John Stossel has a great article up at RealClearPolitics titled “Guns Save Lives”.

Choice quote:
“Gun laws are laws against self-defense.
Criminals have the initiative. They choose the time, place and manner of their crimes, and they tend to make choices that maximize their own, not their victims', success. So criminals don't attack people they know are armed, and anyone thinking of committing mass murder is likely to be attracted to a gun-free zone, such as schools and malls.”

California is considered a “May Issue” state. This means it’s up to the discretion of the local police chief or county sheriff for a normal* citizen to get a CCW. San Diego is one of the places where this is a rarity. Of the four items that CA law requires for a permit, item #2 “That good cause exists for the issuance” is the stickler. “Good cause” can mean whatever the local constabulary wants it to. Our current chief finds very few instances of “good cause”. But there is good news. From what I understand our county Sheriff, Bill Kolender is retiring, which means that sometime soon, we may get someone who is aware of the value of an armed citizenry, and allows permits on more of a “shall issue” basis. As this is an elected office, we’ll stay on top of who is running in hopes of getting a Sheriff who supports the Constitution.

*By normal citizen I mean a non-celebrity or someone not of the “political elite”.

When the topic involves guns, most politicians love to strike fear into the electorate and then promise a resolution (usually involving another law) that never seems to get the job done. We hear time and time again about how criminals obtain guns via the “evil gun show loophole” and if we don’t stop it countless children will be killed…

Click here for a Youtube video of the criminals preferred method, theft.

Now imagine what one citizen with a CCW could have done.