Arkansas Petition For Open Carry Of Handguns


cmclairday2

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ATTENTION!! This can be signed by Arkansas Residents and Business Owners Only - MUST HAVE A ARKANSAS ZIP CODE - Thanks to everyone else who supports us!...and, please check the box which allows the author to view your e-mail address. This will allow me to send periodic updates by way of Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) emails. .... I have realized there is a typo in my petition (Bebee/Beebe) and have contacted www.PetitionOnline.com - Free Online Petition Hosting asking their approval to correct this mistake. Thank you for your support. Together we can make a difference.

To: Arkansas Legislature and Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe

This petition seeks the restoration of open carry rights in Arkansas.

We hold that any citizen who may lawfully own a handgun should be restored their right to carry that holstered handgun openly in public, throughout the State of Arkansas, except for those few unique places where the Legislature has decided to ban gun carry generally.

The following facts are not in dispute:

1. Arkansas is one of only 6 states banning open carry. Most states do not even require a license to open carry.

2. Self-defense is a basic human right and the handgun is “the quintessential self-defense weapon.” District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. ___, ___, slip op. at 57 (2008).

3. The Constitution of the United States, and presumably that of Arkansas, guarantees the right of individuals to “carry” arms, Id. at 10, but not to carry “concealed” arms. Id. at 54. Therefore, it does not take a law degree to figure out that only open carry is constitutionally protected.

4. Criminals are not deterred by rules, regulations, or statutes forbidding the possession of weapons. A man bent on mass murder will not be stopped by a law forbidding him to have a gun, but a law abiding citizen will be deterred from carrying a gun which might save lives.

5. It is well known that the requirement to conceal a normal sized handgun can be difficult, especially in Arkansas with our extreme heat and humidity, since a person will usually have to wear a jacket to properly conceal a handgun and to avoid "printing.”

6. Under some circumstances, the requirement to conceal a handgun can make it difficult to draw the weapon should the life of the carrier or the life of someone else be in danger.

7. Open carry has and will deter crime, as well as providing a valuable option even for citizens who prefer to normally carry concealed.

8. A recent FBI study concludes that criminals do not open carry handguns and “eschew holsters” because they do not want to draw attention to themselves. Anthony Pinizzotto, et al., Violent Encounters: A Study of Felonious Assaults on Our Nation's Law Enforcement Officers, FBI (2006) (finding that violent criminals carefully "conceal" their guns and "eschew holsters"), summary available at Link Removed.

For the foregoing reasons, we residents of the State of Arkansas affirm and assert that all citizens who may lawfully own a handgun be allowed to carry that holstered handgun openly in public throughout the State of Arkansas except for those specific places where the Legislature has decided to ban gun carry generally.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION

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There is now a petition going around that will go to Gov. Beebe to make Arkansas an open carry state. Here is the link to that petition: Arkansas Petition For Open Carry Of Handguns Petition
Channel 4 ran a story on this on their website: Open Carry Law in Arkansas?
 

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Update

This is an email I recieved last night:
Arkansas Carry Update 2-13-09

Arkansas Carry’s primary objective has been getting some press as of late. Open carry is the topic in which Donna Leinwand wrote this story for USA Today.

We also witnessed a large increase of petition signatures after an appearance by Rep. Mark Martin on The Dave Elswick Show on KARN News radio, where he discussed open carry. The petition was mentioned and benefited greatly. Upon the close of the segment Dave invited Mark back once the bill was introduced, Rep. Martin said that he would love to. I look for this show to boost signatures as well. The current count on the petition is 1398 after a record breaking month in January and what is shaping up to be another record breaking month for February.

Right now it looks like we’re about 2 or so weeks out from the release of the second draft of the open carry bill. A soon as I am at liberty to bring your more concrete info on this I will.

An amended version of Rep. Beverly Pyle’s bill, HR1237, allowing concealed handguns in churches has passed the House Judiciary Committee. This amendment removes a churches requirement to post the property as a prohibited area. The bill now goes to The Senate Judiciary Committee. You can also see how your representative voted on this measure here.

Rep. Barry Hyde’s bill, HB1215, has moved to The Senate Judiciary Committee upon its passage. This legislation includes a maximum penalty of 90 days incarceration and $10,000 fine. You can also see how your representative voted on this measure here.

Randy Stewart’s bill, HB1097, which concerns where a person is prohibited from carrying a concealed handgun, went before the House Judiciary Committee. We will have the latest on this as it develops.

Let’s not forget the national scene. We haven’t taken our eyes off HR45 either. Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 last saw action on 2-9-09 when it was referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. HR197 (National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2009) was also referred to the same committee on the same day.

Your legislators need to hear from you on all of these issues. It’s nice to see when your representative or senator views an issue as you do. But to ensure they hold that line they need to know they are being backed and supported by the people they represent. Voicing your opposition is equally important if not more so. If you have any questions about contacting your legislators drop by Arkansas Carry and we can get you headed in the right direction. Don’t forget to post comments on these news stories we bring you as well.

Concealed handgun licenses can now be obtained at The University of Arkansas Community at Hope. We have the full story at Arkansas Carry and/or you can contact the university for registration information. The course cost is $80. This excludes state imposed fees for licensing.
 

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