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Oppose state pistol-permit bill

Step out of the car, please, so that I can disarm you for my safety.

That is what a lot of Alabamians may be hearing if Senate Bill 47 passes.

The NRA and state proponents are saying that this is a good deal for law-abiding residents, and the state’s sheriffs are fighting it because they will lose permit license fees.

The state wants to charge $200 for a lifetime permit; the county charges between $25 and $50. The big difference is that we don’t know where the state money will go, and most of the sheriffs’ offices offer free gun-safety classes that are possible due to the county fees.

This bill is going to develop a huge database of concealed-carry permit holders that will show up on every traffic stop or law enforcement contact.

Every day there probably a few permit holders who are stopped and no problems result from the officer not knowing, as permit holders, nationwide, are the most law-abiding people around.

But now a few will decide that they need to disarm the person they are talking to “for their safety” and this is going to lead to accidents with the excessive handling of the firearm.

This is just an end-around for registration because if you have a permit, you must have a firearm that is just begging for confiscation in the not so far future.

Let the sheriffs keep the money that is going to good use and trust the residents of Alabama with permits that have been issued after background checks.

Contact your state senators and tell them to trust us and keep it like it is.

Kevin J. Kelly

Ariton