Mr. Adams's Horrible Idea

One of the nation’s leading proponents for common-sense gun laws is Gabrielle Giffords, former U.S. congressman from Tucson, AZ. She learned about gun safety the hard way. A man carrying a concealed weapon shot her in the head.

Arizona is one of ten states that do not require a permit for carrying a concealed weapon. Rep. Jay Adams wants our state to join that list. He has sponsored legislation – HB 69, The Constitutional Carry Act – to eliminate North Carolina’s ability to regulate carrying concealed weapons.

There are two bills on this topic at the 2017 regular session of the General Assembly. “These are horrible ideas,” says Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes, co-chair of the NC Sheriff’s Association legislative committee.

I agree. These are horrible ideas. Recently, I wrote Rep. Adams to ask him what benefits could outweigh the risks to justify sponsoring this legislation. Here’s what he said:  “…the very possibility that a law-abiding citizens (sic) might be armed has had the desired and predicted effect on the calculation criminals make as they contemplate their illicit activity, thus chilling that behavior. This bill expands the probability in the minds of criminals that a law-abiding citizen may intervene in their actions.”

Adams cited no research, no statistics. If you start to look into this – it doesn’t take long, Rep. Adams – you will find that research shows, according to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, that, “Weak permitting systems allow dangerous people to carry guns.”

Here’s more on that – again based on research. Concealed carry weapon holders threaten public safety. They can threaten public safety even if they are trying to assist in a dangerous situation.

Did you know that in the 2011 shooting that injured Congressman Giffords, where the shooter killed six people and injured 12 others – a man carrying a concealed weapon almost drew his weapon against another man, who had wrestled the shooter’s gun away, mistakenly thinking that the man was actually the shooter, but he wasn’t.

Study after study shows that carrying concealed weapons does not reduce crime. It only adds opportunities for more harm. Rep. Adams, I will feel safer in my hometown knowing that anyone carrying a concealed weapon has been trained in gun safety and gone through our state’s rigorous and highly regarded permitting process. Please focus your legislative efforts on ways to improve our quality of life.

Note:  Check out the organization -- Americans for Responsible Solutions -- that Giffords and her husband, former Navy captain and astronaut Mark Kelly launched to prevent gun violence and protect responsible gun ownership.