Shocker: GeorgiaCarry.Org Makes Stuff Up
Citing studies by researchers in other states whose work is highly controversial at best, GeorgiaCarry.org maintains that concealed-carry permit holders are remarkably law-abiding and that more guns equals less crime.
Of course, Georgia law enforcement says otherwise:
“A blind person can get a permit in Georgia, since all you have to do is pass a background check,” says Bankhead. “And that person can be arrested the very next week for a felony, convicted of that felony the next month and still have that permit for the next five years.”
Before the GOP leadership expands the places in civilized society where guns can be carried secretly, lawmakers ought to find out whether sufficient safeguards are in place to protect the public. The state should be monitoring whether permit holders abide by the law and whether their permits are revoked when they don’t.
One relatively easy way to answer that question would be to compare a list of convicted felons against a list of Georgians licensed to carry a concealed weapon. Unfortunately, the General Assembly made that impossible by sealing the list of permit holders from public view, making it impossible to refute claims that all permit holders are law-abiding.
However, we do have some idea what such a comparison might reveal. In 2007, an analysis by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel found more than 1,400 Floridians holding concealed weapon licenses in the first half of 2006 who had previously pleaded guilty or no contest to assaults, burglaries, sexual battery, drug possession, child molestation and murder. Alarmed by that data, Florida legislators quickly made such information off limits to public view.
Unlike most states, Georgia doesn’t require firearms training to obtain a concealed-carry permit, which is issued by the local probate court judge after applicants undergo criminal background checks. The license is valid for five years; however, it’s supposed to be revoked if the carrier is convicted of a felony.
Under state law, however, there’s no way to enforce that provision. When police arrest someone for an offense that makes them ineligible to carry a concealed firearm, officers don’t have to alert the county that issued the permit. That’s because Georgia has no central database where an officer can check easily on whether a permit exists, says Bankhead.
Your an ass clown
Comment by Ken Forbus — October 8, 2008 @ 3:42 am
So, are you going to cite any real research (”real” meaning peer-reviewed or scholarly) or is this all going to be secondhand from newspaper reporters whose primary goal in writing a story is NOT fact, but selling papers?
Oh, wait, forgot. Logic, facts, and real research don’t work when your argument is driven by irrational emotion.
Comment by Jake — October 8, 2008 @ 6:44 am
What a bunch of crock. At least you could have done some actual research int Georgia’s gun laws to find out the truth instead of reporting biased false information.
Comment by Mafuta54 — October 8, 2008 @ 6:53 am
Feel free to watch the current legislature. What the Atlanta Journal Constitution fails to mention is the current committee which is examining Georgia gun laws is looking at all laws relative to carrying a concealed weapon. This includes the licensing procedure as well as who will issue the license in the future.
And I hate to be rude, but GeorgiaCarry.org referencing valid studies by John Lott and crime statistics published in Texas because those are readily available is making stuff up, yet using crime data from the U.K. is valid when arguing guns are horrible? Seems a bit of a double standard to me.
Comment by Brooks Garrett — October 8, 2008 @ 8:11 am
Yes, the Sun-Sentinel (not the most politically neutral newspaper in America — but then almost all newspapers are left wing rags anyway so this is no surprise) found that 1400 or so people held licenses in the fist half of 2006. The thing they and you don’t tell your readers is that a) that’s 1400 out of over 500,000 such licenses that have been issued; and b) just because they have the physical license does not make it valid for carrying a weapon. If they are picked up with it the cops are going to confiscate it. Just because you have the physical license doesn’t make it valid. Carry with it revoked and you are going to be in serious molassas in both states — and the cops are going to figure it out eventually.
Just another left-wing anti-gun rant based on knee-jerk emotional discharge rather than facts.
Comment by John Steele — October 8, 2008 @ 8:50 am
You need to check your facts some. If you commit a felony your GFL is no longer valid no matter what the date on it is. Also law enforcment absolutely can check on the validity of your permit. Just more anti-gun rhetoric here. So GCO makes things up huh?? BTW the reason that GFL permit holders and most other states limit access to permit information is so liberal rags like AJC and other newspapers don’t print them for all folks to see. none of your business if I am carrying. It’s legal and thats that. WE are the GOOD guys. It’s criminals you need to worry about.
Comment by MAS — October 8, 2008 @ 12:47 pm
So, no comments huh?? It would be really nice if you actually published the comments left for you, even if they do not agree with your stand on the subject.
U.S. Army Firefighter
Comment by William Davis — October 8, 2008 @ 3:01 pm