Reply #41: The premise of the VPC's "study" is simply incoherent

[Euromutt]

It would be one thing if the VPC limited itself to demonstrating that less than 100% of CCW permit holders refrain from violating the trust placed in them by society; their examples do support that assertion. Then again, since this also applies to other groups in whom society places its trust--such as doctors, law enforcement officers, elected officials and representatives, accountants, and of course licensed drivers--this is hardly a revelation.

So the VPC has to go one further by claiming that issuing CCW permits actually makes it possible for permit holders to commit homicides they would otherwise not have been able to. But the VPC then includes cases that are irrelevant to that latter premise, such as CCW permit holders committing homicides in places where their permits were not valid (Aubrey BERRY, who committed a homicide in California, where his Georgia Firearms License was not valid), in locations where they wouldn't have needed a CCW permit to possess a firearm (every homicide that occurred in the permit holder's home), and permit holders who didn't use a concealable firearm to commit the homicide (Tony VILLEGAS, who killed a friend of his estranged wife by strangling her).

There are cases counted in which the CCW permit holder did not directly shoot anyone (David NESBITT, whose son shot himself with a loaded gun he'd found in a closet), who only shot themselves (Marc KIDBY), or indeed, did not possess a CCW permit at all (Richard TAUCH, who possessed a California "Security Guard Firearm Permit," which only permits open carry while in uniform).

And, as you rightly point out, any shootings that were premeditated should be excluded, since in such a situation, the shooter didn't just happen to be carrying when, absent a permit, he would not have; after all, when you're already intent upon committing first-degree murder (possibly several instances), it's not like you're going to be deterred by having "illegal possession of a firearm" added to the charges.