Posted 5/23/01 Praise for Senator Ring on conceal/carry gun issue To the editor: The issue of liberalizing Minnesotaís ìCarry and Concealî laws is as controversial as abortion. For most of us, we would prefer neither more handguns on the street nor more abortions. The problem with the former is that there is a perception that we would be safer if Minnesotaís ìCarry and Concealî laws were liberalized. This perception has been fueled by a ìmisinformationî campaign by the NRA and the handgun industry. The facts are that states without liberalized carry and conceal laws had their serious crime rate drop twice as fast as those with such laws. Further, in Texas the persons that were issued ìcarry and concealî permits were 66 percent more likely to get arrested than the general public. If that doesnít give you pause, then consider the murder rate in Houston, Texas. Houston has one of the highest rates in the nation. Consider the fact that there are more murders in Texas than in Japan, Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand, France, Germany and a half dozen other large industrialized countries combined. No wonder, according to surveys, 71 percent of the general population feel less safe in ìshall issue Carry and Concealî states. Of course, the proponents of shall issue will quote from ìMore Guns, Less Crimeî or statistics compiled by the NRA, rather than official government statistics. Look who is criticizing Senator Twyla Ring for voting for an amendment that addresses some of the concerns of those seeking ìcarry and concealî permits, without creating the risks of becoming a ìshall issueî state. What is their political affiliation? According to The Center for Responsible Politics, 87percent of NRA political contributions go to Republicans. I would have preferred if Senator Ring had just said ìnoî to this effort. The data just doesnít justify changing the law. After all, this isnít about prohibiting either handguns or ìcarry and concealî permits. Almost anyone can own a handgun to ìprotectî themselves in their homes and anyone with a legitimate need, in the opinion of the law enforcement chief in their community, can get a ìcarry and concealî permit. We have to ask ourselves has this been a problem in East Central Minnesota? If not, responsible legislators would have to ask themselves why change the law. And if there has been a problem and it is not serious, wouldnít it be better to fix the problem, rather than open up the process and put a lot of people at risk of being a victim. It seems to me that one of the reasons that Senator Ring won every precinct in Chisago County in the last election and almost every precinct in her district, both DFL and Republican precincts, is that she listens and acts in the best interests of her constituents. She supports many of the objectives of the NRA, many more than I, but she will not put its interests above public interest. While I would have voted against the measure, she sought to find a compromise to address the issue of arbitrary decisions by chief law enforcement agents. Unfortunately, the other side was unwilling to compromise, hoping that their well financed campaign will prevail next year, as it has in other states. Well, weíre no match for the NRA, but I hope to sponsor public forums to both inform Minnesotans and to hear their views. Charleston Heston is no Moses. His attempt to replace the Ten Commandments with a rifle may sell guns, but it doesnít impress me. Attacking Senator Ring for keeping her word and attempting to listen to her constituents rather than the gun industry deserves praise, not ridicule. If ìshall issueî becomes the law, it is the handgun industry that becomes the ultimate winner. For those of us trying to promote peaceful resolution of conflicts, respect for laws and the Ten Commandments; we become the losers. The ultimate losers, of course, are those innocent bystanders caught in the line of fire. No wonder, that all law enforcement organizations, religious leaders, public health organizations oppose ìshall issue carry and concealî laws. Look at how they titled the bill, Minnesota Citizens Personal Protection Act. It is reminiscent of the tobacco industry telling us that cigarettes are safe for our health. Interestingly, at the same time the gun industry is trying to force ìshall issueî legislation down are throats, they are trying to pass laws eliminating any legal liabilities for harm caused by their weapons. Personally, I would like to make the legislators who vote for such legislation, especially those that are taking NRA money, legally libel for their actions if an innocent person is killed or harmed. However, I doubt whether they would allow such a provision. So let us all thank Senator Ring and the other 33 State Senators that acted on our behalf, stood for our interests, and are prepared to stand up against personal attack by a few partisans. No wonder she was asked to serve on one of the important Conference Committees at the end of the session. Way to go! Robert G. Walz North Branch ©Post Review