Arkansas gun legislation

I blogged recently about the Memphis Commercial Appeal putting the names of all Tennessee concealed carry gun permit holders on its web site in a searchable database form.

The editor of a small Arkansas newspaper recently published the names of the Arkansas permit holders in his paper.

Those of us who have an interest in the Second Amendment and the individual's right to privacy took offense. Publishing the names of permit-holders strikes us as an act of public intimidation by those who seem to think that responsible, legal gun owners are a threat to their safety.

Any reality-based survey of the issue of gun violence will conclude it's the unlicensed gun-carrying criminals who are the problem, not citizens who follow the law and obtain a permit.

The Arkansas Legislature has before it four significant pieces of gun legislation, one of which declares gun permit records along with medical and adoption records, grand jury minutes and other such sensitive information to be outside the realm of public access.

As a journalist, I've always been concerned about any law that restricts the free flow of government-held information, but in this case I think permit-holders' privacy trumps any presumed public right to know.

Also before the Legislature is an open carry law that makes it legal for anyone who can lawfully possess a handgun to carry it openly. You'll still need a concealed carry permit if you want to carry it in a purse or under a jacket, but not so if it's in plain view. A holster in plain view also qualifies.

And there is legislation pending called the "Castle" law that essentially affirms that a man's home is his castle and he is justified in using deadly force against anyone who forces their way into the home for the presumed purpose of committing a felony. You don't have to fear for your life, just believe that the perp wants to commit a felony.

And lastly, there is a bill that guarantees that your gun(s) won't be confiscated by civil authorities in the event of a disaster, as was the case by many people who sought to defend themselves in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana.

All of this, as you might suppose, makes me a little happier to live in Arkansas.