Well, congratulations! With the help of our local legislators, Sen. Penry Gustafson and Rep. Brandon Newton, South Carolina has a new open carry law. Citizens 18 and older can openly carry handguns in the state without a permit. Welcome to the Wild West in S.C.
Both legislators stated that they listened to law enforcement concerns and supported a bill to keep South Carolinians safe.
The sheriff’s association remained neutral and the state police chief’s association was not in favor of this bill. Apparently, since neither association supported the bill, our legislators may have listened, but that was all.
And I don’t feel any safer. An 18-year-old carrying a pistol?
Gustafson said her constituents “overwhelmingly support this bill.” If her constituents were so supportive, why did they not get a permit as allowed by law, rather than wait for passage of this bill? Could it be that they would not qualify for a permit? Felons, abusers, drug users, alcoholics?
It doesn’t really matter now. Anyone can get a gun these days without going through the hassle of an application and a background check, thanks to the lack of support by those same Republican legislators for stricter gun laws. And now they can openly carry that gun in public.
The following comment by Newton and Gustafson was the most amusing. This new law restores gun owner’s constitutional rights by not requiring a “permission slip” (permit) from the government to carry a gun.
If the carrier wants to go into the woods and kill a squirrel or rabbit with that gun, they need a permit. While driving, the handgun does not have to be in a secure location in the car, as long as the driver has a permit to drive. Catch my drift?
We have all seen the stories about road rage and then gun shots. These are seemingly good people with guns losing their temper and self-control, pulling their guns and the innocent dying. Now, that rage can happen anywhere.
Imagine being in a store, you accidentally run your shopping cart into another’s and apologize. But an apology is not good enough. The next thing you hear is a gun shot and the following announcement over the store’s PA system, “Clean up in aisle 4.”
We can laugh, but trust me. Something of this nature will happen, due to this very stupid law. Be very careful around whomever you piss off.
S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson said, “Not only will this (new law) protect the Second Amendment … it helps law enforcement and prosecutors crack down on criminals possessing firearms illegally.”
First, the Second Amendment has never been threatened. Besides, if strictly interpreted, the Second Amendment references a well-regulated militia in reference to guns.
Finally, how does this law help law enforcement crack down on criminals possessing illegal firearms? Let me ask you. If you saw two men walking down the street, dressed similarly, and both were carrying pistols, could you possibly tell if one or both were criminals? No. Even with a cop on the street, if they are not breaking any laws, the cop should just let them walk.
Well, after finishing this op-ed, I believe I’ll grab my rod and reel and go fishing. Since, I am a senior, I can fish for free. But first, I must still go online and apply for a permit.
William St. Louis is a Lancaster County resident.
