Gun control doesn't work. It is flawed because it is based upon the theory that people who are willing to ignore laws against rape, kidnapping, torture, theft and murder will obey a law prohibiting them from owning a firearm. If you can read that and still believe that gun control stops crime, then you aren't being intellectually honest with yourself.
It didn't take Democrats long - only a month in office - to start in on gun owner's rights. But, it isn't as if this should come as any shock. And, of course, we don't have a system of checks and balances because we have an anti-Second Amendment democrat in the Governor's Mansion.
When you get a driver's license, you expect that the license will be honored in all 50 states, no matter how they go about issuing licenses. You assume that you have the right to drive from Colorado to any other point in the country, and if you're pulled over, the police won't arrest you for driving with an out-of-state permit. The only thing that each state asks is that your driver's license be current and not expired or forged.
Of course, there are some who would say that the newest bill is nothing more than common-sense gun legislation. But, it isn't. It is feel-good legislation and it is just one more proposed law that chips away at our Second Amendment rights.
Senate Bill 34, sponsored by Senator John Morse (D), is one of those laws in search of a problem. The problem, of course, is the apparent flood of concealed weapons permits from out of state. We've all heard about this problem. It's in the news every day. Most of the violent crime in Colorado can be directly attributed to people carrying weapons concealed with out of state permits.
What's that? You've not heard of this problem? Don't feel bad, because nobody else has, either. Not by a long shot. In fact, I'd hazard a guess that if any crimes have occurred at all in Colorado by someone holding a concealed weapons permit from another state, you could count them on one hand and not require half of your fingers to accomplish the task. However, I'm sure that Senator Morse can probably come up with a good reason... like perhaps there's a loophole to close, or this would prevent future crimes from happening.
Truth be told, citizens that go to the trouble (and mind you, it is trouble) to obtain a concealed carry permit do so for a variety of reasons. Some are in fear of their lives. Some have jobs that would make them prime targets for criminals. Some just want one because it is legal to have one. And, truth be told, gun-haters should be
encouraging citizens to get concealed carry permits, not trying to hamper the process.
You see, when someone gets a concealed carry permit, they
voluntarily register themselves as gun owners with the government. Most gun owners in this state are not registered gun owners, because we don't have a gun registration law. So, if you hate guns, it is to your benefit to have the government know who has guns and who doesn't.
What will SB-34 accomplish, you might wonder? It will strip away the rights of citizens who have gone through the legal process of obtaining a concealed weapons permit. SB-34 will conceivably declare null and void concealed carry permits issued from other states, and could strip the rights of gun owners in Colorado from enjoying reciprocity agreements in other states. It also puts people who may live in Colorado part-time in danger because their out-of-state concealed carry permits would not be recognized in Colorado.
SB-34 carries a safety clause that reads as follows:
The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. I can't help but wonder what, exactly, is being threatened. Perhaps Senator Morse can elaborate.