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LETTERS, FAXES AND E-MAIL
Kansas City Star,

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.License to carry

Since 1987, a total of 33 states have passed concealed-carry laws, making a total of 44 states that allow citizens to carry guns for self-protection. Only six states, including Missouri, deny this right. None of those 44 states, including Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Kentucky, have experienced any problems as a result of licensing citizens to carry.

The urban Missouri media, big city police chiefs, our governor and his party leadership have consistently expressed strong opposition to the idea of Missourians being able to similarly obtain such a license to carry.

This raises the question, "Why do these elitists feel that Missourians are less socially responsible, less capable of restraint, and less able to handle this right than are the residents of those other states?"

Such an attitude smacks of arrogance and condescension on the part of these civic leaders toward the Missouri citizens whom they claim to be serving.

Christopher A. Meissen
West Plains, Mo.

 

[Question for the Star:  Do the omissions from the original letter change the meaning and tone in any way?]

Blue = Additions by the Star
Red = Deletions by the Star
Green = Changes¹ by the Star

Letter submitted to the Star

Since 1987, a total of 33 states have passed "shall issue" concealed carry laws making a total of 44 states which allow their citizens to carry guns for self protection.  Only six states, including Missouri, still deny their citizens this right. None of those 44 states, including Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Kentucky, have experienced any problems as a result of licensing citizens to carry in spite of dire warnings to the contrary. Those "warnings" have all been proven empty by over a decade of experience.

Today in Missouri the urban media, the big city police chiefs, and our Governor and his Party leadership have consistently expressed strong opposition to the idea of Missourians being able to similarly obtain such a license to carry, recycling the fears proven false by the experience of other states. This begs the question, "Why do these people feel that the Missourians they serve are less socially responsible, less capable of restraint, and less able to handle this right than are the residents of those other states?"  Such an attitude smacks of arrogance and condescension on the part of these so-called civic leaders towards the good Missouri citizens whom they claim to be serving.

Sincerely

Christopher A. Meissen

 

¹ Disclaimer: The original letter on the right of the "tomb stone" was taken from the original  letter Mr. Meissen sent to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  It is possible he made some changes in the version he submitted to the Star.  He will advise us soon.