Why should we allow concealed carry weapons permit holders to carry in parks?
That’s an easy one but the hard truth of the matter is that parks, like almost every other public venue nowadays have become more dangerous for citizens to frequent and to have a good time in.
Local ordinances, when they are written are done so to control a perceived threat to the prevailing public safety. As far as I know, law-abiding citizens like myself, who carry concealed weapons are the last group of people that government should be concerned about. To qualify to legally carry a concealed weapon, one must first be a law abiding citizen without a criminal felony record and after that be confident and comfortable with the idea of actually carrying a weapon. Most people that I know, which includes members of my family just don’t have that kind of confidence and that’s okay but for some of us who believe in personal self defense, there is no practical substitute.
I live in Decatur, which is in Dekalb County. I have personally never had a problem with law enforcement or park authorities within my county about carrying weapons, but other people that I know personally have run into problems with regards to their right to legally carry.
The authorities should be more concerned about the predators both 2 and 4 legged who have attacked and killed innocent people in parks like Jordan and Whitney Land who were victims of a violent carjacking in 1999. They(mother and young daughter) were shot, killed and mutilated by a violent predator who committed the act in parks(located in Clayton and Gwinnett counties) that prohibited the concealed carry of weapons. There are other numerous examples of violent attacks in parks or along running trails such as the Silver Comet Trail; incidents such as mountain lion attacks in California and black bears rummaging through peoples homes in New Jersey and while those incidents are human animal encounters; the basic threat to human life is the same and as such law abiding citizens who choose to protect themselves and their families from bodily harm with a concealed weapon while enjoying the amenities of our parks should be allowed to do so without fear of any kind of legal or civil sanction being brought against them for exercising a constitutionally guaranteed civil right.