A week ago, Gov. Bob Taft signed what could be the defining piece of legislation in his administration, passing the concealed-handgun carry bill into law.
What does this mean? Well, kids, starting April 9, just about anyone also legally able to drink can carry a handgun around in public under his or her coat, dress, gorilla costume, kimono, football uniform or whatever else is worn.
But what does this really mean? It all depends on whom you ask. Gun control advocates meet this news with trepidation. People like our friends in the Second Amendment Club are more receptive to the change.
But most of us are not advocates for either side. So what are we to think?
Well, not much.
If you read The Post yesterday (and you should have), you should have seen the front page dominated by articles about concealed carry. If nothing else is obvious about concealed carry, it is obvious that the issue is one of the most controversial we have.
I can imagine two scenarios. Let's say our friend Sebulba purchased a $45 concealed-carry permit from Athens County Sheriff Vern Castle. Feeling very much like a low-level James Bond, he trolls around Uptown on a Saturday night.
But horror! Here comes Vicrum, someone who has been terrorizing him since they were in preschool - Vicrum would give Sebulba wedgies and make fun of his G.I. Joe underwear.
Adding to the problem is the fact that Vicrum has been drinking and had a few too many King Cobras. Vicrum sees Sebulba and immediately starts to harass him. The situation escalates, and Vicrum pulls out his switchblade in an attempt to emulate Zorro.
Sebulba pulls out his gun, and Vicrum realizes this is a battle he won't win. The gun saves Sebulba from a stabbing.
Everything is great, right?
But like I said, there are
two scenarios.
Let's take our other friend, Clovis. It's Friday night, and Clovis is drowning his problems in alcohol. Later in the night, he's stumbling down the street, the world a veritable blur. But he recognizes his friend Artie. Artie sees Clovis is drunk and tries to help him. But Clovis is an angry drunk. An argument ensues. Clovis pulls out his gun he was hiding with his concealed-carry permit and shoots Artie.
Think about both of these scenarios for a moment. What is the likelihood that either one of them will happen? Slim.
The furor over concealed carry is much ado about nothing. Most, if not all, of the people who obtain these licenses are very responsible handling firearms. And while situations like the one I described are possible, they are far-fetched at best.
We will hear more squawking from lobbyists on both sides of the debate for a little while longer. But after that, nothing will change. We won't even think about it. Our lives will go
on, unchanged.
Does carrying a gun around make a person feel safer? Maybe. But that is about all it will do. Most people will never use their concealed gun.
The new law allowing people to carry concealed guns is a benign one. We should remember that before getting carried away conjuring stories about heroes protecting families or people shooting others out of anger.
-Fitzwater, a sophomore, would rather have a katana than a gun. Send him an e-mail at jeffrey.fitzwater@ohiou.edu.
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Jeffrey Fitzwater
