Certified Carry
As of this writing, 29 states have passed Constitutional Carry laws. These states are approaching the purist form of the 2nd Amendment. But as wonderful as that sounds, I have some reservations.
As an NRA-certified pistol instructor, I think these Constitutional Carry laws are missing the mark. These state laws allow people to buy a gun, load the gun, strap on the gun, and then walk among us…all without formal training. Big mistake! New gun owners, those who have never touched a firearm before, are the exact ones who need basic training on the use of their new purchase.
In my opinion, these laws should be called “Certified Carry”, not Constitutional Carry, and these respective states should have mandatory training before a first-timer purchases a firearm. Yes, I know, our parents, grandparents, and our founding fathers did not have to take a certification class, but these older generations were also not as stupid as today’s newbie gun buyers. Just look at the hundreds of YouTube videos showing how moronic and stupid today’s people are with firearms.
There is nothing wrong with proving you can handle and secure a firearm. People from all walks of life have to prove every day that they can do their jobs. Accountants have to pass certification exams before they can be CPAs. Law school graduates have to pass the bar exam before they can practice law. Truck drivers have to obtain a CDL before they can handle their big rigs. Plumbers and electricians have to be licensed before they can lay pipe or run wiring. Hair stylists have to be licensed before they can beautify their customers. And all of us are required to have a driver’s license before we can get behind the wheel. Any job that comes in contact with the public and which can put the public at risk financially, legally, or physically requires some kind of proof that the public will not be harmed. It should be the same for concealed carry.
Make one little change to these state laws to enforce a basic training class for first-time gun buyers, and you have a great concept.
