Illinois may stand alone on concealed-carry law

• Reprints

Updated: October 28, 2011 11:11AM

In a Wild West town where women and children are not safe to walk the streets, one man refuses to carry a gun.

Is he Jimmy Stewart in “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” the idealistic young attorney who believes in the rule of law, or just a coward unwilling to stand up to bullies to protect his rights?

Illinois will soon be that last man standing.

On Tuesday, the Wisconsin Legislature passed a concealed-carry bill, making it the 49th state to allow its citizens to legally carry loaded guns in their cars, under suit coats or in their purses. The governor must sign the bill to make it law, but he has announced he will do so.

An effort to pass similar legislation this spring failed in the Illinois House after Gov. Pat Quinn announced he would veto the bill and lobbied representatives to kill it.

So are we the last state willing to stand by its conviction that in a civilized society men and women should have no need to protect themselves with guns?

Or is Illinois just too timid to stand up to the gangbangers, the common street criminals and the crazies, who don’t need a concealed-carry law to pack a gun?

Stewart’s character in the movie ultimately found it necessary to pick up a handgun and have a showdown in the street with Liberty Valance, the symbol of all that is wicked and evil.

Fortunately, John Wayne’s character in the film, standing in a nearby alley, kills Valance in cold blood before Valance can kill Stewart.

It turns out that before you can have laws and courts and a justice system that works, you have to resort to violence.

Stewart’s character, considered a bookworm and a nerd before the gunfight, is mistakenly hailed as a hero for killing Valance and gets elected to the U.S. Senate. He could be a poster boy for concealed carry today.

In previous columns, I have explained why I favor concealed carry.

A person facing a real threat to their lives or those of their loved ones cannot always depend on the police to protect them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

That’s not to say carrying a weapon would save their lives. But at least it would give them a chance.

On the other hand, I’m dismayed and disappointed at the number of people in America today who feel their lives constantly are in danger — even if no direct threat has been made against them individually.

The main argument for concealed carry really seems to be that any man or woman walking down a street, or driving their car, could be attacked at any moment.

They have not only a constitutional right to carry a gun, the argument goes, but an obligation to do so to protect their families and their property. It is the only way to keep America safe for the decent folk.

The criminal element, which has no respect for the law, will turn tail and run at the sight of a gun.

Even the thought that civilians are packing is enough to make the average criminal think twice about committing a crime, the concealed-carry crowd contends.

I doubt addicts needing money for a fix think that logically.

As for gang members, the fact that rival gangsters frequently carry guns never seems to deter them from making war on each other.

Would a rapist actually think twice about attacking a woman if concealed carry were the law? That could happen. But aren’t most rapists friends or relatives of the women they attack?

Maybe every person really does need a gun to keep the streets safe.

But if there are so many evil people walking around, if our neighbors cannot be trusted, if our police, courts and jails are inadequate, isn’t there something really wrong with this country?

Shouldn’t we be talking about that more and about concealed carry less?

It surprises me that more people don’t seem outraged by this turn of events.

Yes, carrying a gun may someday save your life. But more guns will not make this country a better place to live.

I realize this argument has already been rejected in 49 out of 50 states. Illinois stands alone. But eventually, like the reluctant Jimmy Stewart, it too will pick up the gun.

Clarification: Chicago Heights Mayor David Gonzalez, a certified public accountant, called to say that the Cook County treasurer’s report on local government debt contains some wrong information.

“We’re listed as a negative 1,477 percent in the percentage of our pension fund that is funded, and that obviously is wrong. It appears we sent them some wrong data, and they plugged it in,” Gonzalez said.

“But we weren’t the only ones. There are several negative percentage numbers, and they should know there is something wrong with the reporting when that happens.

“Our pensions are actually funded at 64 percent. If the treasurer is going to put these numbers out there, they need to be checked for accuracy.”