An important task
Today, I did one of the most important things I can do as a citizen of Iowa, next to participating in the caucus and paying homage to the butter cow at the Iowa State Fair:
I renewed my carry-conceal weapon permit at the Wayne Co Sheriff's Office.
I figured it might be the last time I will be able to do so if certain people occupy the White House next year.
What do you need a carry-conceal permit for anyway, Gunzy? You think a deer is going to jump out and steal your wallet?
Of course not. But, it is a freedom that I have, being not only a citizen of Iowa but also of Wayne County, and I am taking advantage of it.
I might be packing, I might not. My neighbors might be in the same position. If a criminal knows this, they are less likely to mess with us folks in Wayne. And, if I feel like buying another Glock, I can go into any gun store in the state and walk out with it the same day. No background checks, as I've had mine done to get the permit.
The point of this is not to brag or show off, but to remind us that free and armed citizens are what keep us from sliding totally off into a totalitarian nightmare.
I renewed my carry-conceal weapon permit at the Wayne Co Sheriff's Office.
I figured it might be the last time I will be able to do so if certain people occupy the White House next year.
What do you need a carry-conceal permit for anyway, Gunzy? You think a deer is going to jump out and steal your wallet?
Of course not. But, it is a freedom that I have, being not only a citizen of Iowa but also of Wayne County, and I am taking advantage of it.
I might be packing, I might not. My neighbors might be in the same position. If a criminal knows this, they are less likely to mess with us folks in Wayne. And, if I feel like buying another Glock, I can go into any gun store in the state and walk out with it the same day. No background checks, as I've had mine done to get the permit.
The point of this is not to brag or show off, but to remind us that free and armed citizens are what keep us from sliding totally off into a totalitarian nightmare.
posted by bgunzy at 1/25/2008 04:12:00 PM
9 Comments:
Is it easy to get one? I've always wanted one even though I really don't have any plans of walking around armed just yet.
It is legal for me to smoke cigarettes, but I don't. Are you saying that I should still buy cigarettes because it is my duty as a citizen to do so?
Dorf - It depends on your county sheriff's attitude toward them. Our sheriff is all for them, as he knows that his deputies can't be everywhere at the same time. One of his deputies gave the training.
My guess is that it would be difficult to get one in the more metro counties unless you needed one for your job. The reason listed on mine for having one is "personal protection".
NoNeed - In fact, you should buy cigarettes (not necessarily smoke them), because the government is making more profit in taxes from them than the tobacco company does. If you care about the children (and their health), you should start a 2 pack/day habit. The taxes will go to fund health initiatives.
Also, start drinking heavily, as I'm sure the liqour taxes will support some government program you like.
Hey, we could link a tax on beer (especially kegs) to funding a program to keep Iowa college grads in Iowa! The more you drink, the more likely they'll stay here! It all makes sense, right? The money has to come from somewhere, so why not right from the students themselves? Talk about personal responsibility!
I'm a friggin' genius! :)
I once lived in Lee County Iowa and they won't give you a Concealed Weapons Permit unless you "prove" you have a "need" for one. This meant that the sheriff only passed them out to law enforcement buddies, prison guards and county big shots and people connected to the political machine. Your average person could not get one period. Even if you were in fear of your life they wouldn't give you one.
This is case in point why Iowa needs to go the "Shall Issue" route rather then the "May Issue" route. Currently constructed it rewards nepotism and cronyism and treats people unequally. It desperately needs to be changed.
Missouri has a pretty good system. Not as good as Alaska or Vermont but still better than Iowa. In Missouri it is "Shall Issue" and you can carry weapon accessible in your vehicle with no permit whatsoever.
I would be more in favor of dispensing with CCW laws all together. Carrying arms is a right not a privilege. By requiring licensing or permits you are infringing upon those rights. Liberty needs no permit. Rights cannot be licensed. The very concept should be abhorrent to Liberty loving people.
Also Iowa isn't reciprocal with Missouri. That alone has constitutional issues involved. It is a pain and annoyance to have to stop at the border, unload and disassemble your firearm. Forget to do it and you're a felon for doing what is perfectly legal across the border.
By the way, my CCW saved me from serious injury when I was attacked by a pit bull near my mailbox. All the way out in the sticks is no guarantee you won't need to protect yourself.
Anon 12:11 - You're right, we have a fragmented system here in Iowa. Wayne Co is very friendly to CCW, but Appanoose is not. It all depends on the sheriff, who, after all, is a politician.
My cousins in Alaska tell me of a particular day in Anchorage when the residents stride out with their sidearms at their sides, unconcealed. It can be done all the time, but this day is a special one to "show off", I guess.
I think as long as you carry the gun outside your clothing, it is legal requiring no permit. A good example would be hunting with a shoulder holster outside your hunting clothing. Heck head on down to the store and buy yourself a good waist holster and by law it should be legal. Anonymous #1 said it best. It is a right not a priveledge set forth by our constitution!
But, even with my CC permit, can I wear my Glock in a holster OUTSIDE my clothing and walk into, say, Jordan Creek Town Center? Probably not. By Anon 9:05's logic, I should be able to do so, even if I didn't have a CC permit.
Of course, malls and other public/private areas have no weapon zone rules. I suppose as I have a right to not allow cigarette smoking in my business, JCTC has the right to not allow guns on its property.
Hmmm, anyone want to test this theory with me? :)
Who gives out the permit to let me mount a machine gun to my Explorer?
Well, for a machine gun mounted to your explorer you would need a Class III firearms license for the machine gun. You would have to have the gun in an inoperable status (broken down) or cased for it to be legal to transport on public roads in Iowa if I remember right.
I suppose if you got your Class II Federal Firearms License, made a custom case for it you could drive around with a mounted MG.
If you just wanted to drive around on private property you can mount whatever you wish to your vehicle as long as it's a legal firearm. If you were a Class III holder you could mount a machinegun to your explorer and drive around your property and play Rat Patrol all you wished.
As a side note, a machinegun legally owned by an individual Class III license holder has never been used in the commission of a crime in the US. The only incident involving a Class III holder was a Police Officer who used a machine gun from his department to kill his wife.
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