Demand Constitutional Carry in Maryland
Dear George,
Do you believe that you have a right to bear arms?
If you answered yes, I would ask you - do you really believe that?
Do you really believe that you have a right to bear arms if the only place you can carry a gun is in your home?
Do you really believe that you have a right to bear arms when over 99% of concealed carry permits are denied in Maryland?
Do you really believe that you have a right to bear arms when politicians can obtain a concealed carry permit and you can't?
Do you really believe you have a right to bear arms if Maryland law prohibits you from carrying a gun for self defense?
Like the millions of law abiding gun owners in America, I am a peace loving person. I own firearms so that I can defend myself and my family should that need arise.
While I hope that I am never in the position of having to fire a gun in self defense, I rest easier at night knowing that I could defend myself and my family against an armed robber if the need arose.
I also rest easier knowing that my family could stop criminals rather than becoming a victim of even worse crimes.
It is a simple fact that gun control laws don't stop criminals from obtaining guns, and instead only disarm law abiding citizens, making us easy targets.
It is never justifiable to deprive law abiding citizens of their constitutional right to keep and bear arms for self defense because criminals misuse guns.
Gun control is the faulty idea that criminals who ignore the laws against murder, rape, or robbery will somehow obey a law that prohibits them from having a gun.
Studies have repeatedly shown that states that pass shall-issue laws experience a significant reduction in violent crimes.
An analysis of crime data from all 3,054 counties in the U.S. over a 15 year period, found that, when shall-issue licensing laws went into effect in a county, murders fell on average by 7.65%, rapes by 5.2%, robberies by 2.2%, and aggravated assaults by 7.0%.
Had all the counties in the nation had such laws, the researchers suggest that there would have been 1,414 fewer murders, 4,177 fewer rapes, 11,898 fewer robberies, and 60,363 fewer aggravated assaults.
Shall-issue laws save lives and prevent tragedies.
Unfortunately, the state of Maryland has some of the most archaic gun laws in the country.
The Maryland code for handgun permits was intentionally contrived with ridiculously subjective language. In practice, the code is used to deny almost all carry permits.
In Maryland, a bank guard can carry a gun to protect his employer's money. However, a mother can't be legally armed to protect her children outside of the home.
It is time for a change.
With the start of the General Assembly, I am happy to announce that ehe Maryland Campaign for Liberty has teamed with Delegate Michael Smigiel to introduce a bill which we like to call "Constitutional Carry".
When this bill passes it will abolish the elusive legal devices that the state government uses to interfere with our second amendment rights to carry a firearm.
Over the next several months and during the next legislative session of the General Assembly, the Maryland Campaign for Liberty will be building a coalition of gun rights groups, trade organizations, civic organizations and concerned citizens to support this bill.
Achieving Constitutional Carry in Maryland is not possible without a strong grassroots network of activists, gun enthusiasts and concerned citizens.
To build that network, we need your help. Please sign our petition below so that your elected officials know that you stand in favor of Constitutional Carry in our state.
Click here to sign our petition
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/usa/MD/mdconstitutionalcarry2012.php
