CCW Assembly Hearing – Sham Lip-Service Party Held at Wisconsin State Capital
WGO Staff Report
Madison, Wisconsin –-(Ammoland.com)- Despite attempts by neocons to conceal the truth from gun owners, Constitutional Carry was the phrase of the day during the May 12 Wisconsin State Assembly committee hearing in Madison on licensed concealed carry, thanks to activists from Wisconsin Gun Owners and the Wisconsin Campaign for Liberty.
The room was packed to overflowing when the proceedings began at 10:30 with two plus hours of testimony from various police chiefs and the NRA lobbyist.
Most of the cops were for licensed carry, with the Dane County sheriff being vehemently opposed. As usual, the NRA mouthpiece was a true neocon in his vigorous support of “Mother, may I?” carry.
False Dilemma: Constitutional Carry Not On the Table
Public testimony was definitely in favor of some form of concealed carry. Some people who signed up as anti-AB126 (especially Pastor Richard Church of Campaign for Liberty) eloquently laid out the constitutional case against licenses, permits, government lists and fees. Observant people could watch the pro-permit control freak types on the Assembly committee getting angry as their script wasn’t being followed. As usual, the Republican Party (with the exception of pro-constitutional carry Representatives Scott Krug and Dean Knutson) proved to be the enemies of freedom and limited government despite their deceptive rhetoric to the contrary.
It was obvious that many of the pro-permit people had never thought — or had never even heard of — Constitutional Carry, and more than a few light bulbs went on in the minds of decent but uneducated (until the public hearing) pro-gun people.
The Assembly committee didn’t want to let those of us who declared support for Constitutional Carry speak, but several of us insisted on having our say, and we were able to testify late in the day. One gentleman who spoke in favor of licensed carry also told the Assembly that he was now in favor of Constitutional Carry.
This was a classic republican trick — choose the lesser of two evils. While it’s worked for them for decades, it failed this time. A large percentage of those in attendance were Constitutional Carry supporters, and we gained some converts to the cause.
Most importantly, Wisconsin Gun Owners and other freedom activists are starting to define the terms and frame the argument. The phrase Constitutional Carry is now widely known and uttered by the media in Wisconsin. If free carry is constitutional, then licensed carry is unconstitutional by definition and reality.
Even though the Assembly bills in favor of Constitutional Carry were blocked by Republican leader Jeff Fitzgerald, this is no time to ease off the pressure, as gun owners regroup to keep pushing for the issue.
While Assembly Republicans along with some gun owners are unconvincingly trying to sell licensed carry as some kind of significant progress, it would be a prime example of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory — a trick that the Republican Party
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add to my comment to "armed liberal" above: the state where i live has done without "permits" or "licenses" to own and/or carry a gun since a state supreme court decision back in 1903 striking down a local ordinance that required a carry permit in one county. that ruling still stands and no "pistol permit" is issued or required here. none of the problems envisioned by the pro-"gun control" groups have happened. crime is low, shootings are rare, and we live in reasonable peace and safety. should wisconsin eventually pass "constitutional carry" i predict the law abiding folk will continue… Read more »
@ armed liberal,
while we may disagree on many issues, which can be discussed some other time, i, a conservative, firmly agree with you on this. the right to keep and bear arms belongs to all law abiding citizens.
I'm with you! The stupid ones with guns will weed themselves out; it's a process of nature (which is why it's called "natural selection").
Lists only provide the opportunity to round up people and/or their firearms. Look what the Canadian Firearms Registry caused: shopping lists for criminals complete with addresses. Of course, this says nothing of the Canadian Registry being about 90% inaccurate and costing around 100x more than it was originally budgeted.
Keep fighting the fight; it's not just a partisan issue. This is a fundamental constitutional rights issue!