The state of Maryland is a liberal mess. The extremely liberal and heavily populated subdivisions of Baltimore City and those surrounding Washington DC dictate the politics of the entire state. Most of the subdivisions are conservative and vote Republican but the heavily populated few decide the elections.
The state has a Democrat for its governor and a big Democrat majority in the state legislature so nearly all legislation is liberal. When it comes to firearm possession, this is certainly the case.
The Second Amendment states that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed but in Maryland the process certainly infringes upon the law abiding citizen. People must go through background checks to purchase firearms, no problem there. We need to ensure criminals are not buying weapons. Those applying to buy a regulated firearm must also show proof of a gun safety class approved by the state (this is waived for certain classes of people like veterans of the armed forces). While it is not impossible to purchase a firearm, it is nearly impossible to get a permit to carry one. The governor of the state claims we have a process, which we do, but it is extremely restrictive. Unless one is politically connected one must have a reason to carry a weapon and that reason has to be deemed good enough by the State Police.
If a person carries large sums of money (like making bank deposits) or carries other valuables (such as jewels) or has documented threats then the police will decide if a person may carry a firearm. One must have a good reason before they will even consider it and if the permit is granted it usually comes with restrictions such as “may only carry when making bank deposits.”
Anyone who is not politically connected who applies for a permit to carry and does not have a “valid” reason will be denied. As a proponent of the Second Amendment I believe that clearly defined right is a good enough reason to issue a carry permit to a law abiding citizen.
But Maryland is not too keen on people exercising their rights.
One other group of people who can get a permit to carry is retired police officers. Once they retire they can apply for a permit and it is usually granted. The process is a mere formality.
What makes a retired cop or politically connected person or those who carry valuables any more worthy of a permit than any other law abiding citizen?
In Pimlico, the place most of America knows because of the Preakness (and where my family grew up and I spent the first 10 years of my life) a retired police officer was at a carry-out establishment when a would be robber tried to hold the place up. The retired officer drew his weapon and fired striking the robber and ending his ability to continue his illegal act.
If that retired officer had not been there it is unlikely, given Maryland’s restrictive gun law, that any other patron would have been armed. The robber would have been successful and might have injured or killed someone in the process.
In fact, if Maryland had a less restrictive (and Constitutional) carry law it is unlikely that the robber would have attempted to rob the carry-out in the first place. People who commit crimes do not do so in places where people are armed or are likely to be armed. If, on the other hand, they know that people are not likely to be in possession of firearms they will be less inhibited in what laws they break.
The nanny state of Maryland, a bastion of liberal stupidity, places people in danger because criminals have firearms because they do not obey the law. Places with oppressive gun laws have an armed criminal population.
This is why there are so many shootings in Baltimore. Despite the gun control exercised by the state, criminals get and use guns. And since the liberals in the state keep putting them back on the street, they continue to commit violent crimes.
It is time for Maryland to become a “shall issue” state where law abiding citizens shall be issued a permit if requested.
Remember, an armed citizenry is a polite citizenry and a disarmed population is enslaved to government.
Cave Canem!
Never surrender, never submit.
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