Doubts about concealed guns

Soon we will be able to fight the forces of evil by carrying concealed guns. No need for any training and no need for a permit. Hooray! The gun-rights advocates have won. The NRA members can rejoice. We have taken a giant step. (Although in which direction, I'm not sure.)

A few kids and even adults will get accidentally shot because there will be more people with guns who don't know how to handle them. More somewhat innocent people will be shot in bars, when egos flare; on highways, when road rage escalates; in homes, when domestic violence gets ramped; and elsewhere, because when anger gets out of hand among armed citizens, things can get ugly fast. Law enforcement jobs will become more dangerous because more encounters will be with armed citizens.

But maybe I'm being too negative. Maybe the threat of concealed weapons will deter violence. Maybe the bad guys will be more reluctant to harm the good guys. Maybe the crazies will be less apt to start shooting. Maybe law enforcement will actually get easier.

A few years from now we will have data on how well the law works in curbing violence, and hopefully, the good will outweigh the bad. But I seriously doubt it.

Gary L. Gaines, Cape Girardeau