Wisconsin’s Concealed Carry Law Sees First Anniversary

So far, we have been lucky. Wisconsin did not turn into the wild, wild west when concealed carry became law…

-James E. Causey, in a November 3, 2012, opinion piece posted on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel website

Driving to my family’s place in Southeast Wisconsin is becoming unbearable.

You see, as soon as I cross the state line from Illinois it’s hard not to notice all the bodies stacking up from the concealed carry permit holders running rampant like it’s the “Wild West.”

Not.

Congratulations are in order for the state of Wisconsin, seeing that November 1 marked the first anniversary of the Midwest state legalizing concealed carry- the 49th state in the Union to do so.

Illinois is the only state left that does not allow private citizens to carry concealed firearms in public.

Contrary to the warnings of gun “control” supporters, the streets of Milwaukee and elsewhere in Wisconsin aren’t running with rivers of blood from CCW permit holders blasting away at their fellow Wisconsinites. From the website of Madison’s WTAQ News Talk 1360 AM on November 1:

Today is the first anniversary of Wisconsin’s concealed weapons law – and the state’s attorney general says it’s working as well as expected. About 138,500 state carry permits were granted in the first year – 13,000 more than what [Wisconsin Attorney General] J-B Van Hollen predicted six months ago. Around 150,000 people have applied for concealed weapons licenses, and Van Hollen said many of the ones rejected were for clerical errors.

(Editor’s note: Italics added for emphasis)

Speaking of the Attorney General, Tom Murray reported on the website of Milwaukee’s WTMJ Newsradio 620 on November 1:

Attorney General JB Van Hollen issued himself permit number one and says he regularly carries on the job.

“We were one of the last two states who didn’t have conceal carry for law abiding citizens,” Van Hollen said. “An armed society is certainly a safer society and a better society.”

As for Illinois, the concealed carry movement is not only alive, but definitely kicking. The Associated Press reported on November 8:

Residents in some Illinois counties sent a message to lawmakers this week: Give citizens the right to carry concealed weapons.

Measures supporting concealed carry were on the ballot Tuesday in at least 10 mostly rural counties — Adams, Bond, Henry, McDonough, Mercer, Randolph, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stephenson and Warren — and passed overwhelmingly in every one.

The votes were non-binding because local law cannot override state law. But advocates say they hope to build pressure on lawmakers to support concealed carry.

Stay tuned…

Sources:

“One year anniversary of Wisconsin’s concealed carry law.” WTAQ. 1 Nov. 2012. (http://wtaq.com/news/articles/2012/nov/01/one-year-anniversary-of-wisconsins-concealed-carry-law/). 16 Nov. 2012.

Murray, Tom. “On anniversary, concealed carry exceeds advocates’ expectations.” WTMJ. 1 Nov. 2012. (http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/176894121.html). 16 Nov. 2012.

“10 Illinois counties say they want concealed carry.” Chicago Tribune. 8 Nov. 2012. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-10-illinois-counties-say-they-want-concealed-carry-20121108,0,2012281.story). 16 Nov. 2012.