.
Back
.

By News Tribune staff

With buttons and banners, gun lobby advocates thronged the Missouri State Capitol Wednesday in support of legislation that would give licensed citizens the right to carry concealed weapons.

Three years ago in 1999, Missouri voters narrowly rejected a measure authorizing concealed weapons.

It's the 11th time advocates have attended a Capitol rally -- sponsored by Missourians for Personal Safety -- in support of the license-to-carry legislation.

Following a prayer by Kerry Messer that invoked the will of God in support of the issue, activist Joseph Larson gave the first address.

"I'm a God-fearing, gun-carrying, flag-waving, constitution-loving patriot," he declared.

In remarks that drifted from the topic, Larson took the education system to task.

"There are over 10,000 open Marxists in our universities and thousands more humanists," he said. "These are the 'educational elite,' yet we send our most precious possessions, our children, to these people to be educated, or rather indoctrinated."

Larson offered the quote: "Communism is Socialism in a hurry ... Socialism is Communism by gradual means."

Last month, the House overwhelmingly passed legislation that would allow motorists to carry concealed guns in their vehicles.

The bill, which has not yet received a Senate hearing, would allow guns to be placed in glove boxes, under seats or in other parts of a vehicle's passenger area.

In the Senate, a bill awaiting debate would let those 21 and older carry concealed weapons. Sponsored by Sen. John Cauthorn, R-Mexico, the bill could be debated as early as next week.

There are currently 33 states that allow concealed weapons and another 11 states that have restricted rights.

States along with Missouri that do not have such laws are Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Ohio.

Randy Farr, president of the Western Missouri Shooters Alliance, also addressed the crowded Rotunda.

"Our inalienable rights are being whittled away before our very eyes. This has got to stop. That's why we are here -- to let them know we are watching them and that we will tolerate no more erosion of our rights as law-abiding citizens."

Elgar Macy, president of Missourians for Personal Safety, thanked a host of legislators -- among them, Sen. David Klarich, Sen. John Russell, Sen. Morris Westfall and Sen. Sarah Steelman -- for their support of the conceal-and-carry issue.

"There's been attempts to get license-to-carry for over 11 years. We've seen legislators introduce bills ... so we would be your friends on election day," said Macy.

Macy also criticized legislators for too much "gamemanship." He said legislators who play games, "sacrifice the needs of the people."

"This year we're looking for performance. We're looking for action and we want it now," said Macy.

The Associated Press provided some information for this story.