Georgia Loosens Restriction on Concealed Carry

Gun control is a hot issue and those of us who hunt and fish follow it closely. That said you had better check out how Georgia loosened their concealed carry laws. Specifically they now allow concealed weapons by individuals holding a concealed carry permit in places like restaurants, public transportation (e.g. buses) and state and local parks to name a few. I should make it clear the law does outlaw having a concealed weapon in a restaurant when drinking alcohol. While I agree on the whole, it does raise some questions:

Should restaurant wait staff have to ask if a patron is packing heat before serving alcohol?
Does it make sense to allow guns in state parks where you can camp and be drinking alcohol?
What about the situation where a person goes into a restaurant without a gun, has a few drinks then moves on to another restaurant where they don't drink?

This, as always, is a hotly contested issue and one I encourage everybody to get educated on. While I do believe in the issuing of concealed carry permits, it isn't without some concern and I'm going to be interested in how other states will react to this news.

Georgia Loosens Restriction on Concealed Carry | 7 comments | Create New Account

Georgia Loosens Restriction on Concealed Carry

Authored by: ch0p5 on May 18, 2008

Tricky subject. I am all for our right to bear arms and my wife just recently went through the hoops (We live in Idaho) and got her concealed permit. I don't have one, but she is home alone a lot in the fall while I am gone hunting. In that situation, I think it's a good thing. Guns and booze are a bad mix though.

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Authored by: Anonymous on May 20, 2008

To assume that otherwise law-abiding license holders will now begin to violate the law by wearing their firearm into a restaurant, and then, in controversion to the new law, drink while carrying, is a true quantum leap.

NOTHING in the past (actually, until 6/1/08, current) law prevents a License Holder from consuming alcohol at their home, or a friends home, while armed, nor does it preclude them from drinking in a restaurant or bar, unarmed, and then moving to another restaurant, where they do not imbibe, while armed.

There are currently 300,000 citizens in Georgia that can legally carry a concealed firearm, and the law allowing this has been in effect for more than 10 years.

That means there have potentially been armed citizens who could have legally somewhat abused the right to carry, and created an incident, over the course of better than 100 MILLION days. (365 days x 10years x 300,000 licensees).

To date, not even 1 such incidence has been reported.

Get real.

The people who are taking life serious enough to realise they may well need to legally have a firearm on their person to protect themselves are not the kind to be foolish enough to impair their ability to properly defend themselves, to risk injuring innocent others while so impaired, or to violate the (new) law against drinking in an establishment while armed.

The "booze and guns" rhetoric is smoke and mirrors for those who would have you believe that, while you may have the right to self defense, you certainly DON'T have the right to the means for such self defense.

With overworked, understaffed Law Enforcement response times measured, at very best, in a couple of minutes...and with the knowledge that violent attacks usually occur in seconds, I say yes to the law abiding having some of their rights, improperly infringed by the Government, returned to them.

In truth, there should be NO restriction on where a licensed, law abiding person can carry a means of self defense, equal to any that a criminal or demented person can carry in defiance of the law, other than on private property where the owner has decided to disallow such.

Authored by: Tony on May 20, 2008

Good points. Too bad I can't tell you that by name. Reminds me I need to turn off anonymous comments or implement CAPTCHA to avoid this in the future. To our anonymous friend a) remember I did simply post this looking for a good discussion on the issue not for a rant (which only proves my point on how close a nerve this can hit) and b) be nice. Mean people suck.

Authored by: Anonymous on July 05, 2008

AMEN!!!!!!

Authored by: kenhump on June 01, 2008

Some might say that in a civilized society guns aren't needed. In 65 years on the north side of the lawn I've found civilization to be grossly overrated and wildly optimistic.

I am a proud , responsible concealed weapons permit holder and i say my rights should not be hindered because some fool wants to complicate my constitutional right by drinking or acting irresponsibly while carrying a weapon. Make it known that that sort of activity is not tolerated and enforce the law from the beginning.

Also, if someone really wants to start trouble with a weapon in a public place it doesn't matter if he/she is drinking or not or even if they posses a permit. Trouble makers will always find ways to make trouble. As long as i have the ability to defend myself , my family and other innocent people in an establishment where trouble is occurring then i am fine with the law.

I think what should be clarified is the self defense law and make potential trouble makers know that once the line is crossed to where a citizen in a public place without means of escape could be harmed then they will be taken down by people like me with deadly force.

Thanks for allowing the comment from a proud CWP holder in Goergia!!

Sorry the last on is anonymous, here is my email kmeadowslns@hotmail.com

TonyBibbs^2.0

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