By: José Niño
On July 6, 2023, legislation that would prohibit the open carrying of firearms without a concealed carry permit in St. Louis made its way out of an aldermanic committee. The bill later received a second reading on July 7 at the Board of Aldermen.
Alderwoman Cara Spencer is the original sponsor of Board Bill 29. This legislation sets up a municipal ordinance that imposes financial penalties of up to a $500 fine and 30 days in jail if a person is found open carrying a firearm without a valid permit.
On the afternoon of July 6, the Board’s Public Safety Committee passed the bill unanimously.
The motivation for the passage of this bill largely stems from the fact that St. Louis is one of the more violent cities in the United States. According to Forbes, St. Louis was ranked the most dangerous city in the United States for 2023. According to the metrics used to reach this conclusion, St. Louis has the highest per capita crime cost in the nation, hovering around $8,457.
St. Louis’s violent crimes and crimes connected to property have largely contributed to how the city has received the dubious distinction of being the most dangerous city in the US.
Before her resignation on June 1, 2023, St. Louis District Attorney Kim Gardner was notorious for her soft-on crime policies that allowed for criminals to run around the city with virtual impunity. Gardner is part of a growing network of progressive DAs that have received significant funding from billionaire oligarch George Soros — a known chaos agent in American politics.
Lax criminal justice policies combined with a potential wave of newly implemented gun control measures would be a nightmare scenario for St. Louis’s law-abiding citizens.
Dudley Brown, the president of the National Association for Gun Rights, had this to say about St. Louis’s gun control proposal:
“Demanding jail time and hefty fines for folks who simply want to defend themselves in one of the most crime infested cities in nation is a slap in the face of law-abiding gun owners. Last time I checked, the Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms.”
If there’s one thing that a crime-ridden city like St. Louis needs, it’s the ability for its lawful residents to defend themselves with firearms. Any measures that deprive them of that right will only lead to them being easy targets for violent criminals.
José Niño is a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. Contact him via Facebook, Twitter, or email him at [email protected]. Get his e-book, The 10 Myths of Gun Control, here.