5 Reasons Why Constitutional / Permitless Carry is Okay…

2:35 PM EST on February 28, 2019

Governor Kevin Stitt can officially mark one pandering campaign promise off his hit list!

Yesterday afternoon, he eagerly signed HB 2597 like it was a widow's foreclosure notice. Known as either "Constitutional Carry" or "Permitless Carry"– it depends on your political leanings – the law will allow just about any mind-warped patriot to freely and proudly carry dangerous, man-killing weapons in public.

Here are the details via NewsOK.com:

Just hours after final legislative approval was granted, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill Wednesday that will allow Oklahoma residents to carry a firearm in public with no training or license.
House Bill 2597, the so-called Constitutional Carry bill, advanced out of the Senate on Wednesday afternoon by a 40-6 vote. With Stitt's signature, the law takes effect Nov. 1...
The bill allows people age 21 and older — and military service members and veterans age 18 years and older — to carry guns either concealed or unconcealed with no permit or training. As under current law, felons and those adjudicated to be mentally ill will not be allowed to carry firearms.

Although this is a contrived "looking for a solution where there isn't a problem" type of law that panders to one base so it can gloat to the other, the law doesn't really bother me. You want permitless carry? Go for it. Have fun. Knowing that someone doesn't have to play the security theatre game and pass an easy test to carry a firearm doesn't make me feel any more or any less safe. Do you really think we're now going to see a rush of untrained, gun-illiterate yahoos rushing to H&H just so they can carry an AR 15 on their back?

If you believe what my state representative had to say, the answer to that question is "Yes."

It may not make Oklahoma a Top 10 state, but it does help solidify our status as Top 10 destination for gun nuts, militiamen and confederate sympathizers who are prepping for the next American Civil War. Is that a negative statistic?

Anyway, I can understand why the liberal folks, especially party-loyal Democrats like Cyndi Munson, are against the law. As I mentioned, it doesn't really solve any problems, and in a partisan sense, it's an easy win for the Republicans.

That being said, I still think they're overreacting, and playing into the GOPs hands by getting mad about it. This law isn't that bad. To make those folks in the liberal Oklahoma echo chamber feel better, here are 5 Reasons Why Constitutional / Permitless Carry is Okay...

1. Less Government Regulation and Bureaucracy

Back in 2018, Hayley wrote about her experience taking a concealed carry class. For the most part, it basically seemed like a waste of $70 and a Saturday. Considering 99% of law abiding people who want to carry a gun without a permit would likely pass the class anyway, why even have it? It's just an unnecessary regulation to make you feel safe.

2. It will make life easier for policemen

Although law enforcement groups are against the bill, I think it will make life easier for policemen. For example, in the past, if they saw someone running with a gun while carrying a bag of cash, they had to assume the person was a dangerous criminal who just robbed a bank. Now they can just assume it's a law-abiding citizen who's trying to get to the bank before it closes, and let them move along with their day.

3. Now the blind can more easily carry firearms

Earlier this year, State Rep. Andy Fugate shared this Facebook status in opposition to a bill. I guess a blind student asked if she could carry a gun in public when she was 21 and...

I did what Fugate suggested and thought about it for a moment. Good for the girl! Blind folks have rights, too, and as Sandra Bullock taught us in Bird Box, you don't have to be able to see to have good aim.

4. Mary Fallin vetoed the law

A very similar bill sailed through the Oklahoma House and Senate, only to be vetoed by Mary Fallin. Has she ever done anything right? Maybe the law isn't so bad after all.