To the Editor:
“Shall issue” right-to-carry permits aren’t dispensed mechanically. Permit holders must submit to multiple background checks and training courses.
Faced with rising crime rates, Florida passed a model “shall issue” right-to-carry law in 1987, prompting a trend nationwide. Today, 40 states have right-to-carry laws.
Based on 2004 crime data, the murder rate in the states with right-to-carry laws is 28 percent lower than states without right-to-carry laws, and the robbery rate is 43 percent lower.
As crime rates dropped in right-to-carry states, more state legislatures adopted this self-defense law.
Self-defense laws are popular because citizens understand that law enforcement simply cannot be everywhere at once. When confronted with a criminal, law-abiding citizens want an effective means to keep themselves and their families safe.
These laws also frustrate criminals, who don’t know if potential victims may be armed.
Chris W. Cox
Chief Lobbyist, National Rifle Association Fairfax, Va., Sept. 6, 2006
Read Original at: NYTimes.com
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