I am writing in response to the article, \Concealed weapons: a dangerous right"" [10/9/2003]. The Second Amendment clearly states, ""the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.""?? Giving Americans the right to own a firearm is not a ""right-wing interpretation of the Second Amendment,"" but a prevalent interpretation which aims to defend all constitutional rights, not just the rights certain citizens see fit to defend.
The right to carry concealed weapons shows no links between such a right and an increase in crime. According to the FBI, Michael Gorwitz's claims are unfounded. The nation's violent crime rate has decreased every year since 1991 while during this time, 17 states adopted laws allowing concealed weapons. States with such laws have lower violent-crime rates, on average and the five states with the lowest violent-crime rates are states that give their citizens the right to carry firearms. A highly populated state like Florida issued 798,732 firearm permits between 1987 and 2002, while only 146 (0.02 percent) were revoked due to firearm crimes by licensees.
Concerned citizens wishing to protect themselves are applying for permits, not violent criminals. In the case Bowers v. DeVito, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled, ""[T]here is no constitutional right to be protected by the state against being murdered by criminals or madmen."" If the state cannot protect its citizens, it is not hard to imagine why so many wish to defend their right to carry a concealed weapon.
