Autolycus
Member
Our Opinion
Published Thursday, November 16, 2006
Concealed carry not likely any time soon
We are not shocked that 70 percent of those readers who responded to our recent news poll question answered that, yes, Illinois should adopt a law that would allow citizens to conceal and carry guns.
In fact, we are actually a bit surprised the “yes” vote wasn’t even larger given recent happenings.
For the past several days, Springfield has watched anxiously as the Springfield Police Department beefed up patrols to find one of the more brazen robbers of recent memory. Fortunately, the police think they got the guy responsible for the crime wave.
Springfield police arrested Gregory Hullum, 37, Tuesday night on charges he is the man who committed 10 armed robberies in the city since last Thursday. One robbery victim last week was shot in the abdomen and seriously wounded.
Such a heinous crime spree had many Springfield residents nervous about even ducking into a convenience store for carton of milk. It also had many people wishing it were legal to arm themselves in public with a gun. Making important decisions in the heat of the moment is seldom a good idea. The recent armed robbery spree does not prove that everyone needs to walk around with a gun. Whether to allow for concealed carry is a complex debate.
But let us commend the local police for their work on this matter. Anyone listening to police scanners the last few days knows that it was a tense and hectic time for law enforcement. In a situation like this, police cannot act quickly enough to please people. There were plenty of critics asking why the robber had not been caught.
But the outcome was a good one. Thanks in large part to the fact that trained, law enforcement professionals were in charge, the alleged robber was apprehended, apparently without more gunfire or violence.
We supposeit’s a backhanded compliment, but it’s sort of nice that Springfield can still get this upset over a series of armed robberies. That’s police blotter news in a lot of larger cities. Here it’s still screaming headlines on Page One.
That’s a good thing. Fear was only one emotion created by these crimes. People were also offended. You don’t shoot guys in the stomach and rob old ladies in our town and get away with it - at least we hope you don’t.
So, it’s not a shock that the reaction of a lot of people was wanting to strap a .38 or .45 on and find the scum that was creating this mayhem.
The problem is that most of us are only as cool as Dirty Harry in the film clip that is playing in our heads. Even a seasoned cop will tell you that facing a criminal with a gun - even with all of the training police undergo - is not a pleasant or easy task.
Should we have a concealed-carry law? It might make some people feel better, but don’t rush to the conclusion that such a law would have made a difference - at least a positive one - in this case.
What did make a difference is good police work. For that we should all be thankful and appreciative. Aside from some of downsides of arming civilians on the street, the political reality in Illinois is that concealed carry is not likely to happen any time soon. There is a mayor named Daley, a governor named Blagojevich and a city named Chicago that probably will make sure Illinois remains one of the few states where concealed carry is not the law.
Here is a link to the Article