Letter to my hometown editor

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My town is located beside an Army post and is very pro-military. That made it a little surprising last year when the city council banned guns in city parks. There's been plenty of discussion because it's up for another vote on Thursday. Below is my published letter to the editor. It may have some useful arguments for other places:

This is to discuss the upcoming council vote to permit lawful citizens to carry guns in city parks. I note that the vote does not apply to those who illegally carry guns for they will continue to do so regardless. Nor am I concerned about the training issue in an area that has among the highest population of military retirees in the country. That group along with active duty folks means that Clarksville has a greater proportion of people trained on safe handling of firearms than any town I can think of.

However, I feel that the opposition to lawful carry has ironically made the parks more dangerous. Now more outlaws (who, by definition, ignore ordinances) will be aware of where to find a disarmed public - in places often complete with seclusion and concealment. We can't predict how many more evildoers or criminal acts are added to the mix if the council votes to disarm lawful citizens. However whenever a robbery, rape, or other violent crime succeeds in a park, some council members should consider how their action facilitated the crime. They should wonder if they encouraged the criminal that it was safe.

In short, by knocking the weapons out of the hands of law abiding citizens the council would be aiding and abetting the criminal. Clarksville should give its citizens the same ability to prevent harm as criminals take to cause harm.