The following is a one-sided look at Texas CCW.

Please note the opening statement: “… what Handgun Control has been saying all along… (CCW) is a dangerous threat to public safety in the state.”

This means that they’ve developed they’re views without consideration to empirical data. Either HCI is staffed by clairvoyants… or they’re just obstinate in refusing anyone — even licensed upright citizens — the “privilege” of self-defense.

BTW… Texas Constitution Article One Section 23 affords every citizen the “Right” to keep and possess weapons for self-defense, or defense of the State.

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Sarah Brady Statement on Texas Concealed Handgun Law 132
U.S. Newswire
9 Aug 16:35
Sarah Brady Statement on Texas Concealed Handgun Law
To: National Desk
Contact: Handgun Control Inc.,
http://www.handguncontrol.org.

WASHINGTON, August 9 /U.S. Newswire/ — The following statement
by Sarah Brady was released today by Handgun Control Inc.:

“The new study released today by the Violence Policy Center
confirms what Handgun Control has been saying all along: the Texas
carrying concealed weapons (CCW) statute — enthusiastically signed
into law in 1995 by Governor George W. Bush — is not a crime
deterrent, but a dangerous threat to public safety in the state.

“The study, ‘License to Kill III: The Texas Concealed Handgun
Law’s Legacy of Crime and Violence,’ documents the dark side of the
Texas’ carrying concealed weapons law, showing very clearly that
permit holders aren’t stopping crime, they’re committing them. In
fact, the study — which used data from the Texas Department of
Public Safety (DPS) — reports that Texas concealed handgun license
holders were arrested for a total of 3,370 crimes between January
1, 1996 and April 30, 2000, including very serious violent crimes
like murder, rape, sexual assault, and weapons-related crimes.
Specifically, the analysis of the Texas data reveals that, between
1996 to 1999, Texas CCW permit holders were arrested for
weapon-related offense at a rate of 66 percent higher than that of
the general population of Texas.

“Despite Governor Bush’s contention in a letter from his
campaign that says, ‘I believe this legislation is helping make
Texas a safer place to live,’ Texas concealed handgun licensees
have been arrested for more than two crimes a day since the law
into effect. And every month Texas concealed handgun license
holders have been arrested for two serious crimes including,
murder/attempted murder, manslaughter/negligent homicide,
kidnapping, rape and sexual assault.

“This should cause great concern for everyone in states that
don’t have Texas-style gun laws, like Ohio, Missouri, Michigan,
Illinois, New Jersey, California and Wisconsin. In a July 28,
2000, article in The Wall Street Journal, James Jay Baker,
Executive Director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute
for Legislative Action, indicated that if Governor Bush is elected
President, the group ‘…might seek a national concealed-weapons
law similar to the one Mr. Bush signed in Texas.’

“Governor Bush signed the NRA-backed carrying concealed handguns
law in 1995 making it legal to carry hidden handguns in public for
the first time in 125 years. In 1997, he further weakened the law
– at the behest of the NRA — to allow concealed handguns to be
carried in churches, hospitals, nursing homes and amusement parks.
The 1997 change also allowed people from other states to carry
their hidden handguns in Texas.

“George Bush says if you want to know what he’ll do as
President, take a look at his record in Texas. The Violence Policy
Center did, and found that the very same carrying concealed weapon
law signed by Governor Bush is the very same law that is not only
arming so-called law-abiding citizens, it’s arming criminals too.”

——
Handgun Control, chaired by Sarah Brady, was founded in 1974 by
Dr. Mark Borinsky and N.T. “Pete” Shields, two victims of gun
violence. Based in Washington, D.C., HCI works with law
enforcement, public health, religious, and community groups across
the country to strengthen and protect federal, state and local gun
control laws, but does not seek to ban all guns. HCI has more than
400,000 members nationwide, making it the nation’s largest
citizens’ gun control lobbying organization. More information about
HCI and its sister organization, the Center to Prevent Handgun
Violence, can be found on our website at
http://www.handguncontrol.org.

KEYWORDS:
BRADY STATEMENT GUNS/FIREARMS TEXAS

-0-
/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
08/09 16:35

Copyright 2000, U.S. Newswire