On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 03:27:59 GMT, CW wrote:
Some years ago when Florida and a number of other states passed carry laws
many people got the impression that that was some kind of first. Near as I
know, it has always been legal in Alaska, Arizona and I'm sure other states.

It was one of the first to go from oppressive to sane. As you say,
others never went to "oppressive" in the first place.

How much gun violence is there in Alaska?

I know from first hand experience that carry licenses have always been
available in Washington. I've had a CCW for 24 years. I've never had a need
to use it nor has anyone I know. It would seem that the people with the CCW
are less likely to get into a bad situation in the first place. I think this
is do to those individuals being more aware of their surroundings and
knowing where not to be.

It's a self-selecting population, to be sure, who becomes CCW certified.
I see it as little different from learning CPR, or how to run an
automatic defib - the few people who do, benefit all those who don't.
Odds are that if you do need someone with the appropriate training, they
might be around, which is better than knowing that they won't, or can't.