American states one after another are lifting restrictions on carrying weapons
Several days ago, the General Assembly (highest legislative body) of the state of Virginia approved a law allowing people to appear with unloaded weapons in bars, restaurants, and other public places. At the same time, legislators repealed a 17-year-old provision that prohibited local residents from buying more than one pistol per month. This was preceded by a decision by the authorities of another state – Indiana to allow parking of cars with hidden guns in private company parking lots (provided that the weapons belong to employees of those companies).
And on the eve in Montana and Tennessee – for the first time in US history – legislative acts were passed that allowed regulating the sale of weapons without regard to federal law. These days, similar innovations are being considered by the general assemblies of three more states. But Arizona and Wyoming have gone even further. There, for example, for the second week now, the possibility is being discussed of allowing residents of these states to carry unloaded pistols even without having an official permit to purchase them.
“We did not expect such a turn of events. On the contrary, we hoped for further progress in adopting legislative measures to strengthen bans on the storage and carrying of weapons,” commented Paul Helmke, president of the public organization “Center for the Prevention of Gun Violence.” “Unfortunately, the regression came not today, but yesterday.”
Helmke was referring to a law passed by Congress and approved by Barack Obama soon after his arrival at the White House. This legal act allowed citizens to carry unloaded weapons when visiting parks, as well as to store pistols in their luggage during long-distance train trips.
Opponents of Helmke and his supporters have repeatedly stated that this law would raise a new wave in defense of the Second Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees the people's right to keep and bear arms. This is confirmed by FBI statistics, according to which in 2009 US citizens purchased 14 million pistols and rifles for personal use, which is 12.7% more than in 2008.
Boris VINOKUR.
Novye Izvestia