Imagine leaving your life’s largest decision up to someone else, even if they are more experienced, and will arrive at the best decision. Even though making the decision personally may not result in the ideal solution, many would prefer something so important be handled personally. Concealed carry lets you personally protect you and loved ones’ lives.

Concealed carry allows for a worst case scenario contingency plan. Without concealed carry, we are at the mercy of criminals, left hoping the police can save us. Removing concealed carry makes obtaining guns harder for criminals, but completely paralyzes the rest of the population.

Evidence concealed carry increases crime often fails to account for many variables. Evidence on criminals being concealed carry holders wrongfully assumes removing concealed carry prevents criminals from obtaining guns. With such loose evidence, stripping away concealed carry lacks sufficient justification.

Even if concealed carry does increase crime overall, each individual should retain the right to respectfully carry a gun. Removing concealed carry presumes everyone is guilty for a fews’ mistakes. Despite guns’ potential danger, governments restricting rights is a very slippery slope.

This is precisely why smoking isn’t illegal. According to the Center for Disease Control, secondhand smoke exposure kills 41,000 Americans annually, compared to 38,658 firearm deaths in 2018. Others smoking is more likely to kill you than concealed carry, and unlike guns, lacks benefits.

Smoking isn’t illegal because freedom is invaluable, and concealed carry isn’t illegal because not only does it protect freedom, it also enables citizens to play a part in their self-protection. Despite the risk, shaky data cannot justify stripping perfectly innocent citizens of their rights.