We Love And Fear Guns
How are American states, the laboratories of democracy, currently handling the issue of firearms? Let’s look at two of them. First up, California:
Responding to a movement that promotes the brash public display of firearms, state lawmakers on Tuesday moved forward legislation that would outlaw the open carrying of unloaded handguns in public places. Four previous attempts in the Legislature to prohibit the practice have failed over the last seven years, but the proposal has taken on a heightened profile this year in the wake of organized efforts to encourage others to show up at rallies and meet up at restaurants while carrying guns in visible holsters.
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says he will not challenge a new law that allows the blind and disabled to carry concealed guns…. The new law also drops the requirement that applicants for license renewal hit at least 18 of 25 targets while shooting from three to 10 yards. The test remains for first-time applicants, although a legislator said that is the next gun curb to be dropped.
But is there any middle ground? Maybe in Texas, where blind residents are forced to carry unloaded weaponry in public under penalty of law. Anyway, wow. Guns.
Photo by kcdsTM, from Flickr.