Fraters Libertas

Conceal And Bury (The Truth)

Today's Strib had a banner headline on the front page proclaiming:

PISTOL PACKIN' STATE

With a sub headline that read:

Waves of gun owners applying for permits

The story concerned the number of permit applications that have been processed since Minnesota recently modified the law on carrying concealed handguns in public. The headlines would lead you to believe that the number must be quite large. And the first portion of the story seems to confirm that:

The number of would-be gun-toters lining up for permits in 4 1/2 weeks equals a third of the total who were licensed in all of 2002 under a more restrictive system. Most of the increase is coming in the Twin Cities area's five biggest counties, where more than 3,000 permit applications have been filed and 1,283 permits have been issued.

In all of last year, authorities granted only 1,400 permits in those five counties: Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey and Washington.

By comparing the recent numbers to last year's numbers under more restrictive laws the story gives the impression that the number of permit applications is indeed a "wave" and plays to fears that the newly eased restrictions would result in thousands and thousands of new permit holders. In fact the opponents of conceal and carry claimed that the new law would lead to over 70,000 new permits being issued.

It's only when you read further into the story (on page A8) that you discover this little nugget:

A steady stream of applicants is expected for months to come, especially in the Twin Cities area, because required handgun training classes are full, sheriffs say. But overall the response appears to be falling short of a legislative projection that 50,000 permits would be issued in the law's first year.

So less people are applying for permits than expected? In fact far fewer than those opposed to conceal and carry had earlier argued? Might not that be the story? How about this for a headline:

Conceal and carry applications lower than expected ?

Nope. You see we're now a pistol packin' state according to the Star Tribune regardless of whether the facts support that label or not.