by Mike Stollenwerk

So there I was last week, drivin’ into DC when I heard Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley (D) on WTOP.com’s “Ask the Governor Program.” And I call in and wait in the queue only to be the last caller!

I ask:

“Hi Governor. My question’s on gun carry permits. The Heller decision said that the right to bear arms is to carry them and I’m wondering if Maryland can ever move from the current non-discretionary issuance of gun carry permits? [NOTE: I meant to say “discretionary” not “non-discretionary” but Governor O’Malley appeared to understand what I meant].

And Governor O’Malley quickly responded:

No, I don’t think we will. Maryland has made a lot of strides in reducing violent crime . . . we’ve moved from I think the 4th most violent in the country to the 8th . . . we have some of the most you know proactive gun laws in the country and we still have the level of violence . . . so for the caller I’m with you at least on that common ground.”

Incredibly Governor O’Malley then went on to say that he hopes Maryland will eliminate the death penalty “for those who commit the unspeakable crime of taking a loved one from us through violence.”

So Governor O’Malley, admitting that Maryland’s rating by the Brady Campaign as the 5th most gun controllin’ state in the union is not correlated with less violent crime, thinks the continued violation of the right to bear arms is the right thing to do.

O’Malley’s complete disregard for the “right to carry” question is itself an unspeakable crime. Most states don’t even require a permit to openly carry a handgun and issue concealed handgun permits to anyone who can pass a background check.

But Maryland requires permit to carry a handgun either openly or concealed. Further, such permits are issued by the Maryland state police on a discretionary basis.

Fortunately, many Maryland legislators disagree with Governor O’Malley and have introduced a bill to make Maryland a “shall issue” state when it comes to gun carry permits. HB 470 with bi-partisan sponsorship would repeal the requirement that the Secretary of State Police find that a person has a good and substantial reason to wear, carry, or transport a handgun before issuing a handgun permit.