Concealed carry not the answer [to retired Treasury Agent]

The Southtown Daily's Letters to the Editor ^ | Thursday, January 10, 2002 | Joseph A. De Leon, a retired U.S. Treasury agent

[dhuffman@awod.com]

Concealed carry not the answer

Thursday, January 10, 2002

On Jan. 1, your Public Forum published a letter titled, "Illinois needs concealed-carry law." I would like to respond to that letter because the last thing Illinois or any other state needs is a concealed-carry law.

I realize that some misguided states have enacted conceal-carry laws to satisfy a minority of their citizens. Those states have ignored the right of the rest of their citizens, and visitors to their states, to go about their daily lives without being exposed to the potential danger of bullets fired by people carrying legally concealed firearms.

While I have seen no statistics showing that people are being accidentally shot daily by indiscriminate shooting from people carrying legally concealed firearms, I sincerely doubt that accidental shootings will not occur in the future. One has only to review news reports of the many people killed and injured each year by hunters legally carrying and discharging firearms during the hunting seasons to know that an intended target is not always a proper target, and it is not always the only thing shot. Those wanting concealed-carry laws should be assured that, no matter how well intentioned their actions, they can do more harm than good.

In addition, if they harm some innocent person they will no doubt be sued for every cent they have, or will ever have.

Legal carry proponents contend that crime statistics show a drop in crime in states authorizing legal carry. However, FBI statistics show that crime is down across the country. If concealed carry had even a small effect on crime prevention, I doubt that concealed carry is the answer to further drops in the crime rate. I am a retired U.S. Treasury agent, and I can tell you unequivocally that no law enforcement officer wants to rely on guns in the hands of the general public as a means of enforcing the laws of this country.

In addition, no law enforcement officer, uniformed or in plain clothes, while in the performance of his or her duty, would be happy to be confronted with a situation where a civilian either draws a gun, or is found to be carrying one for any reason. Despite the civilian's good intentions, such people would be in substantial peril.

Proponents of concealed carry say that there is no record of abuse of the right to carry concealed firearms, that an armed society is a polite society. To this I say, "Just wait. It is just a matter of time."

Just because a state has allowed citizens to carry concealed weapons, it has not automatically endowed them with good sense, or complacent tempers.

Lastly, if an armed society is a polite society, Afghanistan must be a country of very polite people. Just the type of society we need. Not!

Joseph A. De Leon
Orland 'Park

[PLMerite]

As a 16 year LEO, I can say this guy is an idiot. The public is much safer (and freer) with RKBA.

Thanks! My general opinion of LEOs just went up a notch.

[PatrioticAmerican]

A Treasury dude, eh? IRS , perhaps? Maybe doesn't want angry citizens taking up arms?

[LJLucido]

Thanks! My general opinion of LEOs just went up a notch.

LOL! Well, unfortunately, I've worked with a few real morons, but I've also worked with quite a fair number who appreciate the concept of individual rights. Many of them are NRA members and can be found at your neighborhood target ranges and gun shows.

[c-b 1]

A retired Treasury Agent? Oh one of the nerd accountant types with thick glasses, a pocket protector, and a beany with a propellor on top.

[dhuffman@awod.com]

Here is my political mentor's sig-line...

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke

The conspiracy of ignorance masquerades as common sense.

[_Jim]

Wow we agree on something

One of those street-perps in Muskegon, Michigan robbed, then was preparing to rape one of my aged aunts IN HER OWN HOME -

- she laid him out with three shots from the .357 her late husband used to carry as a bailiff.

A firearm *is* the greatest equalizer ...

[Slotback]

Straw man arguement sums it up nicely.

[the]

Class, your homework today is to identify and count all of the logical fallacies and propaganda techniques employed in this letter.

For background terminology, you may find the following FR thread helpful:

Propaganda Techniques

The Logic of Inquiry: Rhetorical Devices

[Hank Rearden]

Joseph A. De Leon, a retired U.S. Treasury agent

I don't highly value the opinion of some dumbass who could only get a government job.

[hattend]

Legal carry proponents contend that crime statistics show a drop in crime in states authorizing legal carry. However, FBI statistics show that crime is down across the country. If concealed carry had even a small effect on crime prevention, I doubt that concealed carry is the answer to further drops in the crime rate.

All I can to this logic is, "Huh?"

This guy had too many hits on those confiscated crack pipes during his career.

[Travis McGee]

"GERMANS WHO WISH TO USE FIREARMS SHOULD JOIN THE SS OR THE SA: ORDINARY CITIZENS DON'T NEED GUNS, AS THEIR HAVING GUNS DOESN'T SERVE THE STATE."

~~~Heinrich Himmler

[tonycavanagh]

re : 51 That is one nasty image Travis.

Reminds me of North Ireland, was that a training exercise or a police operation.

Cheers Tony

[Travis McGee]

The new US police motto is "better to lay waste to an entire neighborhood than risk one hair on the head of a policeman".

And if no armored cars are available, just wait outside until evryone has bled to death and is stone cold. (Columbine.)

[harpseal]

I note that this is a retired treasury agent. That means he is one of the following Secret Service, BATF, IRS or Customs. Usually Customs and Secret Service do not refer to themselves as retired Treasury agents instead specifying their branch. My guess if F-Troop and he still has the F-troop mentality.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[Double Tap]

Have you read this yet?

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/michelle/malkin010902.asp

[Joe Brower]

The original source of this pic can be found HERE, if you're interested.

Neat trick in getting around the posse comitatus act, eh? Just turn the local PD into a military unit.

"The test for whether one is living in a police state is that those who are charged with enforcing the law are allowed to break the laws with impunity." -- Jon Roland

[Travis McGee]

Exactly. F-Troop carries such a stigma that its agents usually refer to themselves as Treasury agents in polite society.

[Travis McGee]

Well it looks like the LEOs are using those .50 caliber rifles pretty routinely, doesn't it?

It is also fielded as a common military arm, so it would certainly seem to fit the very definition of a 2nd Amd. militia arm for civilians.

[tracer]

This "elite" moron, who no doubt carries his own firearm as a retired storm trooper, conveniently fails to mention the alarming frequency of negligent accidental shootings committed by LEOs. The police force of Washington, D.C. is an example this clymer should be familiar with...

[2nd amendment mama]

And we're supposed to trust LEO's like this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/608652/posts

Trooper's gun accidentally fires during drug search

HAZLETON - A state trooper's handgun accidentally discharged during a drug-related search at a South Laurel Street residence Thursday evening.

Cpl. Brian Tobin said troopers and Hazleton police executed the raid at 140 S. Laurel St. at 5:50 p.m. Thursday.

While entering the home, a troopers gun fired. No one was in the room where the gun went off and no one was injured. Tobin did not identify the trooper, the residents, or what was found inside the residence. State police internal affairs will investigate the incident, he said.