Concealed-carry law would save lives

In the news we have seen much carnage of late. The Tinley Park/ Lane Bryant execution-style murders and the equally heinous act of a loser who chose to burst into a hall at Northern Illinois University and fire over 60 rounds of ammunition, from multiple firearms, into the crowded hall, hitting several and killing five. Both of these individuals were obviously mentally ill.

Albert Einstein once said that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over, while expecting a different outcome. This is very fitting. There are currently over 23,000 gun laws on the books intended to protect us from the criminal use of firearms. Yet not a single one of those laws has ever fulfilled its promise of public safety, nor will the next gun law. One more gun law, even a total ban on guns, is tantamount to placing a sign in front of a trailer park that says "This is a tornado free zone". Tornadoes, just like the criminally insane, seldom follow direction.

There is one thing the state of Illinois has not tried. Allowing the law- abiding citizens of this state to defend themselves, just like 48 other states have entrusted their citizens to do. Maybe lawful concealed-carry could lesson the possibility of these things occurring, or at least reduce the carnage.

Both of these insane animals choose their targets for the same reason. They knew that no matter how fast the police response may be, they would still have enough time to carry out their mission. Lawful concealed-carry may have saved lives in both instances, and if just one life could have been saved, isn't it worth a try?

After all, we know exactly what doesn't work.

Dan Hendrickson

Roselle