Too Lax

Maureen Downey, who is the queen of PSH for the Atlanta Journal and Constipation, isn’t happy with Georgia’s permitting process, or the new bill to ease carry restrictions:

Supporters defend the expansion by pointing out that it applies only to Georgians with permits to carry concealed weapons. That would be more reassuring if acquiring a permit involved a careful screening process, but it does not.

Under Georgia law, police chiefs and sheriffs are all but forced to grant concealed carry permits to anyone who can buy a handgun; there is no requirement that permit holders undergo safety training.

In contrast, California gives police far more discretion to deny concealed weapon permits. In a state of 37 million people, about 50,000 Californians are licensed to carry concealed weapons. Compare that to Georgia, a state of 9 million people where an estimated 300,000 people have permits.

Of course, what she’s hoping you don’t notice is what the criteria for issuing a license in Georgia actually are, and that applicants are indeed subject to background checks.

In addition to that, it’s worthwhile to note that Georgia has a lower violent crime rate than California. She also brings up the VPC’s debunked study showing Texas license holders are particularly prone to criminal behavior. Keep drinking the kool aid Ms. Downey. Tastes good doesn’t it?