Self Defense vs. Self Preservation

Arizona recently came came close to passing a law ending the need for concealed carry permits.  I think most ‘2nd Amendment Absolutists’ would agree that this would be a step towards MORE freedom.  Just the word ‘permit’ is offensive to me.  I adhere to the licensing requirement because I am a law abiding citizen but resent it.  Having a supposed higher authority (govt.) decide whether or not to allow me to exercise my right to keep and bear arms inherently reduces that  right to the level of ‘privilege’.  Privileges can be revoked.

Which leads me to an article from azcentral.com interviewing a concealed carry instructor:

Daniel Furbee has made a living for years teaching people how to use guns to save their lives, but says that if an Arizona Legislature bill that allowed individuals to carry a concealed weapon without a permit passed, not only would it have ended his business, it could have ended the lives of some gun carriers.

Or cost them their freedom [emphasis mine], or livelihood, or all of the above.

How bass-ackwards is that? A quick look at OpenCarry.org’s website confirms that Arizona is a Gold Star state where residents and visitors can carry openly without a permit.  Are one group more likely than the other to commit offenses?  No.  Overwhelmingly, the same folks who choose to accept responsibility for their own safety, also accept the mantle of responsible firearm use.  Furbee continues:

“If that bill had passed it would have done it for this business and the others like it,” Furbee said. “People wouldn’t have needed a permit any more . . . and wouldn’t have needed us.”

Exactly.  Government forced patronage of businesses such as his isn’t a ‘need’; it’s a requirement.  A requirement for those who comply with the ‘permit’ process.

There is no reason to suspect that Mr. Furbee isn’t a competent instructor, he does advocate knowing the law, understanding the consequences for defensive use of a firearm (or even displaying it), training to increase competence with the tools of self-defense, etc.  However, in this case I think his concern is based more on his own financial welfare than anything else.