ST. LOUIS (2004-01-21) Opponents to Missouri's conceal and carry legislation Wednesday protested a public appearance Wednesday by Missouri Republican Secretary of State Matt Blunt in Maplewood. Blunt is running for governor, and says he supports concealed guns. But gun control advocates like Liz Smith-Currie of Webster Groves say the state Supreme Court should strike it down.
"As a parent to be, I'm very concerned about my own safety and my children's safety, when I go to a store and I have to worry that the person next to me is carrying a concealed weapon, and I don't know what their intent is," Smith-Currie said.
But Blunt says concealed weapons laws are working in more than 40 other states.
"I'm a supporter of the Second Amendment, and I believe that the right to carry is something that's worked in 40 other states," Blunt said. "It hasn't had the sort of negative repercussions that I assure you we'd have heard of if there were any negative manifestations of the right to carry legislation."
The Missouri Legislature passed concealed gun legislation in September, but Governor Holden vetoed it.
The state Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case Thursday.
(Liz, of course, is my wife)