imported post
Good article.
The philosophical side of me is tempted to de-construct it a bit.
Cowger and her husband often go hunting with their children to teach them about responsible gun ownership. Cowger said guns get a bad reputation because they are always associated with crime, and not with sports, self-protection or hunting for a meal.
I totally agree with her that guns get a bad reputation and aren't associated with self-protection.
The hunting thing... I think by and large the general public accepts guns for hunting. Even all but the most liberal politicians pay huge lip service to the respect for people's right to have guns "for hunting".
Outside of hunting, thats where so many people (politicians etc) assume (in my opinion) that the only OTHER use is by criminals. Thats the crux of what I think open-carry is a great tool to dispel those myths.
I don't think it made the on-air video, but when the AP did their story last week I commented that 100's of thousands of people in 48 other states, doctors, teachers, nurses, students, mothers, lawyers, blue-collar and white-collar and everyone in between carry guns daily for self-defense... They just do so by concealing. In Wisconsin, we can't, we must OC, but the positive side of that is that people DO get to see that this huge cross section of the population of LAW-abiding people carry for self-defense.
The use of guns by law-abiding people for self-defense IS "out of the closet" so to speak.
After hearing about so much crime, Cowger doesn’t want to be a victim or have to depend on others to save her. Although she’s avoided open carrying in the past, she may consider it in the future to raise awareness of the issue. She believes people should have the right to use weapons, although she stressed mandatory gun safety training should be required if people want to conceal and carry.
Strongly support training, but strongly disagree with her on "mandatory" training.
No doubt a conceal carry bill will likely include mandatory training in order to pass in Wisconsin, and as an organization we will support any conceal carry bill that makes it to the floor for a vote that doesn't sacrifice any rights we already have, but in principle "mandatory" training is the wrong way to go. (again, no reason not to support a bill but) Alaska and Vermont have it right. Other states are moving that direction too.
(jk of course)
