Reading local Mercury News of San Jose's front page article about a court case against Local Police Chief Ms. Smith on granting permit or license to carry concealed weapon.
Apparently, California has this weird law which gives city or county Police Chiefs power to issue permit or license to carry concealed weapons to citizens. Otherwise, as per US gun law, you can carry guns (not so concealed and almost all kinds of) freely any how and even purchase them in store like Walmart along with your groceries.
Four states doesn't even have any restrictions even on concealed weapons. Most of the other states have much liberal permit even for concealed weapons. Only it is illegal to carry concealed weapon in the state of Illinois (Does it make Illinois safer or dangerous??).
Now, coming back to our root issue. Permit with wide discretionary powers to accept or deny the requests.. I am principally against such things. Especially coming from India which suffered for 40-50 years under this license Raj after almost 200 years of British Raj. I like Illinois, which makes it all together illegal to have them or other four states which make it legal for everyone. All other states are mid-way with California being worst of them in this respect.. whatever the good intentions may be of this law. Middle way never works.
Most of the other states have fairly liberal and mostly automatic approval or denial process based on their basic requirements somewhat similar to drivers license. That is kind of okay too.
But any discretionary powers ought to generate controversy and also seed of corruption and nepotism.
In this case our beloved newspaper found out that lot of folks were given this permit, even though they didn't fulfill try spirit or requirements for such a permit. Some examples are for folks who directly or indirectly contributed to Police Chief's election campaign.
Surprisingly, there were few CEOs who got it in the name of security threats from their fired employees. One of them (Bechtel's founder/owner) mostly lives if San Francisco but has some farmhouse kind of property in San Jose area. Another guy mostly lives in Russia for last 10 or so years.
Lastly and most surprising name was of Cisco's CEO Mr. Chambers. He feels insecure from fired Cisco employees. I am kind of surprised by that assertion, as I thought Mr. Chambers is one CEO, for whom I never heard negative. Even ex Cisco employees seems to like him. But this news, kind of freak me and changed little bit of perception about him. I hope Mr. Chambers is not armed and dangerous while at work ;-)
PS: I am against any act or instrument of violence including guns and concealed weapons. They can only create harm to otherwise our so called humane society, who ever has it.
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