The Bloody Hands of N.J. Beurocrats

The Deadly Cost of “Waiting”... BY TIM SCHMIDT - USCCA FOUNDER

When it comes down to the matter of wasted time, I think Benjamin Franklin may have said it best: “Lost time is never found again.” No matter how much we plan ahead or how hard we try, time is always moving forward. We simply can’t turn back the clock. I sure do wish I had the power to turn back the clock, especially for Carol Bowne. You see, I’m thinking about time right now, because I am so deeply saddened by the situation involving Bowne’s death on June 3, at the hand of her ex-boyfriend. Late at night, outside her own home in Berlin, New Jersey, this 39-year-old woman was brutally stabbed to death. This scenario, alone, is tragic and horrible. But what really makes this situation unacceptable is that Bowne had applied for her firearms permit in an effort to protect herself…MONTHS before her tragic death occurred. She knew that a restraining order wasn’t enough to deter this convicted felon. She knew she needed to take action. Sadly, Bowne’s own home state let her down. New Jersey—which has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation—happens to be one of the worst places for responsible gun owners. And this young woman lost her life because of lost time. Lost time waiting for her permit. Lost time waiting for permission to protect herself. Lost time waiting for an outdated and restrictive process to tell her she was allowed to exercise her Second Amendment rights. Bowne’s senseless murder could have been prevented. If she had been able to carry a gun, she would have at least had a fighting chance. She did the right thing. She followed the law and began the months-long process of obtaining a handgun. But that “may-issue” process failed her. In fact, she checked the status of her firearms permit just two days before her murder. But New Jersey’s requirement of time interfered…and cost Bowne her life. At the time of her death, her 41-day-old request to protect herself with a firearm was still being processed. Bowne’s senseless murder is also further evidence that better reciprocity laws are needed nationwide. This is not simply a New Jersey issue. This is an American issue. We can’t just shake our heads and take comfort in the fact that we might not live in the Garden State. Tragedies like this remind us that we all need to stand together as a nation and defend our Constitutional rights. Take my home state of Wisconsin, for example. The state Senate recently approved a bill that would eliminate our decades-old, 48-hour-waiting period for handgun purchases. It’s at least a step in the right direction. The bottom line, though, is this: Carol Bowne was left defenseless to a known violent predator, stripped of her right to protect herself with a firearm. As Dave Workman points out in the Examiner, “If Bowne’s tragic death tells us anything, it is that bureaucratic red tape can no longer be considered a mere inconvenience. Its use can be fatal.” Indeed, Bowne paid the ultimate price while she waited for the chance to defend herself with a gun. So here’s my message to New Jersey and to all other states who continue to meddle in the private affairs and with the personal freedoms of law-abiding men and women: Carol Bowne’s blood isn’t just on her attacker’s hands. It’s on your hands. Everyone should be able to protect himself or herself against danger by bearing arms. Everyone deserves a fighting chance. Everyone deserves time. “Shall not be infringed” applies to us all. Take Care and Stay Safe, Tim Schmidt Publisher - Concealed Carry Report USCCA Founder P.S. -  Don't forget to check out the 3rd video in the Self-Defense Aftermath Series to hear the true story of a USCCA member and what happened when he found himself with his back against the wall - charged with a crime simply for doing what was right… Listen to his full story here and feel free to leave a comment...