Taking advantage of tragedy

I am shocked, but not surprised, that Luis Tolley, director of state legislation for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, is still trying to use the Columbine tragedy to take away the rights of law-abiding citizens ("Gun-rights backers push for reciprocity," Feb. 1). His comments also point out the true agenda of his organization: To make this a nation in which only the police and criminals are armed.

For years, the "reasonable" gun-control organizations have repeated the mantra that all gun owners must receive training, go through a background check and be licensed before they can possess a gun. Nearly every concealed-carry permitting process does just that. Before issuing a permit to carry a concealed firearm, the applicant must complete a firearms training course, submit to a background investigation and pay for a license. Isn't this what Mr. Tolley's group labels "sensible and reasonable gun control"? You'd think they would be behind concealed-carry laws 100 percent.

No, Mr. Tolley, the people of Colorado have not forgotten Columbine. We have not forgotten how those armed maniacs were able to walk through a school killing innocent unarmed students and teachers. Nor have we forgotten how much criminals favor unarmed victims. The people of Colorado want the right to defend themselves as they, not you, choose.

BERNIE HERPIN
Vice president
Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition
Colorado Springs, Colo.

Gun-rights advocates, having won concealed-carry firearms laws in more than a dozen states in the 1990s, are now working to try to get states to recognize firearms permits issued in other states.

As state legislatures convene for the 2002 session, reciprocity tops the wish list of gun-rights advocates throughout the nation who want their states to recognize other states' permits the way states recognize driver's licenses.

Bills to recognize all other states' permits are pending in South Dakota and Virginia, while several states passed similar laws last year. Other states are trying to write specific agreements to recognize each other's licenses.

Those pushing the bills say it's the obvious next step.

"Right-to-carry laws gained momentum in the 1990s because all of the statistics proved they had a dramatic effect on reducing crime," said Trish Gregory, a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association. "Americans agree that the right of self-defense doesn't stop at state borders, so it only makes common sense that the trend would continue toward reciprocity."

State laws on concealed weapons can be divided into four categories: "Don't issue" states do not issue permits and generally prohibit carrying concealed weapons.

"May issue" states leave it up to local law-enforcement officials whether or not to issue a permit.

"Shall issue" states require a permit to be issued if an applicant meets the law's requirements.

Vermont is a category of its own. The state does not require a permit and lets anyone carry a firearm concealed as long as he or she is eligible.

Gun-control advocates say reciprocity is just another maneuver to eliminate reasonable gun controls.

"It's part of a larger campaign of essentially letting everybody carry every gun they want, anywhere they want, and getting rid of all restrictions," said Luis Tolley, director of state legislation for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

In addition to reciprocity, Mr. Tolley said, state legislatures are considering bills to expand the list of those eligible for permits and eliminate restrictions on places where concealed-carry permits are accepted.

One popular quest has been to remove restrictions in many states that prohibit concealed weapons in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.

"They'll do anything to take away police discretion and force police to issue permits, and once they get that, they then chip away at all limits, including reciprocity, as their strategy," Mr. Tolley said.

Not every state is moving toward permits or reciprocity, though.

In Missouri, one of the "don't issue" states that generally prohibit carrying a concealed weapon, the battle for permits has failed for more than a decade — but advocates are back before the legislature this year.

"In the 11 years that Missouri has talked about it, we've got 10 to 12 states that have debated it and passed it," said Greg Jeffery, legislative director for the Second Amendment Coalition of Missouri.

In Minnesota and Colorado, currently "may issue" states, bills are pending to turn them into "shall issue" states.

Maybe the most surprising of them is Colorado, home to Columbine High School, scene of a 1999 school shooting, where an effort to create a statewide system of permits is under way with the backing of Republican Gov. Bill Owens.

"We are shocked, really, that they are, in such a cynical way, just a couple years after Columbine, pushing this dangerous agenda," Mr. Tolley said. "The gun lobby may have forgetten what happened at Columbine, but the people of Colorado have not."

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