Joe Walsh Fires Back At Anti-Gun Group's Criticism Of His Concealed Carry Support

After ever-outspoken U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) told a Tea Party gun forum in Huntley, Ill., that he would be a "cheerleader" for gun rights in Congress last week, anti-gun group the Brady Campaign wanted the freshman Congressman to explain his rationale.

On Tuesday, via a statement delivered to the press, Walsh made good on that request -- even if he mainly reiterated what he already made quite clear: That he will push for Illinois to no longer carry the distinction of being the only U.S. state lacking any sort of concealed carry law.

"Illinois is now the only state in the entire nation that doesn’t allow lawful Americans to carry a firearm," Walsh pointed out in the statement, as reported by NBC 5. "Violent crimes continue to decrease even as more states such as Wisconsin – that recently passed a concealed carry permit – repeal archaic laws crafted to restrict gun rights."

Walsh continued by stating that American "freedom was gained and will always be maintained by a strict interpretation of our Constitution and this certainly includes the Second Amendment."

"While I respect the mission of the Brady Campaign to reduce crime and violence, we strongly disagree on how this should be done," Walsh said. "It should not be done through the slow dismantling of our right to bear arms, and by disarming law abiding Americans."

In his criticism of Walsh, Dennis Henigan, Brady Campaign acting president, wondered whether Walsh was arguing that Illinois "needs to legalize the carrying of hidden, loaded guns to allow residents to threaten violence against the government."

Hennigan continued in a statement:

"If this what he means, who in the government is he talking about? The elected officials the concealed carriers disagree with? Law enforcement officers engaged in protecting public safety? This kind of radical rhetoric has consequences. It is truly chilling to hear an elected official appear to justify violence as a political remedy for individuals dissatisfied with the results of our democratic process."

While concealed carry supporters have continued to push for the law to come to Illinois, the state's House of Representatives voted it down this spring, while Governor Pat Quinn (D) has vowed to veto it should it ever arrive on his desk.

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Comments

[surfette72]

11:43 PM on 11/10/2011

I'm a woman. I'm going to take one of those "self defense" courses instructed by some Liberal feminist. She teaches me to yell at my would-be assailant, "Stop! Get back! No!" As I'm aiming my foot toward his crotch, BAM! He shoots me. That's why I'm glad I'm a Southern girl. We take "aim" alright...;)

[Rooster Coburn]

09:24 PM on 11/10/2011

Watch as concealed carry laws have spread across our nation. Working URL: http://tinyurl.com/6juxkk Actual URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rtc.gif

[David Carson]

11:14 AM on 11/10/2011

Hennigan and the BC have been predicting shootouts over traffic accidents/parking spots and blood in the street for 20 yeares--hasn't happened

[bunnieman]

01:37 PM on 11/10/2011

Since 2007, concealed carry permit holders have caused approximately 2500 quarts of blood to be spilled in the street. The volume spilled by concealed carriers over a 20 year period would, no doubt, correspond exponentially.

[eaglespark]

04:56 PM on 10/07/2011

Dennis Henigan, Brady Campaign acting president, wondered whether Walsh was arguing that Illinois "needs to legalize the carrying of hidden, loaded guns to allow residents to threaten violence against the government."

I am not a big fan of Walsh, but Henigan consistently out-does the people he criticizes of "radical rhetoric". Threatening government officials, or anyone else for that matter, is already illegal. You do not need a concealed carry license to do that, either. Criminals put guns in their pockets and assault people every day in Illinois already. This is not about enabling that kind of behavior. It is about enabling honest citizens to defend themselves in a legal manner. Henigan is the one making "extreme radical" statements here, as usual.

[tform97]

03:25 PM on 10/07/2011

I am no match on the street with many men let alone a group of men intent on doing me harm,,, for that matter , maybe some women soon, but my .45 cal. semi-auto 10+1 shot is. You can either reason with me or try to force me with your gun, knife, gang, or superior strength. If I am armed, you really need to reason with me, force may not work out so well for you.

[tform97]

02:56 PM on 10/07/2011

As a man once wrote. The gun is civilization. Without the right to carry a gun, anyone who desires to take my life or a family member,or a neighbor, can do so with superior force of arms or shear strength. With a gun, the 80 yr old grandma is equal in strength to her attacker regardless of their size or their gun. Hence, the attacker can use reason to get what he wants or force which she is in an equal position to respond with. Reasoning is civilized, use of force to convince someone to let you rape, rob, pillage, abuse you is not. Guns help to civilize the uncivil. Just to keep it fair ya know. Liberals are all about fairness now aren't they?

[Rooster Coburn]

09:30 PM on 11/10/2011

Great post, "tform97" ! ! ! Faved ! ! ! Who was it who said, "God created men. Sam Colt made them equal."?

[Rooster Coburn]

09:32 PM on 11/10/2011

"Badged" too ! ! !

[Martampa]

12:36 PM on 10/06/2011

You lie!

[hagagaga]

10:48 PM on 10/05/2011

Concealed carry should be allowed by default.

[nineapilot]

01:54 PM on 10/05/2011

It would appear that a disputed child support payment is the recurring theme, without ever arguing the merits of the proposed legislation. Pretty lazy. But that's how the left poisons the well.

[John Gleichweit]

06:50 PM on 10/05/2011

It's a typical tactic of the Left. When they have no argument, they attack the messenger. They don't want to believe that the Second Amendment says what it does, and that SCotUS has affirmed that the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is an individual right.

[hagagaga]

10:46 PM on 10/05/2011

I am on the left. I found something that I like about Joe Walsh: his stance on the Second Amendment.

[slinkybro]

01:47 PM on 10/05/2011

What is he talking about? We already have conceal carry in Illinois. The criminals do it all the time. The fact that it is against the law doesn't seem to bother them at all.

[zorba4422]

12:48 PM on 10/05/2011

Cheerleaders don't carry guns, but poms poms. What is wrong with this guy.

[eaglespark]

05:11 PM on 10/07/2011

Henigan wondered whether Walsh was arguing that Illinois "needs to legalize the carrying of hidden, loaded guns to allow residents to threaten violence against the government."

What is wrong with Henigan?...

[Paul Conrad]

12:11 PM on 10/05/2011

Too bad Walsh isn't doubling down on his child support payments.

[Jamf]

11:27 AM on 10/05/2011

Hey Clownboy: You don't get to make assertions, complaints, or public statements of any kind until such time as you pay your child support. Fair enough?

[Berettasskeeter]

12:06 PM on 10/05/2011

Really?? What law prevents a Congressman from doing so?
Semper fi

[JustaSlob]

01:11 PM on 10/05/2011

Are you kidding? You're defending this Slug?

[eaglespark]

05:15 PM on 10/07/2011

"You don't get to make assertions­, complaints­, or public statements of any kind until such time as you pay your child support. Fair enough?"

Fair? I don't think so. You want to repress someone's freedom of speech because of the child support thing? I do not have to support or like Walsh to know that is wrong. Forget Walsh-- what is your opinion of the Illinois concealed carry issue?

[RDWidner]

09:52 AM on 10/05/2011

"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." -Thomas Jefferson, quoting Cesare Beccaria.

[SouPro]

09:05 AM on 10/05/2011

I greatly dislike GOP "cheerleaders" for gun rights. What that says is that he supports it, but he won't bother doing anything about it. Just your average tongue in cheek gun rights supporter that the GOP needs to rid itself of.

Or to put it another way. Walsh likes to cheer his daughter playing soccer, he just doesn't want to pay for her soccer uniform.