Saturday, June 14, 2008

Heart-stopping Story

If you would like to read a heart-stopping story about the reasons that Illinois should stop fooling around and allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons, go to www.illinoiscarry.com and read (Mrs.) Valinda Rowe's personal story about death threats against her.

And every time you read about a woman who is assaulted or killed by an angry spouse, acquaintance or co-worker, think again about the dubious value of an Order of Protection. An OP is not an bulletproof shield. It is worthless as a defense, and organizations/agencies that proclaim its value should think twice and sufficiently warn their clients of its near-worthless value. Certainly it should be obtained and, just as certainly, it should not be falsely relied upon.

Then read the story and the comments on the same website about the June 10th meeting in Winnebago County to consider creating a Winnebago County law that would allow law-abiding residents to carry concealed weapons. And read the reported positive attention such a law is receiving from Winnebago County Sheriff Dick Meyers!

I carried on my recent motorcycle trip once I got out of Illinois. I carried legally in Indiana, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Yet, before I crossed the Illinois/Indiana state line on the way out of and back into Illinois, I could not carry legally. Had I seen a person (even a police officer) whose life was in danger (or if my own life was endangered), I could not legally aid him or her or protect myself. Pretty stupid; right?

© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT

4 comments:

yagottabekidding said...

How legal is that? Non-residents from a state that doesn't allow CCW carrying a concealed weapon in another state?

Gus said...

It happens to be perfectly legal. The issuing authority has requirements that must be met. Then reciprocity agreements between certain states allow the carrying of a concealed weapon based on the permit from the issuing state.
The person carrying the concealed weapon must be mindful always of the legal use of a weapon that he carries and the risk and liability to which he exposes himself.
If someone sticks a gun or a knife in my face and I can shoot first, I'll worry about the liability later.

yagottabekidding said...

I don't believe you. How can there be reciprocal agreements between states if the activity is illegal in one of them. I do agree with worrying about the liability after the fact. I have been armed in parts of Illinois that I felt my safety required it.

Gus said...

You ask a good question. A reciprocity agreement does not exist between a State that issues a permit to carry a concealed weapon and a State that does not, such as Illinois. Thanks to the uninformed viewpoint of too many of our Illinois legislators, we law-abiding Illinois residents cannot carry a concealed weapon. Although I hold a valid Permit from another state, I cannot, and do not, carry in Illinois. Because I do hold a valid Permit that was legally issued to me by another State, I can carry in that state and in states with which that State has reciprocity agreements.