As many of you are aware, some of the laws concerning firearms are about to change. Last summer, Chet Culver signed legislation that freed Iowans’ liberties to carry firearms from arbitrarily being stifled by the whims of sheriffs.

In the past, it was up to a county’s sheriff whether or not he would issue someone a permit to carry a weapon. It was also up to the sheriff whether that permit would carry stipulations, like only granting the individual the right to carry concealed.

As of the first of the year, this will no longer be the case. Everyone who wants a permit to carry a dangerous weapon and is eligible will receive one, and there will be no stipulations attached. But if you have an old permit, the stipulations on that permit will remain.

What we are getting at is you can expect to see more people openly carrying firearms on their sides in the very near future, and there will be more people walking around with firearms concealed on their person.

It’s going to be OK, don’t panic. Some people’s reaction to this news is one of dismay or surprise; but don’t react in a negative fashion, this is a good thing.

First and foremost, this is a return to the Constitution and to the freedom of the individual. Secondly, this means that more “good guys” will be able to arm themselves; people that can be considered “bad guys” aren’t concerned with what Iowa’s legislation says the laws are, their lack of concern for the law is one of the inherent things that makes them criminals.

Is carrying a firearm for you?

That is a good question, because carrying a weapon brings with it great responsibility. One who bears such power needs to be well versed in the laws and an expert with whatever they decided to carry with them.

If you carry, you will need to know things such as: you cannot carry on school grounds, you can drink while you carry if you are of age to drink sans breaching .08, how different kinds of ammunition behave, and what to do in situations where lethal force is authorized by the law.

The right to arm yourself is one that is guaranteed by the Constitution. It is the right of self-empowerment, but much of this right requires self-education.

If you plan on getting your permit to carry, you need to do your research. We’d love to be able to include every word of every piece of legislation, but we simply do not have the room. We can, however, point you in the right direction.

An Internet search of “Iowa Senate File 2379” will bring up the legislation that you need to read. Visit the Iowa Department of Public Safety website at www.dps.state.ia.us/ and read the Frequently Asked Questions page that is linked from there. These are simple things to do that will start to prepare you to responsibly exercise your right to bear arms.

If you aren’t willing to do even these simple things, then maybe you should leave carrying a weapon to others.

You need to take advantage of your ability to exercise your constitutional rights, don’t let them stagnate. There will be those that turn their nose up at you if you decide to use your First Amendment right and defend the civil rights of the LGBT community. Likewise, there will be those who act shocked if you decided to take up arms.

You are your own person; make your own decisions whether or not you will exercise your rights. They are yours, no one else’s.