"Women must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself.
Rape is not a "good and substantial" reason...
A few years ago at the CCW reform bill hearings Delegate Carmen Amedori had three women testify. Each of these women had been raped, one of them raped twice. Each had applied for a CCW permit and had been turned down because being raped was not a 'good and substantial' reason to apply for a CCW permit. I don't know if rape victims can now get permits or not. Either way, the fact remains that the permitting process as 'may issue' instead of 'shall issue' is inherently unfair.
Although Maryland does not rank high in the numbers of rapes (bringing the violent crime ranking down), Maryland ranks #3 in violent crime; #2 in murders; and #1 in robbery among all the states. (FBI Uniform Crime Reports) The fact that victims are disarmed by 'may issue' CCW regulations is a major contributor to the high violent crime rate.
Why Should Women be in Favor of Shall-Issue?
I think I want to move to Washington, D.C. - the "safest" city in the nation. Because guns are illegal there I know I will be safe. Wait - if guns are illegal in D.C. then why is D.C. the gun murder capital of the nation? Oh yea! I forgot. Laws only apply to law abiding citizens. If criminals obeyed the laws they wouldn't be criminals.
Since we can't eliminate the bad guys from society all together, we can at least give the good guys a chance. By allowing the people - especially the "easier" targets - women - the ability to defend themselves, we help turn the tables on crime. A criminal wants an easy target: get in - get out. A gun changes an "easy" target instantly to an equal to her aggressor; perhaps even giving her the upper hand since the bad guy doesn't want to have to defend himself against a target who has decided that she has better things to do during her day than be a victim.
When women, the elderly, or any other would-be victim can easily defend themselves by merely displaying a gun it makes one think that if more people were known to be carrying a gun then the bad guys may think twice before coming after us. With so many opportunities being afforded today, it is quite simple - and fun - to learn how to safely and responsibly Keep and Bear Arms. In the unfortunate event you must use a gun in self-defense you can feel confident about your ability to protect yourself, your children, and your friends.
On second thought, maybe I'll move to Virginia, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia where I have the right NOT to be a victim. Or I can stay and fight for this right here in Maryland. Please join me in that fight.
Email: Jane Weaver "SAS Maryland Coordinator"
Website: Second Amendment Sisters
Major crime fell dramatically in states which have legalized the carrying of concealed handguns,
according to a comprehensive study at the University of Chicago. The fall in crime did not result from an increased use of guns, but from criminals avoiding potential confrontations. In fact, criminals apparently shifted to lower-risk offenses, since property crimes increased in those states. Other findings included:
The most dramatic falls in murder rates were in areas where the number of women carrying firearms was high.
The study found that for every woman who carries a concealed handgun, the murder rate fell by three to four times more than it would have if one more man had carried a concealed gun.
If states with concealed handgun bans had allowed them in 1992, about 1,570 murders, 4,177 rapes and more than 60,000 aggravated assaults would have been avoided.
- From the NCPA website:
The Untold Triumph of Concealed-Carry Permits by David Kopel
Excerpt: " In some respects, the concealed-carry movement has become a women's issue. In fact, about a quarter of those who apply for and receive carry permits are women. When Alaska governor Walter Hickel signed concealed-carry legislation in 1993, he explained that the constituents he found most compelling were "the women who called and said they worked late and had to cross dark parking lots, and why couldn't they carry a concealed gun?"