Email to Maryland State Senators Ferguson, Jimeno, Haines, Stone, Colburn, DeGrange, Mooney, Dyson, Harris, Jacobs, Hooper, Stoltzfus, Hafer, and Munson.

CCed to the legislators of District 22A: Senator Pinsky, Delegate Healey and Delegate Palumbo

Dear Senators,

I wish to thank you for your courage in sponsoring Senate Bill 234 – The Self-Defense Act.

As I understand it, SB234 would make Maryland a so-called “shall issue” state. That is to say the issuing authority, the Maryland State Police, would have to issue a license to carry a concealed firearm to any law abiding citizen who applies, presuming the applicant is not mentally incompetent, a fugitive from justice, etc. Although I do sincerely hope that 2000 will be Maryland’s year and Governor Glendening signs SB234, I am not confident the effort will succeed.

Having lived in Prince George’s County, Maryland for thirty (30) years, the issue is something which I monitor each legislative session, but which I hold out little hope of ever seeing coming to pass. I was born, raised, attended school, worked and lived in P.G. county. As such the Old Line State will always hold a special place in my heart.

In recent years, an ever increasing level of criminal violence seemed to permeate the county and state. When I was working full-time and taking evening classes at P.G. Community College, my then girlfriend and now wife was concerned about being home alone. We decided to purchase a handgun for home protection in 1992. After checking around and talking with knowledgeable people, we both obtained training from NRA firearm instructors and purchased handguns. We joined Stemmer’s Run Rifle and Pistol Club — part of the Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore — and frequently shot at both the Patapsco Range on Marriottsville Road in Baltimore County and the old NRA range in Washington, D.C.

In 1994, I became an NRA certified firearm instructor. Helping ordinary people like me learn about firearm safety, nomenclature, ammunition, operation of the firearm, and marksmanship has been truly rewarding. I’ve never made a single dime as an instructor, and if I had, expenses I cannot begin to compute would offset any profit. It’s truly a labor of love.

If memory serves me, Delegate Kevin Kelly (D-1B) and others in both houses introduced legislation similar to SB234 as far back as 1993 and perhaps even earlier. Every year the House Judiciary committee and the Senate JPR committee chose not to act on such legislation in either house. I wrote letters, sent emails and phoned my state legislators along with the Governor. I even came to Annapolis on several occasions in a showing of support for legislation such as SB234. But over the years it became clear the elite leaders in Maryland would not permit ordinary people to carry guns for protection despite the fact that more than a few of the elite leaders either DO carry guns for protection themselves or have a contingent of well-armed and well-trained state troopers to protect them.

In 1997, I started shopping my resume around the country. [As a computer programmer, my skills are obviously transferable to many places.] I moved from Hyattsville, Maryland to Miami, Florida with an offer I could not refuse. The work proved both rewarding and challenging, but there was also one rather large, additional benefit to the position. As I’m sure you’re aware, the State of Florida is a “shall issue” state that issues licenses to carry concealed firearms to it’s citizens. In fact, the State of Florida will issue a license even if one is NOT a resident of Florida. Marylanders who vacation in the Sunshine State can actually apply to the Florida Division of Licensing, obtain a license to carry a concealed firearm, and on their vacations carry a firearm for their personal protection. Unfortunately the Old Line State chooses to disarm its citizens when they return home from vacation, and I find this reprehensible.

When the most challenging work was completed at my job in Miami, I began shopping my resume. Once again I had an abundance of opportunities available in a number of states where I could legally carry a gun for protection. With an even more challenging opportunity in hand, my wife and I relocated to the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, Washington. Like Florida, Washington will also issue a license to carry a firearm to Marylanders vacationing in the Pacific Northwest.

Were it simply my wife and I to leave Maryland, at least in part because of the firearm laws, I suppose one could consider this relatively insignificant. However, I personally know twelve (12) friends or their family members who left the State of Maryland at least in part because of the firearm laws and their inability to legally carry a firearm for protection. We’re all now living in the states of Florida, Washington, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. On occasion I mention having lived in Maryland in Email forums only to discover others who moved out of Maryland to neighboring Pennsylvania, Virginia and elsewhere at least in part because of the firearm laws. A commonality to all these states is that residents can legally carry a gun for protection.

Having moved out of Maryland in 1997, the concept of state government not allowing otherwise law abiding people to carry guns for protection is now so foreign to me that I would NEVER consider living in such a place again, EVER.

Despite the rantings of some hysterics, officials from any of the thirty (30) “shall issue” states seem willing to readily offer forth their experience with people licensed to carry guns in their state. They universally report NO problems. It seems true that guns are but mere tools, and in the hands of otherwise law abiding people, those law abiding people do NOT suddenly and unexplainably begin committing crimes of violence. Guns are NOT imbued with evil powers that corrupt good people.

On the other hand, a gun is the only tool that permits older, smaller, weaker and disabled people to protect themselves against attack at the hands of younger, larger, stronger or more physically fit criminals. Although I regularly practice Modern Arnis (Filipino martial arts) at a local martial arts school where the level of training is particularly ferocious and combat-oriented, at 6-1 and 165 lbs. I know that I stand very little chance in a fist fight trading punches with a 230 lb. or larger ex-con intent on collapsing my skull to eliminate witnesses who saw him rob yet another gas station or liquor store. I carried a gun whenever and wherever possible in Florida, and I continue to do so in Washington.

Here in the State of Washington, I’ve been extremely fortunate to benefit from advanced firearm training at an absolutely world class training facility, The Firearms Academy of Seattle, available only to police officers, persons with concealed firearm licenses, or those who have otherwise passed some sort of criminal background investigation. The owners of the facility, Marty and Gila Hayes, are themselves sworn, serving police officers who have an obvious interest in the lives and well being of both police officers and law abiding citizens. In almost every class I’ve attended, including classes I attended the weekend of January 29th and 30th, there has been at least one police officer. Every single officer I’ve talked with has absolutely no problem or concerns at all with law abiding people carrying firearms for protection. Quite the contrary, the officers recognize how much easier their job becomes because of people willing to protect themselves and protect those around them when criminal predators go in search of prey.

Once, while living in Miami, I used a gun to protect myself. As is the case in most self defense encounters, my gun was not fired. It’s mere presence, and my willingness to use it had that been necessary, was enough to deter my would-be attacker. Had I been living in Maryland at the time, I might simply have been relieved of some money, but I might also have suffered debilitating injuries or worse. Fortunately I didn’t get to find out.

Critics would probably discount my experience because I didn’t actually kill or shoot someone with my gun. Such a claim is beyond ludicrous. Police departments are NOT judged by the number of criminals they shoot or kill. Why should one apply such a ridiculous standard to the citizenry?

While living in Maryland, my wife was assaulted on several occasions. Although her willingness to fight back no doubt deterred her attackers, a more determined foe could have easily inflicted terrible harm and left me more than a little despondent. The criminal attacks I endured while living in Maryland included robbery at gunpoint and threatened with a firearm.

Anecdotal evidence is often discounted by some, so I offer forth some crime statistics and additional pertinent information.

1) Washington State reportedly has the highest concentration of persons with a license to carry a concealed firearm. This is not surprising as in 1987 Washington was but one of seven (7) “shall issue” states that allowed law abiding people to carry guns for protection. According to the Bureau of the Census and U.S. Department of Commerce, as reported in my 2000 World Almanac, Washington state had a population of 5,689,263 in 1998. According to an Email I received from the Washington State Department of Licensing in May of 1999, there were 234,274 valid Washington Concealed Pistol Licenses at that time. My math says that 4.12 percent of the overall population in Washington is licensed to carry guns. If reports are correct that about 20 percent of the overall U.S. population is school aged children, then 5.15 percent of the adult population in Washington who COULD are legally licensed to carry guns.

2) I know from applying for my Washington Concealed Pistol License that Washington State requires absolutely NO training at all to obtain a license to carry a gun. Nada, Zip, Zilch, Nothing. Just fill out an application, pay $60, have your fingerprints rolled, and if one isn’t a convicted felon or escaped fugitive, a Concealed Pistol License will be issued. [Note: Although state law requires no training, and I would vigorously oppose efforts to establish training requirements as they are merely unneeded hurdles intent on discouraging people from carrying guns, I strongly advise and encourage people to seek out and obtain the most training available within their budget. This is not an area into which I would like to see government impose it's will, but I suppose reasonable people can differ.]

3) Back to my 2000 World Almanac and crime statistics from the 1998 FBI Uniform Crime Report. Washington State has crime rates (per 100,000 people) of 3.9 for murder, 115.6 for robbery, and 260.8 for aggravated assault. Maryland, on the other hand, has crime rates (per 100,000 people) of 10.0 for murder, 298.7 for robbery, and 454.5 for aggravated assault. For additional comparison, in the other Washington — Washington, D.C. — crime rates (per 100,000 people) are 49.7 for murder, 689.5 for robbery, and 943.0 for aggravated assault. Golly gee. I sure am glad Washington, D.C. has an all but total ban on ALL guns and legally prohibits self defense with a firearm, even in one’s own home. [This last sentence was completely facetious except for the fact that Washington, D.C. prohibits self defense with a firearm.]

So, out here in the Evergreen State there are lots of people carrying guns with no training requirements under law. Yet somehow the crime rates are below the national average, far below the averages in Maryland, and a chasm below the averages in the Nation’s Capital.

I suppose this has been sufficiently long winded. I do hope you can find some use for my words in furthering SB234. If I can be of any assistance in this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Over the years, I’ve tracked down more than a little information available online concerning this subject.

Thank you for your time,

Ken Grubb
Bellevue, WA
formerly of Maryland Legislative District 22A