An Armed Society is a Polite Society

So goes the saying when it comes to concealed weapons, and it appears to be true. According to Steve Chapman's article at RealClearPolitics.com, since 1987 when Florida allowed law-abiding citizens the right to carry concealed weapons (and 40 other states have followed), the crime and violence situation in those states has improved:

As it happens, serious crime has waned in the intervening years. Murders are now at their lowest level since the 1960s. Violent crime has been cut by nearly 60 percent since the peak year of 1994. Gun crimes have plunged as well.

It may not be true, as some experts believe, that America has gotten safer because more people are legally packing heat. But it's impossible to claim that the change has made us less safe.

At the outset of this experiment, gun opponents forecast that hot-tempered pistoleros would spray bullets at the slightest provocation, requiring the rest of us to wade through rivers of blood just to cross the street. In fact, one of the most conspicous facts about handgun licensees is their mild temper. It's rare for them to commit crimes, and even rarer for them to use their firearms to commit crimes.

A report by the Texas Department of Public Safety found that in a state with more than 200,000 people licensed to carry guns, only 180 were convicted of crimes in 2001, and most of those crimes didn't involve firearms. Only one licensee was convicted of murder. Florida, which has nearly 400,000 permit holders, revoked only 330 licenses last year -- about one out of every 1,200.

This record should not be surprising. As a rule, concealed-carry licenses are off-limits to anyone with a history of crime, substance abuse, drunk driving or serious mental illness, and most states require safety training. In any case, people who are inclined to commit mayhem generally don't seek state licenses to carry guns, any more than they ask permission to break into houses or beat up girlfriends. It's the law-abiding folks who apply for licenses.

Unfortunately, I live in a liberal paradise when it comes to gun control, and getting a concealed weapons permit is only slightly easier than carrying a nuclear device on an airliner. The gang-bangers in the inner cities can have as many guns as they'd like, but for the citizens who wish only to provide personal protection for themselves, guns are strictly verbotten.

However, there will likely be a day somewhere down the road where I'll decide to leave California behind, cash out my equity, and head east. When I do there will be several considerations, including housing costs, tax rates, and carry permit laws. Why would gun laws be a consideration? Because, as the post title implies, an armed society is a polite society.