Opinion

Keep Second Amendment to its original purpose

Posted August 21, 2014 5:01 am

The title of your Aug. 11 story ("Illinois concealed carry process getting easier") ignores the most important fact contained in that story. Only 84,000 applications for concealed carry permits have been filed in the entire state of Illinois. The Illinois State Police had said they expected to process 300,000 to 400,000 applications in 2014. As recently as May 8 the Daily Herald reported that officials "expect about 300,000 applications to be filed this year."

But 84,000 people is fewer than 1 percent of the population of Illinois. That confirms what common sense tells us: 99 percent of people do not want to carry guns. The Illinois law that prohibited concealed carry reflected the overwhelming consensus of the people, but a federal court overturned the law so that a small group could indulge their "Dirty Harry" fantasies. There is no credible evidence that any significant number of crimes are prevented by civilians carrying guns, but innocent people have been killed or injured by vigilantes.

Retired Justice John Paul Stevens has predicted that the Second Amendment will eventually be amended by adding the words "while serving in the militia." That would return the Second Amendment to its original purpose.

Matt Flamm

Palatine

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