Uniformly enforce conceal-carry licenses

Gun rights advocates claim that people who get permits to carry concealed weapons in public places are “law-abiding, upstanding community leaders who merely seek to exercise their right to self-defense.”

Contrary to the above, a growing body of evidence reveals that conceal-carry licensees are a threat to public safety. An ongoing study by the Violence Policy Center documents that since May 2007, conceal-carry licensees have killed at least nine law enforcement officers and 117 private citizens, including 13 shooters who killed themselves after the attack. The tally is updated monthly at www.vpc.org/ccwkillers.htm

Under Iowa law, applicants for a permit to carry concealed weapons are required to provide “reasonable justification” of the need to go armed, where reasonable justification is defined as “a written statement that provides clear and convincing evidence that the applicant needs to go armed.” Permits are issued by and at the discretion of local county sheriffs.

Rather than weaken Iowa's current law, lawmakers should take action to ensure that current law is uniformly enforced by all sheriffs.

John Johnson

Cedar Rapids