To Carry or Not to Carry Concealed handguns have always been an issue that the public wants to know more about. Most people born and raised outdoors strongly agree on the legality of a concealed weapon, while people born in large cities where they don't hunt, shoot, or have firearms in their homes do not. This is a very large and discussed cultural issue. Personally, I am in favor of concealed carrying of firearms. There are many reasons for this, such as self-defense, a sense of security, and protecting those around me. There are some questions that are raised regarding carrying a concealed weapon such as "which states can I travel to with my firearm?", "what is the process for applying for a concealed carry permit?", and "can I enter in a gun-free zone to stop a shooter?”. Concealed carry has been shown to reduce crime and lower the casualty rate of a shooter who enters a public area with the intent to kill as many people as possible. possible Some people argue that concealed weapons are only carried by people looking for trouble and that it is possible to get a gun without a background check This will also be explored and explained in depth first, many people do not understand what rights and what laws are for and against them if they have a concealed gun Additionally, many areas of the public are unaware of changes in laws that can affect how you carry it and where you can carry it. For example, in early December Virginia passed a law no longer recognizing concealed carry permits from North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and twenty-two other states (Portnoy). This can affect the way many people travel. My family, for example, travels to and from Michigan to North Carolina... middle of paper... and gun license holders have been arrested for a total of 5,314 crimes from January 1, 1996 to August 31, 2001 "(Center). This shows that because the known person has the ability to conceal a gun on their person, they are more likely to commit a crime. In conclusion, many people believe they carry a concealed weapon for self-defense, while others believe it is an evil useless weapon that creates more harm than good. Due to the new laws that have been put in place, traveling is now also much more difficult with a gun and when crossing state lines, the laws should be checked Many crimes are stopped when someone carries a concealed weapon, but there are also more crimes committed by a person who has a concealed carry permit I guess the question that arises after looking at all this information is: is it worth getting anymore concealed carry permit??