Today is a great day.
I woke up in a constitutional carry state this morning, and it felt good! Now, for the record, I’ve woken up in a lot of constitutional carry states in the past, the latest being my favorite place on earth, Arizona, just a few weeks ago. In fact, I’ve woken up in Arizona dozens of times since the state went to constitutional carry way back in 2010. Nothing new there except for one small thing. This time, it’s the state where I reside.
Georgia.
It was literally, the first thing I thought of when I awoke this morning at 5:30 am. Wow, I thought, Georgia is constitutional carry! But why am I so thrilled by the notion? I mean, I have a Georgia weapons license and I always will. I’ll renew it until the day the Lord takes my last breath from me (or until the remaining 25 states tell me I don’t need it), so why the excitement?
Peace of mind.
The peace of mind that comes with knowing I am NOT REQUIRED to maintain a permit if I choose not to keep a permit, or mistakenly let it lapse, which has happened in the past. It’s the peace of mind knowing I am not required to carry a piece of government-issued plastic on my person if I head out the door with my gun today, tomorrow, or forever after.
It’s the same peace of mind that comes with knowing you have a financial cushion in the bank, a year’s worth of emergency food supplies should the shit hit the fan, a generator in the garage if the power fails and a full tank of gas in an emergency, or a tornado shelter in your garage. There’s a lot to be said for peace of mind.
It’s relaxing.
But the real peace of mind comes from knowing I am a free American. As a years-long gun-rights activist wearing my opinions on my sleeve, putting it out there for all to read, see and hear over the nation’s airwaves, this sense of accomplishment resonates with me unlike anything else. Forget the politics involved with getting this done for a moment. The men and women who made it possible have worked tirelessly on this since my tenure as a Georgia resident began in 2005 and it’s they who deserve the credit.
I am one of the original members of one of the best gun rights groups in the nation, Georgia Carry, now known as GA2A.org since my residence here began. Born out of my frustration that upon declaring residency in the state, I lost my right to carry until I applied for and received my Georgia permit, which required my having a Georgia driver’s license, thereby eliminating the reciprocity I enjoyed for years here in Georgia on my Florida resident permit when I was a frequent visitor to the state.
Those days are over, for everyone, and it took years of hard work and dedication. Yes, the politics of the season came into play but I’ll take the victory, and I bet if you live in one of the remaining 25 states that have yet to make this move to freedom, you would too!
It’s a great morning here in Georgia. I think I’ll have another cup of coffee, take the top down on the Vette, and head out for a long ride and enjoy being a free American.
Because I can!
By Mark Walters|April 13th, 2022|Categories: Opinion|Tags: 2A, constitutional carry, Georgia constitutional carry, Gun Control, second amendment
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Mark Walters is the host of two national radio broadcasts, Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense and flagship Armed American Radio, he is the co-founder of AAN, author of three books, and member of the board of directors of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA). Mark is the CEO of parent company CCW Broadcast Media, LLC