Debate builds in Iowa over gun permits for the blind

A debate for permitting carrying handguns for blind citizens in Iowa is built up. The Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association claims that Iowa should stop giving the conceal-carry permits to legally blind because carrying arms by visually disabled people can damage public safety. Jerry Dunbar, the president of the group and Washington County Sheriff, gives grounds for his group’s policy claim by saying that “if you can’t see where that bullet is going to wind up then that’s our concern, maybe you shouldn’t be carrying.” He argues that there is no reason for blind people to carry handguns in public if they cannot see correctly to identify. However, as a rebuttal, Michael Barber, who just receives a conceal-carry permit from the state government, claims that blind people also need to protect their families and themselves from unexpected threats. For his ground, he says that “the Second Amendment does not say we have the right to bear arms unless we’re disabled.” He also tries to claim with using pathos by saying that “I should be able to protect my family just like you can, just like anyone else can.” Moreover, Barber argues that being blind does not mean having impaired judgment; blind people know what is wrong or right. At the end of article, Rep. Clel Baudler also gives the rebuttal of Dunbar’s argument that he cannot find reasons to change the state law because the legally blind “have had training that’s required by our law and they’ve passed a background check which is required by our law.”

FoxNews: Debate builds in Iowa over gun permits for the blind