The Cedar Rapids Gazette ran an article today, in which I was interviewed. Overall, I have to say that it was a fairly well balanced article without a lot of editorial slant from the reporter. However, as we have often seen since Governor Culver signed SF-2379 into law, there are still some in Iowa that believe the sky is going to start falling on January 1 when Chapter 724 undergoes a wide range of changes. In an attempt to (once again) refute the doomsday predictions of those who believe that Iowa will revert to some sort of O.K. Corral or third-world landscape, let's take another look at the dire predictions and unfounded comments by some of the other people interviewed in the article.
“The general public is going to freak out when they see people walking down the street with guns strapped to their hip,” (Linn County Sheriff Brian) Gardner said.
Perhaps some of the general population might be caught off-guard if they happen to see someone exercising the civil right of self-defense by openly carrying a firearm. However, the vast majority of law-abiding citizens who choost to exercise this right do so by carrying concealed, thereby not drawing attention to themselves.
This is a case of education. In every state that allows open carry (and some of those states even allow open carry with no permit required at all) there had been a period of time where citizens and law enforcement alike had to get "used" to the idea that everyday citizens have the right to carry a firearm. Those that get "freaked out" are simply ignorant of the reality that a holstered firearm is not a threat.
Fundamentally, someone getting "freaked out" by another person exercising a right is not grounds for infringing on that right by the government.
“This whole thing’s open to too much interpretation,” Gardner said.
I am unclear what Sheriff Gardner is referring to in this comment. There is actually much less room for "interpretation" in the law that is about to take effect than in the current law.
“Any law enforcement officer has to qualify twice a year,” said (Johnson County Sheriff Lonnie) Pulkrabek. “Why wouldn’t we want any Joe Resident out there that’s going to carry a gun to be competent? Instead of 99 different ways (of training), you now have 1,000 or 2,000.”
This comment is incorrect on both accounts.
Citizens carrying firearms are not expected to go TOWARD trouble. Rather, they are expected to go AWAY from trouble, resorting to the use of lethal force only in the gravest extreme, when their life is in danger. Law enforcement is expected to go TOWARD trouble, to investigate and intervene. Since they are being paid to intervene, it only make sense to ensure that they are as well trained as possible. Furthermore, most citizens who choose to carry for self-defense are the same people that go to the range several times a year just because they enjoy it and they want to enhance their skills.
Sheriff Pulkrabek is also incorrect about going to 1,000 - 2,000 different ways of training. In reality, the new law provides for only five core, basic ways to obtain basic firearm safety. How those are achieved may vary, but so long as it falls under the five guidelines, it is acceptable.
It is also perfectly acceptable for courses to still include live-fire training. Sheriff's Pulkrabek and Gardner are certainly welcome to provide training programs to the citizens that provide live-fire training and market them as "superior" to those that do not. That is what the free market system is all about.
“There is no standard system for training whatsoever,” (Gardner) said. “It doesn’t say you have to ever grab ahold of a handgun and shoot it.”
Again, incorrect. There is a training standard. Five of them, to be exact. Basic firearms safety is required.
Gardner, who carried (the training) policy over from predecessor Zeller, said it’s possible applicants could qualify for a permit under the new law with an online course. “You don’t even have to meet your instructor,” he said.
A method that has worked in other states with no adverse effects or blood running down the streets from unsafe firearms use.
“You’ve got to be competent, and typically competency comes with training,” said (Firearms instructor Tom) Nichols, of Anamosa. “With the old rule, as far as I know, everyone in the state had to show competency. If that truly gets taken away, I’d find that odd.”
Unfortunately, Mr. Nichols does not know. Some jurisdictions in Iowa did not require the applicant to show any level of competency at all, while others required beyond what would be considered "self-defense" competency by requiring live-fire out to 25 yards - well beyond what would considered an acceptable range for defending the use of a firearm for the defense of one's life.
While permits are rendered invalid under the new law if the bearer is drunk or on drugs, there’s no provision spelling out enforcement.
“There’s no mechanism to allow law enforcement to check if someone is intoxicated,” said Pulkrabek.
This is an extremely odd statement. How does law enforcement check to see if someone is drunk now? How does that change with the new law? It does not. In fact, it makes it very easy for law enforcement to punish someone for carrying a firearm while under the influence. Blow a .08 or greater while carrying a weapon, and you've just put yourself in a very bad position of carrying a weapon illegally since your permit is no longer valid. I'm trying hard to understand the concern here, but perhaps it's just not being made clear.
The Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association is trying to mobilize members to lobby for changes this winter, but Pulkrabek and Gardner are skeptical.
“We screamed for changes (last session), and it literally fell on deaf ears,” Gardner said.
“I don’t know, honestly, if we’ll get some changes,” Pulkrabek said. “It’s not like the (sheriffs and deputies association) brings a lot of money to the table.”
This is not an issue of "money on the table." This is about doing what is right. No amount of money on the table can make adding training requirements more stringent the right thing to do. A right that is restricted is no longer a right, it is a permission. The first ten amendments in the Constitution are the Bill of Rights, not the Bill of Permissions. Even with "Shall Issue" on the books, citizens are unable to exercise their right. It is still a permission, unfortunately. Only the citizens in Alaska, Arizona, and Vermont are allowed to freely exercise their civil right of carrying a firearm. Hopefully, the citizens of Iowa will get to join them someday.
Comments
“Any law enforcement officer has to qualify twice a year,” said (Johnson County Sheriff Lonnie) Pulkrabek.
And unless they are gun enthusiasts, that's all they shoot too. Most citizens fire more often and are for the most part better shots than most police. You are 5 times more likely to be shot by a cop than a citizen.
Maybe after a couple of these sheriffs are dragged in front of a judge a couple times they will figure it out.
You forgot Virginia. You're allowed to carry openly here without a permit. You only need a permit if you want to carry concealed
Wisconsin has open carry but no concealed carry..
Wisconsin has open carry but no concealed carry..
Wisconsin has open carry, but only on foot you can not get into your car or have any portion of the grip covered.
Here in Indiana, one can obtain an LTCH (License To Carry a Handgun) by simply filling out the application, print card and undergoing a background check. No training or compentency requirement. Been that way from the get-go in the early 60's. No blood in the streets, no mayhem, none of the doomsday stuff the collectivists like to spew. Open or concealed, LTCH users choice.
Even this is too much, IMO, as we are treated like criminals (prints/personal info/background) just to exercise a G-- given right clearly enumerated in the Constitution. But, we live in an age where the Constitution seems irrelevant...
Seems the Sheriff's in the story simply don't trust folks. It's not the gun they are afraid of, it's the regular folks. For some odd reason, they really seem to have a poor opinion of folks decision making ability...
When will Iowa gubmint really get with it and offer reciprocity to law abiding citizens of other states? Seems they don't trust the rest of the country either...
Starting Jan 1st 2011 Iowa will honor any valid carry permit issued by any other state and will grant all privileges to such permit holders as those granted to Iowa residents including the concealed or open carrying of a firearm.. To read a copy of SF 2379 FAQ go to: http://www.dps.state.ia.us/asd/SF2379_FAQ.pdf
Missouri is a great example to prove these Sheriffs wrong. Missouri has issued 114,325 concealed carry permits as of 9/30/10. Some in Missouri predicted that blood would run in the streets and the Wild West would return. Hasn't happened in 7 years!
Most of us civilians can outshoot law enforcement, because we shoot more than the average law enforcement officer. Many permit holders seek additional training and compete in matches.
Missourians who can legally own a firearm, can carry a loaded handgun anywhere in their vehicle without a permit.
A few of the Sheriffs in Iowa caused the change in the law and now they are crying about it. If some of these Sheriffs would have issued carry permits freely like some did, there would be no *new* law!
80% of the United States are "shall issue" and have been for years. Again, no problems!
Concealed carry advocates in Iowa tried to get the ISSDA to set down and discuss the changes. They bulked at almost every suggestion that we came up with. Maybe they are scared of the law abiding citizens that pay their wages?
This will work out well for all Iowans and make Iowa a safer state!
On 1 January, 2011 I will no longer be a criminal in my neighbor state. Freedom is a great thing, never let it die!
Addendum to my earlier comment: "When will Iowa gubmint really get with it and offer reciprocity to law abiding citizens of other states?..."
Well, I stand corrected. SF2379 DOES appear to grant reciprocity to citizens of all other states with valid carry licenses. One of the few states to do so. A solid step forward in recognizing our RTKBA!
Reply to RockyInIndiana: On1 January, 2011 Iowa will recognize the permits from all other states. Iowa residents will still be required to get an Iowa permit.
With over 6 million permit holders in the United States and growing rapidly, we are becoming a safer country.
Rocky, thanks for posting your correction. I was typing when you posted it. Iowa will be the 13th state to recognize all other states permits. Michigan is counted in those 13, if you are a resident of the state that issued the permit!
I agree with your assessment of the article, with 1 exception. I don't think it was fair and balanced.
Perhaps more fair and balanced than I'm used to seeing at the CR Gazette, I should say. Based on what we normally see coming out of them, this wasn't too bad.
TRUE FACT: The state with the most gun control has a murder rate over four times higher than the state with the least gun control.
This seems impossible but its true. The Brady Campaign Scorecard rates California at 79 for gun control (highest US score) while Utah is the only state to score a zero. The FBI Crime Report (9/13/2010) shows Utah has a murder rate of 1.3 per 100,000 while California has a murder rate of 5.3.
Iowa is one of the six lowest states in the country for murder and the last to go to shall issue carry permits. The states that don't respect their citizens gun rights have a lot of crime. They will not see that more guns really does mean less crime.
They're just not comfortable with that freedom thing going on out there...
geese, I agree. I would suggest that they get comfortable with that freedom thing! They are going to be seeing a bunch more of it.
Armed citizens are not the problem and most of law enforcement is smart enough to know this!
The only person who needs to fear the armed citizen, is the criminal. A smart Sheriff knows this!
We have some smart sheriffs in Iowa. Of course we also have some that are dumber than a bag of rocks. The ones that are crying the loudest now will really be crying if they try to usurp the new law. I would love to see some of them dragged in front of a judge. Let them explain to him why they disobeyed the law.
LE did NOT "run toward" nor " intervene" at Columbine!
I watched the cowardly SOBs hide behind building corners and brick fences while gunfire could be heard still going on inside, kids and teachers dying, and they "the only ones" were. Outside, waiting for backup or maybe just for the killers to run out of ammo. Not sure which.
LE in this country is mostly scumbags anymore.
I wouldn't pee on an LEO if I found him on fire in the street.
When I lived in MN, I had a Permit to Carry. I open carried a couple of times with no problem. (They allow open OR Concealed, but one MUST have a Permit). All of the anti-gun folks kept crying "the sky is falling". Out of some 55,000 people I think there were TWO major incidents. One of those was where the guy left the bar, went and retrieved his gun, returned to the bat and shot a couple of people. The other was a road rage incident started by an off-duty police officer. The off duty police officer pulled his gun and fired into a vehicle with a man, a lady and their child. The man returned fire.
The bigger thing is that the carry crowd tended to practice MORE than the LEOs. Most of us were better shots with our carry pieces than the average LEO. Are there folks that don't practice?? Sure. But, more often, the carry crowd practices a least monthly, if not more. That's a LOT more than the twice a year that the LEOs usually do.
Hey Thor I live in MN and I always like to rub the fact in to the anti gunners that light rail has killed more people then the personal protection act has.
“Any law enforcement officer has to qualify twice a year,” said (Johnson County Sheriff Lonnie) Pulkrabek.
That's not true - Iowa Administrative Code 501—8.1 (80B) States - Minimum in-service training requirements. All regular law enforcement officers shall
meet the following mandatory minimum in-service training requirements.
8.1(1) Firearms training. A regular law enforcement officer must qualify with all duty handguns annually on a course of fire approved by the Iowa law enforcement academy and must successfully fire a minimum score as established by the Iowa law enforcement academy .
You'd think a sheriff would know the law...guess it is just easier to make it up.
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