CIVIL RIGHTS MILESTONE ACHIEVED --
10th Anniversary of Concealed Weapons in Arizona
Major civil-rights legislation reaches its tenth anniversary one month
from today, and prospects for a vigorous future seem strong, according
to industry experts. "None of the hoplophobic (weapon-fearing)
horror stories released ten years ago turned out to be true," said
Alan Korwin, author of The Arizona Gun Owner's Guide. "Widespread
reports about impending shootouts in traffic or in restaurants can now
be seen, in 20/20 hindsight, as virtually delusional, or just tasteless
anti-rights bigotry," he observed.
"My firm, Bloomfield Press, does not endorse the
carry-a-concealed-weapon (CCW) permit concept," Korwin said.
"It is our position that a civil and human right must not be
conditioned on classes, testing, ID cards, taxes called fees, expiration
dates, fingerprinting, photo imaging, inclusion in criminal-record
files, and severe penalties for victimless non-compliance."
This is by no means a radical position. The right to assemble, practice
religion, run a press or speak publicly, for example, the same as the
right to arms, are all dangerous enough to have been banned by nations
throughout history, and can severely threaten individual and group
interests. However, American reluctance to support permit programs for
any of those rights has historically been applied to the rights of
innocent people to peacefully arm themselves. The CCW-permit concept is
a rare and egregious blot on that record.
Korwin does, however, recognize some significant benefits arising from
the Arizona CCW law. Although, surprisingly, no statistics are
officially tallied to demonstrate advantages of the program, a constant
flow of anecdotal reports shows it is working. Every life saved, and
every crime prevented, increases the program's value in an obvious way,
he said. It is also worth noting that the partial, if conditional,
restoration of civil rights Americans have historically possessed, is a
small incremental step in the right direction.
In view of ten years of good results, we support creation of a statewide
task force to explore implementing so-called Vermont/Alaska-style carry,
so that innocent people will not need a permit for mere possession of
constitutionally protected personal property.
P.S. Bloomfield Press, founded in 1989, is the largest publisher of gun
law books in the country. The Arizona Gun Owner's Guide for police
department and news media review is free on request, call
1-800-707-4020. The author is available for interview, call us to
schedule. Download hi-rez mini-cover art from our website, click Media
Services. Call for cogent positions on gun issues, informed analysis on
proposed laws, talk radio that lights up the switchboard, fact sheets
and position papers. As we always say, "It doesn't make sense to
own a gun and not know the rules."
Contact:
Alan Korwin
BLOOMFIELD PRESS
"We publish the gun laws."
4718 E. Cactus #440
Phoenix, AZ 85032
602-996-4020 Phone
602-494-0679 FAX
1-800-707-4020 Orders
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