2008 Woodie Awards
Letter: Skills of concealed firearm carriers often ignored
Issue date: 3/19/08 Section: Opinion
To the editor:
I read Brian Moloney's article in the March 12 edition of The Hawk about concealed firearms on campus, and think he does not speak for every gun owner.
I am sorry, but an introduction to firearms in the Boy Scouts does not make a person knowledgeable about their use in a defensive situation.
Many permit holders carry a gun because we like firearms. We are gun enthusiasts. We learn everything we can about them and train with them continuously.
I myself shoot on a weekly basis and have attended many courses on firearms. These courses have covered firearm safety, familiarity, and tactics.
I am much better qualified to carry a concealed firearm than the average Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) who only shoots during yearly qualifications, and carries a gun simply because he or she has to for employment. The LEO may receive training, but if it is not important to him or her, it will not sink in.
It may surprise some people that many permit holders feel the way I do and have very good skills with firearms. I would much rather have a concealed permit holder come to my family's rescue, if I was not available, than the average patrol officer or campus security guard.
Moloney also wrote about accidents occurring and people being killed by firearms carried by the "untrained."
Pennsylvania, as well as 47 other states, has concealed carry laws that allow law-abiding citizens over 21 to carry firearms just about everywhere.
Without citing one incident of a gun accident resulting in injury or death, he cannot play the "what if" game and scare people about what might happen in the future.
So next time Moloney wants to write an article about firearms, he should use fact as a base. Moloney may even want to interview concealed permit holders for information instead of just speculating on their firearm education and skills. That will make for a better, more truthful, unbiased story.
Jim Reynolds
I read Brian Moloney's article in the March 12 edition of The Hawk about concealed firearms on campus, and think he does not speak for every gun owner.
I am sorry, but an introduction to firearms in the Boy Scouts does not make a person knowledgeable about their use in a defensive situation.
Many permit holders carry a gun because we like firearms. We are gun enthusiasts. We learn everything we can about them and train with them continuously.
I myself shoot on a weekly basis and have attended many courses on firearms. These courses have covered firearm safety, familiarity, and tactics.
I am much better qualified to carry a concealed firearm than the average Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) who only shoots during yearly qualifications, and carries a gun simply because he or she has to for employment. The LEO may receive training, but if it is not important to him or her, it will not sink in.
It may surprise some people that many permit holders feel the way I do and have very good skills with firearms. I would much rather have a concealed permit holder come to my family's rescue, if I was not available, than the average patrol officer or campus security guard.
Moloney also wrote about accidents occurring and people being killed by firearms carried by the "untrained."
Pennsylvania, as well as 47 other states, has concealed carry laws that allow law-abiding citizens over 21 to carry firearms just about everywhere.
Without citing one incident of a gun accident resulting in injury or death, he cannot play the "what if" game and scare people about what might happen in the future.
So next time Moloney wants to write an article about firearms, he should use fact as a base. Moloney may even want to interview concealed permit holders for information instead of just speculating on their firearm education and skills. That will make for a better, more truthful, unbiased story.
Jim Reynolds
Be the first to comment on this story