Wisconsin legislators expected to expand gun owner rights by spring

[undeterred]

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Hubert Hoffman wears his gun on his belt, for all the world to see. At home, work, the grocery store — everywhere the law allows — his .45-caliber semi-automatic is at his side. Hoffman, of Onalaska, is vice president of Wisconsin Carry, a two-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and expanding gun rights. Despite his public display of arms, he does not consider himself a gun enthusiast. "It's not so much about the gun as it is the rights," he said. He'd prefer to carry it inside his coat, but Wisconsin law forbids concealed weapons — for now. In the eyes of gun rights proponents like Hoffman, Wisconsin is a decade behind the rest of the nation. But that might soon change.

"It's definitely a pro-gun Legislature," said Nik Clark, president of Wisconsin Carry. Guns are intrinsic to Wisconsin culture, but even with its rich heritage of hunting, the state remains one of the most restrictive when it comes to gun rights. Wisconsin is one of only two states that do not allow the concealed carry of firearms. But with Republicans in control of both legislative chambers and the governor's mansion, that's expected to soon change. The question is what, if anything, the state will do to keep guns out of the hands of unstable people and ensure that those who do go armed know how to handle their weapons.

Democrats and Republicans agree that a concealed carry law will pass the Legislature this session — and unlike the past two times, former Gov. Jim Doyle won't be around to veto it. Gov. Scott Walker said this week he expects a concealed carry bill to emerge as early as spring — after the Legislature tackles more pressing issues like job growth and the budget — and that he will sign it. "You're going to see a concealed carry bill pass the Legislature, I have no doubt," said Chris Danou, D-Trempealeau. "The question is what kind of bill it's going to be." That's troubling to Jeri Bonavia, executive director of Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, which opposes any legislation to allow concealed carry on the grounds it will lead to increased danger for individuals and the public. "We really don't believe that more people carrying guns in public is beneficial in any way," she said. "In fact, we think it's harmful."

Those on both sides of the issue say the shooting last weekend in Arizona that left six people dead and U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition with a bullet wound to her head will likely not change the debate in Wisconsin. If anything, it only further polarizes the issue, Clark said: Anti-gun people will see it as justification for firearm restrictions while gun rights proponents will argue it's cause for more armed citizens.

Because Wisconsin allows open carry without a permit, Bonavia says it's not that different from Arizona, where suspect Jared Loughner, charged with murder and attempted assassination of a member of Congress, was able to buy and legally carry the semi-automatic pistol used in the Jan. 8 shooting. Clark argues that laws won't stop deranged people from committing gun crimes. "If you're going to shoot up a crowd of people, there's not a lot of ways to prevent that from a legislative standpoint," he said. Hoffman said, "The crazy people are going to get the guns if they want."

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