Constitutional Carry

I was 12 years old when I got my first job.  I became a caddy at Red Run, a local private golf club.  It was hard work for very little pay.  On Saturday’s and Sunday’s, we would get to the course by 5:30 in the morning (or earlier) just to get our place on the bench along with other caddies. Sometimes we would wait for hours before it became our turn to carry clubs for some old rich guy or his wife.  A typical loop would take more than 4 hours, and when we finished the first loop, we were often expected to stay and go again.  By the time the two loops were done, I was at the course 10-12 hours.  If I was lucky, I would have earned $10 or $11. Then the 4 mile walk home.  Looking back at the memories, they were great.  I met some famous people, really nice people, some bizarre people, and some downright crazy people.  One guy who owned a local grocery store thought he was doing us caddies a favor by adding lead weights to the bottom of his bag to help counterbalance the clubs.  I hated carrying for him, but it happened more than once.  I share all this because I had a goal.  My dad told me that if I wanted to go hunting, I would need to buy my own gun.  I worked hard to save that summer and the next (most of my money was blown on stuff that no longer exists).  I remember when I finally had the $89 in cash to walk into Sears Roebuck, and Co with my dad to buy that Ted Williams model Winchester 30-30.  I love that gun and still have it 47 years later.  When I bought that rifle, I didn’t know how to use it, let alone how to use it safely.  Before I was able to go out and hunt, I needed to learn some basic safety rules, and of course, how to shoot it.  This did not happen through osmosis.

Many people (especially men) think they know how to operate weapons once they put their hands on them.  In their minds, all they need to do is point and shoot.  That’s what we see every day on our favorite TV shows. To anyone who has spent much time at the range, they know there is much more to it than that.

I am a firm believer that everyone has a right to keep and bear arms for self-defense.  However, does that mean that they should do so without training?  That is at the heart of the debate that rages throughout the country and the states that are allowing for what is called Constitutional Carry.  There are currently 27 states and soon to be 28 states that allow constitutional carry.  South Carolina and Louisiana both signed CC into law a couple weeks ago (South Carolina became immediate and Louisiana will be effective July 4 of this year).

These laws basically say that if a person meets the qualifications to legally purchase a handgun then they can carry it open or concealed without a permit.  The 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does not permit the restrictions on gun rights, which includes keeping and bearing arms.   The landmark case of DC v. Heller back in 2008 established that self-defense is a central component of the 2nd Amendment, and Washington D.C.’s ban on handguns was invalidated.  In another case, the 2010 decision of McDonald v. Chicago limits states and local governments from enacting laws that restrict this fundamental right for self-defense.

So herein lies the conundrum.  Does requiring people to be minimally trained in how to handle and fire a weapon infringe on their right to self-defense?  The answer to that is yes to many legal scholars.  By requiring people to obtain a permit, it will cost both time and money that many people cannot afford and are both valid points. 

Back to my 30-30 story.  Before I could take my new rifle hunting, I had to sign up and attend a local Hunter Safety course that was offered at a local elementary school.  They taught me the basic rules of hunting as well as how to carry the gun, loaded or not.  After that class, I was still not knowledgeable on how to use my 30-30.  That required me to spend time with my dad, how to load, unload, activate the safety and properly shoot.  Even then, I was not an expert.  On my first hunting trip with my dad and his brothers, we went to the deep woods of the U.P. in search of that big buck.  I put my rifle shells into the magazine just like I did when we were target shooting.  I cocked the lever and put a round into the chamber, and I was almost ready to go.  I needed to set the safety, and in order to do so, I had to pull the trigger while holding the hammer with my thumb.  This would allow it to go forward into the safety position.  Well, it was awfully cold that morning and my hands were a block of ice.  That hammer slipped through my thumb and fired off the round that was in the chamber.  Fortunately, I had taken my Hunter Safety class that was taught by the NRA.  The first rule was planted in my head.  Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.  When I was loading the rifle and setting the safety, my dad and his brothers were well behind me, and I had the barrel pointed at the ground in the direction of the woods. If I was not trained in that simple rule, perhaps there would have been a different outcome to that situation.

Often, I see gun owners, who thought they were trained, handling weapons in very unsafe ways.  They pick up their guns with a finger on the trigger and pointing them in directions they shouldn’t.  This happens all the time, and there is no excuse for it.  Now imagine when people are not required to take any training before they walk around with a loaded gun on their side.  As I said before, I am 100% behind the right to self-defense with a gun.  I just want them to be trained.  This is one man’s opinion.  You may disagree. 

In Michigan, a permit is still required, and getting the appropriate training is the first step.  I think that is a good thing. 

When people take my training, I strive for each person to be confident with their own weapon before they leave.  At Sisu Firearms, each class is intentionally small, so that we can make that happen together.