Marylanders,
We need all who can spare a moment to email their state senator and district delegates and urge them to support this legislation, which would broaden the availability of concealed carry to the general citizenship (currently you have to prove that you carry large sums of money in your job or have received a recent death threat in order to receive a CCW permit).
Anyone who opts to contact their delegates can find their email addresses under Marylandshallissue.org - select the "Current Action" link at the top of the homepage, then scroll down the "Find Your Legislators" bar on the right of the screen.
Here's a draft of the email I sent to my delegates, feel free to copy/paste if you'd like:
Delegate (Person),
I’m writing to request your support for HB1211, the Citizens' Protection Act of 2005. This act would allow law-abiding Maryland citizens to apply for permits to defend themselves with concealed weapons, an option that is severely limited under current legislation.
Maryland has the highest armed robbery rate of any state in the country, and is near the top in other violent crimes such as murder. Passing this legislation would provide citizens with the option of defending themselves against the threat of criminal violence and theft. Over 30 other states have enacted legislation allowing law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons, and nearly all of these states have experienced a drop in violent crime. A coincidence? Possibly – but the type of coincidence we’d love to see occur in our own state.
Maryland is currently a safe haven for criminals who wish to commit violent crime against innocent citizens, due in part to the restrictions that have prevented law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves. I believe that reforming the concealed carry law would result in significant near-term benefits to citizen safety and security.
I respectfully request your support for HB1211, to help make our communities safer and eliminate the advantage that current legislation has offered to criminals over law-abiding free citizens of Maryland.
Sincerely,
(my name, address, and telephone number)
We need all who can spare a moment to email their state senator and district delegates and urge them to support this legislation, which would broaden the availability of concealed carry to the general citizenship (currently you have to prove that you carry large sums of money in your job or have received a recent death threat in order to receive a CCW permit).
Anyone who opts to contact their delegates can find their email addresses under Marylandshallissue.org - select the "Current Action" link at the top of the homepage, then scroll down the "Find Your Legislators" bar on the right of the screen.
Here's a draft of the email I sent to my delegates, feel free to copy/paste if you'd like:
Delegate (Person),
I’m writing to request your support for HB1211, the Citizens' Protection Act of 2005. This act would allow law-abiding Maryland citizens to apply for permits to defend themselves with concealed weapons, an option that is severely limited under current legislation.
Maryland has the highest armed robbery rate of any state in the country, and is near the top in other violent crimes such as murder. Passing this legislation would provide citizens with the option of defending themselves against the threat of criminal violence and theft. Over 30 other states have enacted legislation allowing law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons, and nearly all of these states have experienced a drop in violent crime. A coincidence? Possibly – but the type of coincidence we’d love to see occur in our own state.
Maryland is currently a safe haven for criminals who wish to commit violent crime against innocent citizens, due in part to the restrictions that have prevented law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves. I believe that reforming the concealed carry law would result in significant near-term benefits to citizen safety and security.
I respectfully request your support for HB1211, to help make our communities safer and eliminate the advantage that current legislation has offered to criminals over law-abiding free citizens of Maryland.
Sincerely,
(my name, address, and telephone number)