WDAY, Thoreson and Boyer not telling whole story on CCW
On their 2-2-09 6 PM newscast WDAY erred in saying HB1348 would allow “guns in bars.” HB 1348 will only allow guns in establishments that are OFF-SALE, in other words, liquor stores or “package stores.” Amendment 1 of HB 1348 specifically excludes “on sale of alcoholic beverages” from the places a concealed weapon permit holder can legally carry a sidearm.
During the newscast, Thoreson and Boyer throw out several emotionally based issues that cannot go unchallenged. They also inadvertently point out a flaw with their own current training.
NDSU security chief Ray Boyer states that they are trained to “place deadly fire on anybody with a weapon.” Even under current laws, this kind of training leads to “friendly-fire” deaths of off-duty police officers. In a state that has issued in excess of 10,000 concealed weapons permits, police should be trained to find out who is who before shooting. By assuming that campus police would shoot first and ask questions later, Boyer is either not properly preparing his officers or just not giving them enough credit.
Boyer insists that a shooting would never take place on a campus but still asks who would be liable if a permit holder shoots in an emergency situation. Current law already lays out when a person can or cannot be held liable. Perhaps he needs to research the laws he is sworn to uphold.
Cass County Chief Deputy Jim Thoreson makes a comment that permit holders are likely to have their guns stolen from them. Is this currently happening in areas of North Dakota where we are allowed to carry? If it is, I sure haven’t heard about it. Maybe that is due to the fact that concealed carry weapons are not visible, the very definition of concealed. If someone doesn’t know it’s there, how can they steal it?
Both Mr. Boyer and Mr. Thoreson indicate they feel that more guns in more hands “will make everyone less safe.” If this were true, why is North Dakota ranked as one of the safest places in the US every year? Is there not a dramatic proliferation of guns throughout our state? When has there ever been an example of a concealed weapons permit holder accidentally or intentionally harming themselves or another individual? While there are threats to personal safety in the state of North Dakota, concealed weapons are not one of them. Annual crime statistics show that rape and murder are.
Perhaps the most telling quote from either of these men was made as Thoreson asked, ”What is the real need for it?” This country was not built around the idea that we need to justify a right, it was built around the idea that a great need must be shown before denying a right. In this case we don’t need to guess what might happen. The individuals that already exercise the right to carry a concealed weapon in ND as well as those who legally carry concealed weapons on college campuses in other states have proven unequivocally that the lawful possession of a concealed weapon does not endanger innocent people.