It is an absolute right of an individual to protect himself or his family from criminals.  This right should not be taken away by an intrusive government.  There are many people who have irrational fears about guns and those who own them.  These people do not trust their fellow citizens and would love to restrict and even ban guns from our society.  These people live in a fantasy world.  There are an estimated 250 million guns and 80 million gun owners in our nation. [i] There is no possible way for our government to eliminate guns from our society.  Any gun banning laws would have no effect on the criminals among us.  They break laws all the time and so they would not mind breaking the law if they needed a gun.  A gun banning law would harm the honest citizens by disarming them. This would give criminals a real advantage.  Fortunately, 31 states including Texas have concealed handgun license laws.

Before we get into any of the specifics, the Concealed Handgun License (CHL) needs to be defined.  This license allows the holder to carry a concealed handgun in public.  A licensee cannot carry a gun into areas protected by state law.  With this license, someone can legally carry a gun with them and protect themselves from criminals.  The Department of Public Safety, the Sheriff, or the court system usually issues concealed handgun licenses.  The qualifications for this license vary from state to state.  Should we as Americans trust our fellow citizens to carry handguns?

First, let us explore the reasons why states allow its citizens to have a CHL.  Some people believe that the police are there for our protection.  This may be true, but not in all cases. The police cannot protect you when you really need them.   If someone were to mug you, you would be lucky to have a policeman around to protect you.  The states that allow individuals to obtain a CHL are willing to trust its citizens to protect themselves.

The requirements to obtain a CHL in Texas are as follows.

A person is eligible to carry a concealed handgun if...legal resident of the state for a six-month period...is at least 21 years of age...has not been convicted of a felony...is not charged ora fugitive for...Class A or B misdemeanor[s]....[And] is not chemically dependent...a person of unsound mind...has not been delinquent in making a child support payment...[can] purchase a handgun...” [ii]

This is only some of the requirements. Basically, you have to be a law-abiding citizen, fit the age requirement, and pass the test. The test in Texas is the toughest in the nation.  It requires 15 hours of training, a written and a shooting exam. [iii] Lawmakers in Texas believe that its citizens have a right to self-defense.  It is a privilege for a citizen to have a CHL.  A licenses can be revoked because the person gave false information on the application. [iv]   Also, if a citizen with a CHL is convicted of a felony, his license will be revoked.  For example, as of October 2, 2000, there were 215,018 active licenses in Texas. From January 1, 1996 when the law was enacted, 1,134 licenses have been revoked. [v]

Some wonder if concealed handgun licenses reduce crime, or do they only give a false sense of safety?  John R. Lott, Jr. is a professor at the University of Chicago Law School. He teaches courses in criminal deterrence, law, and economics. [vi]   In an interview with the University of Chicago Press, John Lott explains the title of his book, More Guns, Less Crime.  He says that when a CHL law is enacted, “States with the largest increases in gun ownership also have the largest drops in violent crimes.” [vii] Lott obtains his information from studying 3,054 county records from 1977-1994. [viii]   These records show an inverse relationship to the number of concealed handgun licensed and crime rate.  Therefore, more concealed handgun licenses create a lower crime rate.  This makes sense because criminals do not want to be shot. 

Opponents of the original concealed handgun license law in Texas were outspoken in 1995. It was around this time that the law was being considered in the Texas legislature.  In the March 25, 1995 issue of the Houston Chronicle, an opponent of the law wrote an article titled Handgun law will be deadly.  In her article, Lori Rodriguez quoted the Harris County senator Mario Gallegos.

I’m for the right to bear arms to protect you in your home.  But the minute you start allowing them to be carried out on the streets, [we are] going to have freeway disputes, personal altercations and angry outbursts that are not just going to be settled by words or by compromise. They’re going to be settled by guns [ix]

Mario Gallegos’ fear that Texas would become like the 'Old West' where people shoot each other in duels has never happened.  There have been a few isolated cases where Texans with CHL’s were convicted of murder.  For example, only two of the 215,018 concealed handgun license holders were convicted of murder in 1999. [x]   Concealed handgun license holders do not shoot at each other because of road rage, or because they are angry with someone.  John Lott faces this question in an interview; he says 

“The evidence shows that such fears are unfounded. Despite millions of people licensed to carry concealed handguns and many states having these laws for decades, there has only been one case where a person with a permit used a gun after a traffic accident and even in that one case it was in self-defense.” [xi]

One of the other arguments against concealed handgun licenses is that there will be more school shootings.  Hupp, R-Lampasas stated in the May 15th 2000 issue of the Houston Chronicle, "Mass shootings now, take place in schools and post offices, businesses where guns are not allowed. They're always in these so-called gun-free safety zones." [xii]   One reason that CHL’s would not affect school shootings is that the children involved in the shootings have already broken the law. For example, in the Arkansas shooting, the boys who did the shootings, stole the guns that they used.  In his book, John Lott explains that the total number of accidental deaths due to guns is around 1,300.  Of these, 200 of the victims were children under 14. [xiii]   "Despite over 250 million guns owned by 80 million people, the number of children killed by guns is much smaller than the number of children killed in other accidents. Children are 14.5 times more likely to die from car accidents then from accidents involving guns." [xiv] Despite all the irrational fears of the gun-control advocates, none of the predictions that they forecasted has come true.

Most people who have CHL’s are extremely law-abiding citizens.  I see a greater threat from criminals who have no care for the life of others.  Without a CHL for protection, they would be able to rob, or kill me without any second thoughts.  John Lott’s study proves that citizens with concealed handgun licenses are safer than those without.  Most mass shootings happen in ‘gun free’ zones because criminals do not feel threatened where guns are not allowed.  I am willing to trust my fellow citizen with a concealed handgun license, are you?