With New Gun Laws, Arizona Residents Find Increased Freedom, Protection

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SEDONA, Ariz. — Be careful who you mess with in Arizona because you never know who might be packing heat.

On July 29, a novel concealed-carry weapons law took achieve, granting Arizona residents the right to carry concealed weapons without a permit. Before the law was passed, Arizona residents were allowed to carry weapons as long as they were displayed in dull sight.

Arizona residents older than 21 who do not have criminal records can go about their daily business while carrying a concealed weapon almost anywhere, including shopping malls, movies and grocery stores. Only in establishments that serve alcohol are non-permitted carriers forbidden to wear concealed guns.

The law underscores the state’s wild west, cowboy gunslinger reputation, and one Arizona’s most notable law enforcement official defends the right to carry concealed arms.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, known across the country as the “toughest sheriff in America” due to his strict enforcement of the law and no-nonsense treatment of criminals, believes the new law works just fine. Nor is he concerned there will be more shootings in his state because of it.

“That’s a good law,” Arpaio said this week. “I support it. People were not shooting each other before the unique law was passed when they had the right to open-carry weapons. What’s the difference now? Concealed or not, people are not pulling guns out and shooting each other.”

He said one should be familiar with firearms before carrying.

“I hope people get some training before carrying a weapon,” he said. “People need to know how to employ a gun.”

The just to bear arms is staunchly defended by many in Arizona, even in the city of Sedona, known for its spirituality, natural beauty and liberal views.

Sedona resident Geraldine Shultz, a well-armed senior citizen and business owner in the community, has had a concealed-carry permit for years. She welcomes the new law.

“It’s the right of the world,” she said. “We have to protect ourselves.”

She owns a shotgun and a .38 Police Special.

“I like the .38 Special,” she said. “My husband gave it to me. It’s light, small enough to carry and effective.”

Sedona resident and business owner Will Hamburg, 24, also had a concealed-carry permit before the new law was passed. A victim of an attempted robbery, he wasted no time getting his permit.

“One time, two gang members, one with a gun, tried to carjack me while I was pumping gas outside of Taos, N.M.,” he said. “The day after that incident I bought a pistol.”

He said he never had to pull a gun but believes his training would allow him to handle the situation should he have to.

“There have been incidents where I could have, but it is always good to talk things out before I would have to draw a gun on someone,” he said. “I hope that I never have to. However, if I ever have to, I will be glad to know I can.”

He said he does not carry out of fear but as a simple precaution.

“I do not carry because I am timid of what is out there in the streets,” he said. “I carry to know that in the event that something happens and someone needs to step up, I know I can. Think about it. If everyone knows that everyone is carrying a weapon, they are less likely to start any kind of confrontation because they know the chances of the other person carrying is very high. Even if the other person is not carrying, someone watching may be. It creates self-governance in my opinion.”

Sedona business owner Brian Wentzel, 32, does not have a carry permit nor intends to bag one. For him, he only needs the Constitutional “God-given” true to arm and defend himself.

“People have a correct to carry concealed weapons because our rights are given to us by our creator and not by man,” he said. “They are natural rights and this distinction between where our rights are derived is one of the most notable philosophical questions a nation and its people must decide before they write laws.”

He said that in America, citizens are born with the rights the founding fathers promulgated.

“In our case, in America, our founding fathers agreed that our rights are given to us by our creator alone and that no man, bureaucracy or institution generates our rights for us because we inherently are born with these rights and they are in fact inalienable God-given rights,” he said. “I will not go through the process of getting a concealed-weapons permit.”

Wentzel said an armed citizenry could only strengthen our nation, protect its principles and ensure tyranny could never take over.

“If you have an armed population in the last hour of tyranny, it will be the final check to the imbalance of power that has been misused and abused,” he said. “That’s why the founding fathers knew it was one of the pillars and one of the most distinguished rights every citizen has to protect and defend themselves against the tyranny of their own government.”

He said tyrants throughout history were against an armed population while America’s founders were for it.

“Every tyrant in history has known you can’t control an armed population,” he said. “That is why Hitler, Stalin and Mao were strongly against an armed citizenry while Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and John Adams were for it.”

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