Nearly a week after Washington, D.C. began accepting concealed carry permit applications, some pro-gun groups are speaking out against the law due to its strict nature.
“Self-defense is a fundamental human right,” NRA spokesperson Catherine Mortensen said. “It isn’t a privilege that should be doled out at the discretion of bureaucrats.”
As the Washington Free Beacon points out, several groups are critiquing the law’s restrictions, such as the one where applicants are required to prove they have “good reasons to fear injury to person or property.”
Another controversial aspect of the law is the fact that the final decision of approval for a CCW permit rests with D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier.
“D.C. continues to try and circumvent the Constitution after Heller and McDonald, and now, after a federal court has ruled that it cannot ban the bearing of lawfully-possessed arms in self-defense,” she said.
“It’s every bit as bad and unconstitutional a law as they had before,” added Virginia Citizens Defense League President Philip Van Cleave.
As the Free Beacon reports, the new law requires applicants to complete courses with DC Metro Police certified instructors, but the department doesn’t have any such instructors.
“You could call that a catch-22,” said Dave Workman of the 2nd Amendment Foundation.
In July, a federal judge ruled that D.C.’s concealed carry ban was unconstitutional.
Read more: http://www.freebeacon.com
