According to a Detroit Free Press story published Sunday, Michigan now has more than 155,000 residents (about one in 65) legally licensed to carry a loaded firearm. That’s a six-fold increase since the state’s concealed carry law took effect. Most of us remember how nanny-state supporters objected to the law, assuring us that giving people more freedom to exercise their Second Amendment rights would “obviously” produce a flood of violence. Hundreds more people, they predicted, would die in shootouts on highways, city streets and businesses.

Instead, the opposite occurred. As permits have gone up, shootings have gone down and so has violent crime. In fact, the FBI reported Tuesday that violent crime in Detroit fell a surprising 12 percent in the first sixth months of 2007. This came despite a terrible economy that caused one university criminologist to anticipate a crime increase.

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Here's a little thought exercise. We allow the Police to carry openly and concealed (and encourage them to do so) because... they are screened, trained in the rules of deadly force, and qualify with their weapons. Right? In a properly implemented concealed carry program... so are the citizens. There is one significant difference right off the top of my head - the rookie cop gets supervised for his first few months to a year, depending on jurisdictions. For the record, I don't have a permit, currently don't plan on getting one (though SWWBO is talking about it for herself) and don't feel the need to carry, because I have the luxury of living in a generally safe place, and no need or interest to go to those places where carrying might be wise, and can generally handle a physical encounter. Your mileage may vary, but I don't live in a Hobbesian world.