# Why are those in favor of greater gun control opposed to concealed carry licenses? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 11, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757 "2012-12-11T22:11:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/1 "2012-12-11T22:11:48Z")
Concealed carry licenses are essentially a form of firearms registration. It also requires the applicant to more extensive background checks as well as submit to things like, in Texas anyway, not being able to drink at all while carrying. It seems kind of win-win to me. FWIW, Rob ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/2 "2012-12-11T22:37:40Z")
It comes down to “People shouldn’t be allowed to own guns at all and I certainly don’t like the idea that anyone but the police can carry one.” Which is not a philosophy to which I ascribe. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/3 "2012-12-11T22:40:04Z")
I believe it more accurately comes down to “you have the right to own a gun but I have the right to know you have one”. I don’t necessarily ascribe to that position, but it’s certainly closer to what I’ve heard than what **Chimera** posits. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/4 "2012-12-11T22:53:41Z")
Because if you carry a hidden gun I can’t know to avoid you like I can if you have one openly. ---
**Author:** ![gatorslap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gatorslap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gatorslap)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/5 "2012-12-11T22:58:27Z")
Isn’t it the opposite? People who are _against_ gun control are opposed to concealed-carry licenses. They believe you should be able to conceal without a license. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/6 "2012-12-11T22:58:37Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Because if you carry a hidden gun I can’t know to avoid you like I can if you have one openly. I openly carry a loaded 9 mm whenever I go shopping. Would you avoid me if you saw me? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/7 "2012-12-11T23:05:57Z")
> [@gatorslap](#): > > Isn’t it the opposite? People who are _against_ gun control are opposed to concealed-carry licenses. They believe you should be able to conceal without a license. No, it’s not. The Brady Campaign, leading the fight for gun control for the last 30 years, is vehemently against concealed carry. Opposing it is very much a “gun control” position. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/8 "2012-12-11T23:10:54Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I openly carry a loaded 9 mm whenever I go shopping. Would you avoid me if you saw me? Just curious. I would. I also avoid cops & security guards. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/9 "2012-12-11T23:11:01Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I openly carry a loaded 9 mm whenever I go shopping. Would you avoid me if you saw me? Just curious. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![gatorslap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gatorslap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gatorslap)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/10 "2012-12-11T23:18:23Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > No, it’s not. The Brady Campaign, leading the fight for gun control for the last 30 years, is vehemently against concealed carry. Opposing it is very much a “gun control” position. I couldn’t find such a position on their website. All I saw was that they prefer “may-issue” over “shall-issue”. Not that they oppose concealed carry entirely. Their “scorecard” gives a state two points for “Not A CCW Shall Issue State”; it doesn’t give any points for banning CCW outright. Four states allow concealed carry without a permit. I think gun control advocates would prefer that a permit be required. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/11 "2012-12-11T23:25:33Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > I believe it more accurately comes down to “you have the right to own a gun but I have the right to know you have one”. > > I don’t necessarily ascribe to that position, but it’s certainly closer to what I’ve heard than what **Chimera** posits. ^This I want to know who’s packin’. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/12 "2012-12-11T23:54:14Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I openly carry a loaded 9 mm whenever I go shopping. Would you avoid me if you saw me? Just curious. How do you wear it - inside or outside your waistband? Inside your waistband is fine; out on you belt (or God forbid, strapped to your thigh) shouts “cowboy”, and can be cause for either concern or mockery. ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/13 "2012-12-11T23:56:31Z")
Why? [In response to etv78] I think there is a disconnect there. The people carrying (legally) aren’t likely to shoot you. I presume that the reason you want to know is not so you can figure out who you can intimidate. Rob ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/14 "2012-12-12T00:20:43Z")
> [@gatorslap](#): > > Isn’t it the opposite? People who are _against_ gun control are opposed to concealed-carry licenses. They believe you should be able to conceal without a license. Not that I’m aware of. Can you point me at a pro-gun cite showing opposition to carry conceal?? I’ve never heard anyone on that side of the debate make such a claim. The converse however is true…hell, you can see it in this thread. Folks who are anti-personal ownership of guns vehemently oppose carry conceal, though as the OP notes it’s sort of a silly position for them to take. I think mainly it’s ignorance…many anti-gun folks really have no idea what you have to go through to get such a license, how one maintains it, what constraints it imposes on someone who has it and who carries, etc etc. I think that’s the answer to the OP…ignorance and fear are why folks who oppose personal ownership of firearms also oppose carry conceal. They are ignorant of what it takes, and they are afraid their fellow citizens will gun them down like dogs in the street, being blissfully ignorant that many people (including yours truly here, though I don’t carry nor even own a firearm) do it every day, and they just don’t know about it. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/15 "2012-12-12T00:22:53Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > Why? [In response to etv78] > > I think there is a disconnect there. The people carrying (legally) aren’t likely to shoot you. They are much more likely to shoot me than someone who doesn’t have a gun. And I wouldn’t expect such a person to be pleasant, trustworthy or moral in general, given the general disdain for everyone and everything but guns I see from gun lovers. It’s like someone walking around with a Confederate flag tattoo; they probably aren’t someone I want to know. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/16 "2012-12-12T00:23:10Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > How do you wear it - inside or outside your waistband? Inside your waistband is fine; out on you belt (or God forbid, strapped to your thigh) shouts “cowboy”, and can be cause for either concern or mockery. What’s wrong with a holster that sits outside the waistband? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/17 "2012-12-12T00:26:27Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > They are much more likely to shoot me than someone who doesn’t have a gun. And I wouldn’t expect such a person to be pleasant, trustworthy or moral in general, given the general disdain for everyone and everything but guns I see from gun lovers. It’s like someone walking around with a Confederate flag tattoo; they probably aren’t someone I want to know. 😛 Too funny. Even leaving aside the usual over the top hyperbole and horseshit, it’s funny because it rather nicely underlines how bad people are at risk assessment. You are worried about some citizen carrying a gun, while probability wise you should be more worried about some citizen carrying a cell phone…since the citizen carrying the cell phone is orders of magnitude more likely to kill or injure you by smashing their car into you while texting or chatting on the phone than you are to be shot by someone with a carry conceal license either accidentally or on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![A\_nice\_guy\_with\_an\_opinion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@A\_nice\_guy\_with\_an\_opinion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_nice_guy_with_an_opinion)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/18 "2012-12-12T00:27:12Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > ^This I want to know who’s packin’. So do the criminals. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/19 "2012-12-12T00:27:41Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > What’s wrong with a holster that sits outside the waistband? It’s scary to some people. Remember too that Alessan is not an American, but from Israel…not that many Americans wouldn’t be equally freaked out by someone not a cop or in the military carrying around a gun openly. ---
**Author:** ![A\_nice\_guy\_with\_an\_opinion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@A\_nice\_guy\_with\_an\_opinion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_nice_guy_with_an_opinion)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757/20 "2012-12-12T00:28:56Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > What’s wrong with a holster that sits outside the waistband? It’s not concealed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-those-in-favor-of-greater-gun-control-opposed-to-concealed-carry-licenses/643757.md?page=2)