National Concealed Carry

There's a battle ahead
Many battles are lost
But you'll never see the end of the road
While you're traveling with me
--Crowded House

Is a logical extension of last week's gay marriage ruling the reciprocal recognition of concealed carry permits across the states? Some commentators think so.

After all, states have taken upon themselves to issue licenses to legalize the carrying of a firearm under cover. Failure to recognize these licenses from one state to the next appears to violate the Equal Protection clause.

Unlike the gay marriage ruling, however, there is a legitimate Due Process argument here as well. Carrying firearms for personal protection is not a privilege granted by government, but a natural right, one deemed so noteworthy as to be enumerated in the Bill of Rights. If an Ohio resident with a concealed carry permit can be arrested in Illinois simply for carrying a firearm without an Illinois-issued license, then that person is being denied a basic right.

The anology would be for Illinois to make same sex couples subject to arrest for living together (co-habitation is also a natural right) in that state.

Current concealed carry laws violate the Fourteenth Amendment in more than one way.