wearing of concealed weapons.”

It is rather definite, uambiguous, and precise in it's wording that the Missouri Constitution enumerates the right to open carry any time, any place, as a crime deterrent.

So, the solution to the problem of cimminals having the upper hand in confrontations that Alan Gottlieb refers to, can be eliminated by Missouri citizens simply just exerting their open carry right, instead of waiting for "permission" to be granted from their government to carry concealed.

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