To the editor:

The Kansas Legislature will soon consider a bill to legalize the carrying of concealed weapons on streets, into businesses and into public places such as Allen Fieldhouse. Do we really want this kind of change in our public life?

First, this bill is a cure searching for a disease. There is no societal problem that this idea will fix. Crime is not so rampant that we need to arm citizens to enforce the law. Instead of helping the police, we will increase the danger of stopping motorists and increase the possibility of a fatal mistake.

Second, what are businesses going to do to guarantee that employees and patrons do not carry their weapons on-site? Post a sign? Install metal detectors? This is an unfair and unnecessary burden on local businesses.

Another problem is that law-breakers abuse concealed carry laws. Statistics from Texas prove that thousands of gun licensees who passed background checks nevertheless committed crimes with their weapons — murder, rape and kidnapping included. The Violence Policy Center has published a report four years in a row revealing these statistics.

If this bill passes, licensees will commit crimes with their weapons, businesses will have to take steps to assure safety from disgruntled and armed employees, and incidents of road rage will occur. Support common sense.

Steve Robinson,

Lawrence