I admit I have been somewhat single-minded on the subject of being allowed ... no "permitted" ... to carry a firearm for my personal and family protection.
I want the right to do it. Period.
As a law-abiding adult citizen of this country, the U.S. Supreme Court and the Second Amendment to the Constitution say that I have that right.
But, obviously, there was some "discussion" over that at the state level.
I previously bridled at the thought that, as a law-abiding citizen of the United States who was trusted to know right-from-wrong elsewhere -- let's say in Florida -- that I suddenly ceased to be trusted to the same degree when I crossed the state line in Wisconsin. Florida, who barely knew me, assumed that I was an adult until and unless I proved otherwise, was content to grant me a CCW permit during my year there.
But coming home to Wisconsin? Not a chance!
OK ... so old news. New year, new state legislature. New CCW law in Dairyland.
I applied for and got my permit, and it just arrived in the afternoon mail.
(BTW ... it seems I wasn't alone in this. The Wisconsin Dept of Justice expected to receive about 100,000 permit applications during the month of November ... but reported that the application was downloaded from their website more than 84,000 times in the first 24 hours of the CCW law taking effect!)
Now, it suddenly hits me. Now I have the rights I want ... and now have to doubly ensure I act responsibly ... even cautiously.
My Florida friend Maj. Norm Belson (a state-licensed CCW instructor and retired police officer) assures all his students that, "If you ever have to use your firearm in your own defense, even if you were perfectly justified in doing so, your life is going to change drastically ... and not necessarily for the better." Norm presents a realistic view to his Concealed Carry Classes, reminding would-be CCW permit holders that upping the ante in an argument by drawing a weapon is folly of the worst sort.
You can access Norm's website here: http://www.staysafestreets.com/
Norm tells me that ambitious prosecutors are quite happy to publicly pillory a legally armed citizen who had to fire shots in his own defense. He added that he's known quite a few armed citizens who went bankrupt in a big way, having to sell their homes at times to come up with legal fees. Moreover, some civil attorneys are more than willing to play upon a jury's emotions with sad tales of woe caused their clients after the Big Bad Gun Guy shot their client ... and go for big payoffs in civil suits against armed citizens.
But Norm is also the guy who typified his fellow police officers as "...armed historians ..." who show up too late to prevent crime, but can only really document it after-the-fact. He stresses repeatedly that a citizens defense is in his or her own hands. "When seconds count," he says, "the cops are minutes away."
So now that I am again legally an Armed Citizen, what are my rights? More importantly, what will Wisconsin police officers expect of me should I ever have to use my gun in self-defense?
Been talking with a few of my regular customers, who also happen to be cops. One in particular seemed non-plussed at the idea of so many more firearms Milwaukee's streets all of a sudden. "The bad guys have always been able to get guns," he said, "but now maybe they'll think twice before attempting a crime ... because they know the good guys have guns, too."
He added that armed citizens coming into contact with cops in their official capacity need to be cooperative and cordial, and VERY forthcoming about the CCW permit in their wallet.
"Even if it's just a traffic stop, identify yourself up front as a permit holder, tell the officer where your gun is, and then ask how he wants to proceed." He added that permit holders shouldn't feel offended if the officer temporarily hangs onto the firearms...but that they should definitely WAIT to be told what to do about the firearm in their holster. "For God's sake, don't be reaching for it!" he said.
As my cop friend and neighbor George Sanquist says, "There's going to be no question about it ... I get all the guns for awhile."
I recall reading about Nevada troopers who, responding to an armed citizen's call about a breakin at his jewelry store, not only confiscated the innocent citizen's weapon ... but put the VICTIM in cuffs "... for everybody's protection," insisted the rookie trooper.
Obviously a training issue for that police department.
Googling Wisconsin firearms law attorneys, many lawyers' websites now are advising all CCW permit holders to carry around not only a loaded weapon, but also a reliable attorney's number. One even went to far as to suggest that, if an armed citizen is involved in a shooting, they should dial the attorney FIRST ... and 9-1-1 second.
Not sure how this is all going to shake out in the long run.
But as someone who spends quite a bit of time searching his own conscience, I can tell you that -- if I ever have to use a firearm to defend my family -- it's going to take all the fun out of gun ownership.
But there's still that old saw that goes, "I'd rather be tried by 12, than carried by 6"
