Self-defense is the motivation

By Glenn Modracek

----

Two months after Iowa became the 39th state to adopt a “shall issue” format for issuing weapons permits, some confusion still reigns. No predicted OK Corral-type shootouts have occurred. People aren't going openly armed with shotguns in public to validate their world view.

What gives? Could the fact ignored by media - that all those “shall issue” states are the lowest crime states in the nation - be connected or coincidence?

Another ignored fact is that the concealed/open carry option isn't new in Iowa. We have had it for years. But, lack of uniformity allowed some sheriffs to issue a “Permit to Carry Weapons” while others issued a “Permit to Carry Concealed Weapons.” Capricious discretion wielded by local law enforcement jurisdictions then abused power by revoking permits to carry and confiscating arms of law-abiding people who accidentally had their weapon “peek” from its place of concealment.

It happened here in Linn County. Except for uniformed officers, only a fool or someone ignorant of the tactical advantage afforded those who carry their gun concealed would carry it open intentionally. The fact is that a criminal not knowing who is carrying and who isn't is a proven passive deterrent to crime and should be enough proof to convince anyone.

The open/concealed option and codifying state uniformity with respect to weapons laws are steps toward restoring what is a God-given or natural right of the people to self-defense, reserved by the U.S. Constitution for the people in the Bill of Rights as the Second Amendment. It never was about hunting. Hunting and self-defense both use guns or arms of some type, which are just tools to accomplish respective tasks. Similarly, a garden hose can be used to water food plants, apply fertilizer or weed control as well as to extinguish out-of-control fires.

The mindset of the individual is what is critical to understanding this issue. There are three mindsets that characterize individuals with respect to carrying weapons:

1) Sheep - whose fear of weapons and those who carry them manifests as thinking if they are nice, just live and let live, go about their business unaware of violent realities, then nothing bad will happen to their flock or to them as a part of it.

2) Wolves - those segments of society (criminal element, predators) who turn the “sheep” mindset to their own advantage, preying upon them, robbing, raping and even killing them.

3) Sheepdogs - those willing to take action to protect, preserve and defend property and innocent life from the wolves. Most concealed carry weapons permit holders and law enforcement fall into this latter category.

Special interests' anti-gun rhetoric ramped up in an attempt to encourage businesses to post signs stating “No Firearms Allowed” is irresponsible. It's like telling the criminals, “You are welcome and unopposed here.” The sheep are inviting the wolves to a banquet where the sheep are the main course.

Criminals and others bent on the destruction of another person or property don't obey the law, no matter how well intentioned or well written it may be. Anti-gun laws succeed only in enabling the outlaw and endangering the law-abiding public.

Since only the state may determine where one may or may not carry, local ordinances to the contrary violate Iowa's pre-emption statute. A patchwork special-interest map of Iowa showing where you may or may not carry your gun would succeed only in confusing a law-abiding public who seek first to obey the confusing laws and would in most cases endanger the sheep by denying them the active and passive protection of the sheepdog.

Glenn Modracek of Cedar Rapids is a longtime local business owner, fisherman and hunter who has held weapons permits more than 43 years. Comments: Publius98@southslope.net