Let me see if I understand things correctly...
We have Open Carry (OC) in 45 states:
- 30 states require a permit
- 15 states do not
- There remain roughly 5 main categories and a myriad of subcategories, often extending to individual cities, counties, parks, and hundreds of special circumstances.
We have Concealed Carry (CC) in, well, who knows, as OCDO's self-imposed limitations prevent even the most helpful of resources for OCers like myself who might have a need to CC (sigh). However, thanks to
this resource, we OCers have the following information:
- 14 states and 1 territory shall issue to residents only
- 28 states and 1 territory shall issue to residents and non-residents
- 3 states and 1 territory may issue to residents only
- 6 states and 1 district may issue to residents and non-residents
- 2 territories deny CC
Yes, I'm aware I seem to have an extra state in there. I'll work on that...
We have Constitutional Carry (both OC and CC) in 10 states:
- 2 states require residency
- 8 states do not
Although the OCDO maps remain incomplete, what they do cover is quite good.
In the meantime, I'll post this and begin working on my own chart.
Regardless, I still fail to understand how states can lawfully infringe on a Constitutionally-protected right.
In the military, if a higher level of authority imposes a restriction, such as "base curfews will begin at midnight and continue until 6 am," lower levels of authority can be more restrictive, such as an earlier or longer 10 pm to 7 am curfew for an individual unit, but they cannot violate the higher level restriction by relaxing it.
Similarly, if a higher level of authority imposes a minimum level of restriction, such as "base curfews shall not last more than 8 hours," lower levels of authority can be less restrictive, but not more restrictive.
In the case of our Second Amendment, the phrase "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" is an absolute moratorium against
any infringement. Furthermore, because it's "the supreme Law of the Land," it applies to all states, the same all all other clauses and amendments that have been upheld by the Supreme Court over the years. Case in point: Freedom of Speech. Right to Vote. Etc.
Why, then, does such incredibly stupidity abound over the Second Amendment?
Here's a thought: A federal law affirming that the Second Amendment, as non-limited Constitutional law, applies unanimously to all states and territories, without reservation (infringement).
After all, if the U.S. Supreme Court can apply the First Amendment, which is specifically limited to Congress, to all states, then it can (should) most certainly apply the Second Amendment, which is specifically unlimited, to all states.