Passing Constitutional Carry is ‘Madness,’ Says MSNBC Columnist

You can set your watch to it.  Every time a state passes constitutional carry, some nanny stater in mainstream media pens an opinion piece about the dangers of restoring 2A rights.

The latest to do so is MSNBC columnist Michael A. Cohen, who published an article titled, “Making It Easy to Carry a Concealed Gun Is Absolute Madness,” for The Daily Beast in the wake of news last week that Indiana became the 24th state to go permitless.

In the piece, Cohen cites questionable research that purports permissive carry laws increase crime.  I say “questionable research” because a recent in-depth review of these laws from the Crime Prevention Research Center indicates there is no positive correlation between the two.

In fact, the CPRC study saw a decrease in murder rates following the passage of constitutional carry.  Not sure if Cohen is aware of the CPRC study or if he just ignored it altogether.  We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that he never saw it.

That said, it’s impossible for him to ignore the reality that 23 other states have adopted permitless carry, and, so far, not one has turned into the Wild West.  Not one.

If it was truly the problem anti-gunners make it out to be it stands to reason there would be no shortage of examples for them to make a clear-cut case that allowing law-abiding citizens to freely carry endangers the safety of the public.

Think about that for a sec. Nearly half the country has made the move and critics like Cohen can’t point to one state to show that it’s been problematic.

However, there is a longstanding example to the contrary.  Vermont.  Citizens in Vermont have always been free to carry without a permit, and the mandated training and background check that accompanies it.  Yet, no one can argue with a straight face that it’s ever been a hotbed for violence.

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