I agree, the university police should not have those intimating tools of destruction. Why can’t all the police forces in this area use carrots? Make pie not war. - Germain E. Stemme

The people of Wi. need to loudly voice their displeasure with politicians denying their right to carry. Either.both in the elections and write letter after letter to their politicians with their intentions to elect someone who will stand up for their second amendment rights.

�Some people believe that arming everybody is the solution to reducing the violent crimes that currently exist in society,� Burke said. �Most law enforcement people don�t believe this is true; we think this is very irrational. We don�t want more bullets flying around.�

Could Mr Burke cite his source please? I don’t for once believe that most law enforcement want private citizens left defenseless. I’d like to see the study that backs up his contention.

It’s true - I don’t have a concealed carry permit yet. I’m just happy to see you. - Germain Q. Stemme

What is so pathetic about this is that the other 48 states allow it, which PROVES all the fears Democrats have about concealed carry are totally false! With the high profile murder or the Miller Brewing executive leaving a restaurant in Milwaukee last month, you’d think this bill would be a slam dunk to pass.

Maybe in Madison where you don’t experience the level of muggings and violent crime that we do in Milwaukee, you don’t see the need for it. But believe me, all the criminals already are carrying, why should it be a crime to defend myself?

Here is an email I wrote to Assistant Chief Burke after reading his quotes in this article.

Assistant Chief Burke, My name is John Anderson and I am a student here at UW-Madison. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this email. I just read the article in the Badger Herald about how Wisconsin is one of only two states in America to not allow any form of concealed carry. I noticed that you were quoted in the article several times and I just had a few quick questions about your statements. I won’t be offended if you do not respond to this email, I understand you’re busy, but there are just a few things I can’t help but ask.
The first quote of yours I’d like to look at goes as follows: “…Especially since our society is getting more violent and there have been more gun deaths and school shootings, why would we want to allow more people to carry guns?” Since this is phrased as a question, I will attempt to answer it. We would want to allow more people to carry guns because a populace that can defend itself is infinitely times safer than one that cannot. I would like to think that the Madison Police could protect my fellow students and me everyday but the truth is simple, they cannot. I attend several classes throughout the campus every day, do you know how many officers I see? No more than two officers every day over the course of the entire day. This is not enough of a presence to protect a campus and student body of Madison’s size. I go to lectures everyday in which a murderous person could easily cause massive amounts of carnage and death. We are sitting ducks in our lecture halls and classes, utterly and completely defenseless. Allowing lawful students with concealed weapons permits to carry a concealed weapon would dramatically increase our safety overall. I personally, and many other students as well I’m sure, would much rather be able to return fire on a murderous person than just pray that the police are coming and that the shooter is low on ammunition.

The next quote I’d like to mention is as follows: “Some people believe that arming everybody is the solution to reducing violent crimes that currently exist in society” First of all I don’t think anybody besides the completely insane think that arming everybody is a good idea. However the vast majority of the nation believes that it is a good idea to arm responsible citizens. We are a backwards state, you yourself mention that our ban is over 100 years old, we must get with the times. You go on to say: “Most law enforcement people don’t believe this is true, we think it is very irrational…” You’re right, it is irrational to arm everybody. What is far more irrational however is our outdated policy to not allow law-abiding citizens the means to defend themselves.

Later in the article you mention that the National Rifle Association plays on peoples fear so that more lenient gun laws will be passed. The NRA doesn’t need to waste its time and resources playing on peoples fears. I’m not afraid of a school shooter because of the NRA. I am afraid of it because it happens! Virginia Tech, NIU, and other recent school shootings were not made up by the NRA, they actually happened, and with horrendous consequences. I (and other students) are afraid not because of the NRA, but because of terrible recent realities.

The last quote of yours that caught my interest is: “College campuses are overwhelmingly safer places than your average town or city” I don’t see how this could possibly be correct. I haven’t heard of any recent “town” or “city massacres” where tens of innocent students have been murdered. How is a town or city safer? In a college, if a person is willing to commit mass murder, it’s all too easy. Everybody is completely unarmed (under the false illusion that the police are protecting them) and are sitting in a giant room with relatively few exists. How is this safer than a town or city? I feel much safer walking around my home town of Milwaukee, Wisconsin than I do sitting here in a lecture hall.

Again, thank you very much for your time. This email was not to be in any way disrespectful to you or any other members of the Madison Police Department. I personally am pursuing a major in criminal justice and minor in computer sciences and someday hope to be an FBI or DEA agent. I look forward to hearing back to you, but don’t feel obligated to respond.

Sincerely

John F. Anderson

What is interesting is Burke’s irrational argumentation, something apparently quite common in the anti-gun corner. Some examples:

1) �Especially since our society is getting more violent and there have been more gun deaths and school shootings, why would we want to allow more people to carry guns?�

Burke should explain how a concealed carry bill would allow more people to carry guns than are already allowed to carry guns.

2) “…it is not realistic to think that just because someone is armed he or she can save the world.”

Generally one is only trying to save one’s own hide or that of an innocent person, not “the world.”

3) “Some people believe that arming everybody is the solution to reducing the violent crimes that currently exist in society,� Burke said. �Most law enforcement people don�t believe this is true; we think this is very irrational. We don�t want more bullets flying around.�

Presumably Burke would oppose having more police for the very same reason?

4) Burke said organizations like the National Rifle Association play on people�s fear so more lenient gun laws will be passed, adding the NRA wants anyone to be able to get a concealed weapons permit if they pass a simple criminal history check, but law enforcement officers think this is not enough.

�What if someone has a mental disease? It doesn�t check that. The record check is a snapshot in time. � It�s only good for so much,� Burke said.

Um, who is playing on peoples’ fears here???? The very thing he accuses the NRA of doing!

You, Burke, Risser et all forget one thing. Wisconsin only prohibits the carry of concealed weapons. There is no Wisconsin state statute that prohibits the carry of visible weapons on a college or university. State law only prohibits the carry of visible weapons in places that sell on sale alcohol, Government buildings, motor vehicles and school zones with schools of grades 1 through 12. Ih fact the strict prohibition of concealed carry and Article I section 25 of the State Constitution provide a constitutional authority for the carry of visible weapons for self protection.

It�s easy to understand the fear and the need for self defense that so many students are experiencing. We all have been shocked, saddened, angered, and bewildered by the shootings at NIU. Still, it is important not to let our realistic fears become over-blown and stampede us into actions we may regret. I think the idea of having concealed weapons on campus would be a mistake for the following reasons: 1) There is no proof that it would prevent crime. The recent study by the National Academies (Firearms and Violence, 2005) concluded that concealed carry legislation did not reduce crime, and 2) There is good reason to think that more guns on campus might lead to more mayhem. It is well known that the southern states which have the highest gun ownership have much higher homicide and suicide rates than the New England states with low gun ownership. In other words, just having guns around is a danger in itself.

We are faced with a terrible situation throughout society and there is no easy answer. Let�s not make it worse by embracing the solution of the NRA. Remember these are the guys who brought us all of the guns in the first place and now they claim we need even more to protect ourselves. We�d be better off thinking in terms of less radical solutions such as improved security, locked doors, more cops, metal detectors, psychological and criminal background checks, etc.

And while we try to sort this out we should also think more seriously about where our penchant for violence comes from in the first place. Who are these psychos that kill and what�s with slasher movies and cage fighting?

Most “Police Chiefs” are political appointees and will follow the dictates of their master. I have not yet met a street cop who is against lawful concealed carry. The chiefs represent their masters,not the cop that’s doing the work.

With all but two states allowing concealed carry, the empircal evidence now exists as to the historical relationship between the number of crimes before and after these states allowed concealed carry. I have not seen one state reverse their conceal carry law. Certainly if these states were now having an increase in gun related crimes, they would be reversing their positions.

The real facts exist with these states that have allowed conceal carry. Get these facts for the Wisconsin citizens. If there is not an obvious increase in crime, let’s get the right for conceled carry passed in Wisconsin. Wisconson citizens deserve the same opportunity for increased security and the ability to protect themselves afforded the citizens living in the concealed carry states.

David C. Finkbiner 60 year old father of three, Grandfather of three, and a Non NRA member Wausau, WI

What I can’t get over is that people believe the gun control idea, that we are priviledged to even own guns. When in the constitution it states we have the right to not only keep them but bear them as well. The definition of “bear”, is to carry. So how can you tell me that its illegal to carry a gun. We as a society need to stand up and take back what is ours. In this case, our RIGHT to bear arms.

Why wouldn’t police enforcements go on duty with carrots instead of good old handguns? And if one police officer can kill 3 wives, wouldn’t it make all police potentially dangerous wife-killers?

“Burke said law enforcement officers understand supporters of concealed weapons may be well-intentioned, but it is not realistic to think that just because someone is armed he or she can save the world.”

Well that is a valid point, but what about the police? Can we rely on them to save the world because we have cell phones and 911? The late Zimmerman would have been able to answer that question had she not been fatally wounded, and the same goes for Joel Marino.

Fred Risser would pee his pants (or adult diapers) if he ever held a Glock, much less attempted to fire it. He’d rather leave his personal protection to the Capitol Police, Doyle’s armed guards, and luck.

Living in the real world, one realizes that there are an average of 10 armed robberies per week in Madison. Only about one of those ten winds up being a “solved case”. Pay attention to the Madison Police Reports from Joel DeSpain and you’ll see what I mean.

How many more Brittanies and Joels will Madison need before something is done? Truth be told, it’s not the gun that will do most of the protecting; it’s the document that Jim Doyle must man up to and sign. And I say Madison because the elected officials from this district are the problem. Strange thing is people die 4 blocks away from the Risser Justice Center and nothing happens.

The reason why police do not support conceal carry is this. Look at states where conceal carry is legal - such as Minnesota. Crime rates have gone down there because criminals know that citizens are armed. 10k armed citizens are more deterring to criminals than 1k police officers, many of which are not there when crimes happen. Police want crime to stay high so they can stay in a job.

Not only that, but SHOULD conceal carry be passed, will it be one of these “may-issue” things where its at their discretion? All they have to do is think up any reason in the world to deny issuing someone a permit and they can deny your 2nd amendment rights. We need shall-issue, with a simple background check as would be done when buying a gun. If guns fall into the wrong hands, would you not want to arm law-abiding citizens instead of leaving them defenseless?

I say if conceal carry remains to be against the law, people should just start carrying illegally. They can arrest everybody. History has shown that if everyone stands up for a cause, we can accomplish anything.

I hear from people all the time, especially from my parents, that “people don’t want it,” (conceal carry legalized). I feel that many people, especially those on the Democrat side of the issue, feel that if conceal carry is passed, it will be people gunning each other down in the streets, and that is the wrong idea.

And I would support legalizing this on college campuses also for people who have a permit to conceal carry anywhere else. If they can pass a background check as they would to get a gun in the first place, why not? And background checks DO check for mental disorders, and things other than criminal history.