Wisconsin's Concealed Carry Law: It is Time for Anti-gunners to Stop Lying!

December 29, 2016

Since Wisconsin's concealed carry law went into effect, the chorus of criticism and misappropriate of blame from the usual suspects in the anti-gun crowd, including Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn and Anti-gun activist Jeri Bonavia, has been well reported on local and state-wide media.

The most recent example of concealed carry WORKING (Milwaukee man stops crime spree. Shoots armed robbers on 65h and Euclid) in Milwaukee lays bare the baseless attacks on Wisconsin's concealed carry law and exposes, once again, the truth about violent crime in Milwaukee which culpable local officials refuse to address.

If we want to solve Milwaukee's crime problem, we must first demand Milwaukee's "leaders" tell the truth. Concealed carry is working. Milwaukee's criminal justice system is not.

Lie #1: It's hard to create any kind of causal relationship between the law and what's happening because we aren't able to look specifically at the individuals who have been carrying concealed weapons, said Jeri Bonavia, executive director of the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort. When someone commits a murder, when a man shoots his wife and his kids, when shots are fired in road rage, is that person a concealed carry permit holder? We don't know, because the law prevents us from having that information. http://www.postcrescent.com/story/news/investigations/2016/11/23/law-obscures-impact-wisconsin-concealed-carry/94344080/

Fact: Every Milwaukee newspaper and TV outlet has, within 24 hours of the most recent citizen defending himself, reported the man has a concealed carry license. Ms. Bonavia claims "we don't know" when CCL holders shoot someone? (Apparently Ms. Bonavia doesn't watch the news or read the paper) Chief Flynn has echoed this criticism.

This is not unique to this incident. Every time a CCL holder is involved in any incident, it is widely reported, within hours, on all local media.

Lie #2: Wisconsin's CCL law is responsible for the increase in Milwaukee gun violence: "Since that law has passed, almost every single year, the number of crime guns seized by this department has gone up and the time-to-crime on our most frequently used weapons has decreased," Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said Wednesday.

http://archive.jsonline.com/news/crime/flynn-chisholm-tie-spike-in-gun-violence-to-concealed-carry-b99627378z1-360175551.html

Fact: It is illegal for convicted felons to own or possess weapons. The vast majority of crime in Milwaukee is committed by individuals who are already convicted felons, put back on the streets after little or no jail/prison time. In an attempt to shift blame away from the DA's office and satin-soft on crime judges in Milwaukee, Ed Flynn tries to obfuscate by suggesting CCL holders are committing violent crimes and murders. While state law doesn't allow the collection of aggregate data on CCL holders, it DOES allow Mr. Flynn to collect aggregate data on how many crimes in Milwaukee are committed by repeat felons, individuals who couldn't possibly hold a concealed carry license (nor legally own a weapon). Ed Flynn knows CCL holders aren't responsible for Milwaukee's crime wave. He just doesn't want you to know.

The Truth: Milwaukee treats law-abiding citizens like criminals, and treats criminals like victims. While blaming concealed carry laws and calling for universal background checks on the law-abiding, investigative reporting by a local television station reveals a shocking statistic. Three out of four previously convicted felons arrested for possession of a gun by a felon (itself a felony) by police in Milwaukee County do not go to prison. In over 1/3rd of the cases the Milwaukee DA's office doesn't even file charges. In hundreds of other cases, charges are filed, and then dismissed. When a conviction does occur, 20% of the time the sentence is less than 1 year in jail. 75% of convictions results in less than 3 years in jail. Chief Flynn, in a moment of honestly admits the truth:

"If we can't put the felons in possession of firearms in jail, why are we surprised that we're awash in guns?" Chief Flynn asked. http://fox6now.com/2016/10/27/theres-no-disincentive-to-carry-a-gun-felons-with-guns-still-dodge-minimum-sentence-despite-new-law/

This is the same Ed Flynn who last year blamed concealed carry for the city being "awash with guns"?

District Attorney Chisholm cites "a lack of resources" for the embarrassing lack of charges and convictions for felons caught with guns YET the DA's office had the resources to prosecute an otherwise law-abiding citizen who volunteered having a handgun in his glovebox during a routine traffic stop? https://www.wicourts.gov/ca/opinion/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=180495

This begs the question. If we don't have the resources to prosecute VIOLENT felons repeatedly arrested, why does Ed Flynn want to overwhelm the DA's office with more cases by asking for concealed carry without a license to be elevated to a felony instead of its current misdemeanor?

Milwaukee has a crime problem because Milwaukee does not punish criminals. Case in point, the armed robbers who recently picked the wrong citizen to assault on 65th and Euclid in Milwaukee. Both individuals have multiple convictions for serious crimes ranging from armed robbery to vehicle theft. As with MOST criminal perpetrators in Milwaukee, they have been "in" the Milwaukee criminal justice system. It just didn't punish them. The Milwaukee court system has decided to use the "streets" as a jail. That is why crime is exploding. That is why more and more citizens need to conceal carry.

We won't solve Milwaukee crime problem by calling for universal background checks. EVEN the feds don't punish people who supply guns to violent felons. (Watertown woman who bought and provided multiple guns for violent felons is recommended for probation) http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2016/12/29/feds-woman-bought-guns-felons/95958004/

(more evidence Milwaukee treats law-abiding citizens like criminals and criminals like victims)

Its time for the anti-gun "leaders" to focus their efforts on the criminals among us, not on laws that aid the law abiding. If the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort wants to make a difference, they should focus on the VIOLENT among us... those repeat felons strolling out of Milwaukee courts with charges dropped... never filed... or feather-light sentences. Statistics show they are highly likely to commit more violent crimes.

If Chief Ed Flynn wants Milwaukee residents to be safe from crime, he should condemn the DA who refuses to file charges or the judges who set violent criminals back on the streets. If Ed Flynn likes data-driven law enforcement he should provide us with the data showing the percentage of crimes committed by repeat criminals. He should tabulate the number of murders committed by people who are already convicted felons.

We the people should know which Milwaukee judges give such lenient sentences to violent criminals and put dangerous people on the streets where they harm and murder more innocent people. Why don't we hold judges accountable when the criminals they fail to properly sentence kill innocent people? The news media always seems to find it relevant which gun store a gun used in a crime was bought from... Shouldn't they be just as concerned about which judge set the repeat felon using that gun back on Milwaukee's streets?

Most importantly, Ed Flynn should follow Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke's lead and be honest with the citizens of his city. The soft-on-crime court system is putting violent felons on the street faster than his hard-working officers can arrest them.

The only person you can count on for your protection is yourself. Consider obtaining your concealed carry license and being trained to defend yourself. Your life, in Milwaukee, most certainly depends on it.