Concealed Carry? (Chicago: neighborhood, safest, bars)

[rvernsey]

Originally Posted by DoubleMakers

Honestly, if the penalty is just a misdemeanor, I'm still carrying late at night on the CTA.

I'll be curious to see what the penalty is. I carried daily for 10 years in FL, every bar, restaurant, casino, school campus, bank, sporting event, park, you name it. Never an incident. Only an idiot or a criminal would unnecessarily draw a concealed weapon and if I draw mine it's because I'd rather face a jury than a coroner. Limiting concealed carry only creates victim zones (VA Tech, Sandy Hook, etc), discourages carry thus discouraging ownership which is what a tyrannical government strives for.

[LeotheOrangeCat]

I don't think concealed carry is a problem - the people we don't want to have guns already have them.

On the other hand, I don't think it provides that much protection. If the mugging begins with blunt force trauma to the back of the head (say with a brick), the only person taking out the victim's concealed gun will be the mugger.

[rvernsey]

Originally Posted by Michael Scott

I don't follow, lol

Concealed is concealed - meaning you are the only one that knows if you are carrying or aren't carrying, regardless of where you are.

[Michael Scott]

Originally Posted by rvernsey

Concealed is concealed - meaning you are the only one that knows if you are carrying or aren't carrying, regardless of where you are.

Thats what I figured. Problem is the client may well be banks or some sort of other establishment that may have security/metal detectors or something. I'd like to have it for the CTA/walk home late at night if its busy season, but I guess my case may be more unique than a person who can just leave their weapon in the car.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by LeotheOrangeCat

I don't think concealed carry is a problem - the people we don't want to have guns already have them.

On the other hand, I don't think it provides that much protection. If the mugging begins with blunt force trauma to the back of the head (say with a brick), the only person taking out the victim's concealed gun will be the mugger.

Of course it doesnt , but there are idiots everywhere who believe crime is gonna just go away.

[rvernsey]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Of course it doesnt , but there are idiots everywhere who believe crime is gonna just go away.

Of course crime isn't going to just "go away". The murder rate in the hood is not going to decrease, hell maybe it increases. But you give someone innocent walking home from their job the fighting chance that the Constitution guarantees them and that was upheld in our Supreme Court. How do you argue with that?

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by LeotheOrangeCat

On the other hand, I don't think it provides that much protection. If the mugging begins with blunt force trauma to the back of the head (say with a brick), the only person taking out the victim's concealed gun will be the mugger.

Absolutely. Muggers don't stop 10 feet in front of you and say "Stop! I am going to mug you!". I don't know a single person who has been mugged or robbed who ever would have had a chance to use a gun. I've never been mugged in Chicago (after twenty years of living here) but was mugged a few times in NYC, Boston, and London in the 70's and 80's. In every case I was taken down without even knowing anyone was around. Every single person I've ever talked to who has been mugged in any city had experiences that were very similar. The only thing that carrying a gun will do is to hand a gun over to the attacker. It's also important to note that the problems with crime in Chicago (or any city really) aren't primarily about random people being mugged, it's about gang members with guns shooting at other gang members who are frequently carrying as well.

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by rvernsey

...you give someone innocent walking home from their job the fighting chance that the Constitution guarantees them and that was upheld in our Supreme Court. How do you argue with that?

I argue with that this way:

The vast majority of people who are being shot in Chicago are either gang members or people who have the bad luck to be standing behind the line of fire of a gang member being shot at. Having a gun does nothing to help you in that situation. Hell, many gang members who get shot down are packing themselves at the time they're shot.

People who are mugged or attacked by random people have no chance to use a gun. That's just the basic nature of crimes like that.

The downside of allowing concealed carry means that high level gang leaders will ride around with guys with permits (basically the same guys with clean records who buys guns at suburban shops for them now). They'll feel more free to move around the city with protection and the cops won't be able to bring them in if there's a gun in the car (like they currently do).

There is a risk of people trying to be heros in crowded situations and shooting at someone to try and save a cellphone or something, and end up killing innocent bystanders. I cannot imagine any situation where someone could safely fire a gun on the CTA.

I own plenty of guns and shoot pretty frequently - but I have never seen or heard of any situation in a city where a gun would make me feel safer. That's why I keep them at a friend's farm where I use them. They simply don't make sense in an urban environment.

[ChiDrizzle]

Originally Posted by chicagobear

In addition to concealed carry, my understanding is that it will now be legal to own guns in Chicago in your home without the need to go through the burdensome city registration process that had previously been put into place. You will still need to have a Firearms Owners ID card as is the case in all of Illinois.

I was actually wondering what the impact would be to this burdensome process, as well. So long as you're not a criminal or a crazy, obtaining a FOID is relatively straight forward; however, navigating the maze of Chicago's handgun registration process took some time.

I haven't actually read anything from the media explicitly stating that the city's current registration process will no longer be required. Of course, I haven't taken the time and probably won't take the time to read through the 168 pages of text in the bill. I'm not in any kind of rush to get a CCW permit. That'd just be one more thing for me to worry about. I've left enough phones and wallets behind in various establishments. I don't want to be the guy that forgets his gun in the crapper after he's finished taking care of business.

[chicagobear]

Originally Posted by ChiDrizzle

I was actually wondering what the impact would be to this burdensome process, as well. So long as you're not a criminal or a crazy, obtaining a FOID is relatively straight forward; however, navigating the maze of Chicago's handgun registration process took some time.

I haven't actually read anything from the media explicitly stating that the city's current registration process will no longer be required. Of course, I haven't taken the time and probably won't take the time to read through the 168 pages of text in the bill. I'm not in any kind of rush to get a CCW permit. That'd just be one more thing for me to worry about. I've left enough phones and wallets behind in various establishments. I don't want to be the guy that forgets his gun in the crapper after he's finished taking care of business.

Chicago Tribune
6/9/13
Now the gun registry is on the verge of going away. During negotiations in Springfield to set up rules to allow people to carry concealed weapons, gun rights advocates won a concession to scrap the Chicago registry. The bill is now awaiting action by Gov. Pat Quinn, who could veto it, sign it or write changes into the legislation.

Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, singled out the elimination of the Chicago registry and permit process as one of the big improvements for gun owners in the state under the bill. "That goes bye-bye, and it's a good thing because that was a terrible law," Pearson said. "It didn't serve any purpose except to harass law-abiding gun owners in Chicago."