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Kenn Blanchard’s CCW Diary Pt. 1: “Good and Substantial”

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Maryland flag

I’ve carried a sidearm since 1983. I did it first as a US Marine embassy guard and then as a federal police officer. I’ve been an executive protection specialist and traveled armed overseas, on planes and in the homes of national figures. I’ve been trained to teach others. I’ve taught students at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. I have an active national security clearance. I am an ordained member of clergy. I live in Maryland where none of this matters. Here, a person has to prove “good and substantial reason” before being granted a permit to carry a firearm for their own protection . . .

The reasoning for this, according to Daniel Vice, senior attorney for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, is that “Concealed carry laws that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people are exactly what the public demands to keep communities as safe as possible.” While that sounds good as a sound bite, the reality is dangerous criminals do not obey gun laws. The fact is that people who will murder others don’t stop trying to get a gun until they do. This type of thing has never helped save a life.

Maryland’s laws require permit applicants to provide documentation that they need to carry a gun for work use or they face a specific threat.

I had one for six months in Maryland when I was working for a small private detective company that has since gone under. I was really good at my job and found everyone I was looking for. It never turned out well for the client.

(Side note: if a wayward father is missing in your life, you will find out that you are not missing anything if I find him.)

The recent lawsuit filed and won against the state in 2010 by Raymond Woollard, who got a Maryland gun permit in 2003 after an armed altercation inside his home, was reversed. Maryland State Police and the state’s Handgun Permit Review Board denied him a renewal in 2009 because he could not provide documents to “verify threats beyond his residence.”

After twenty years of advocating for the right to keep and bear arms around the country, and my recent resurgence into the public eye, my wife is concerned with my safety. Her intuition has saved me before. In the past few weeks I have been on C-SPAN, local news networks, NPR and several online magazines as an unlikely advocate against gun control. I am applying for a permit to carry. I don’t expect it to go well, but the fight is on.

In 1976, there was a class action suit filed by a group of African Americans that proved that the permit system was biased. Not much has changed. When I was a Maryland State Police (MSP) certified firearm instructor, I used to get calls from people to get re-qualified to keep their permits that didn’t go through all the hoops people like me do. They were oblivious to it, but I wasn’t.

According to MSP, the handgun review board received 5,216 permit requests last year. It rejected 251. Of those thrown out, 179 were denied because applicants did not give a “good and substantial” reason.

I will be chronicling this process so that others can follow me. I have a plan to create a nonprofit organization that teaches firearm safety and concealed carry from home security to marksmanship and from proficiency to acquiring their concealed carry permits.

“The great object is, that every man be armed. […] Every one who is able may have a gun.” — Patrick Henry, speech of June 14 1788

This is just the beginning. I’ll keep you updated. Stay tuned…

 

The Reverend Kenn Blanchard is a former US Marine, federal police officer, intelligence officer and trainer. Twitter: kennblanchard Website: kennblanchard.com. Email: [email protected]

 

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KennBlanchard

Christian pro-gun pastor, conversative African American, former US Marine, former federal police officer known as the Black Man With A Gun

0 thoughts on “Kenn Blanchard’s CCW Diary Pt. 1: “Good and Substantial””

  1. An excellent review. Whenever I take my fence-sitter friends shooting for the first time, I ALWAYS make sure to show them clips from films like this back to back with one of Hickok45’s youtube videos beforehand. They learn what guns are vs. what those bastards in Hollywood want you to think they are pretty quick. When I told a friend that the AR-15 fires a .22 caliber bullet he didn’t believe me. I stood .22LR and .223 casings side by side and his jaw dropped. Sometimes it just takes that flip of the light switch moment.

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  2. he could not provide documents to “verify threats beyond his residence.”

    You mean street criminals didn’t serve him with a proper notarized Notice Of Threat? Tsk, Tsk. Why, that’s positively uncivilized. There ought to be a law.

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    • I’m going to require any and all criminals to first give me a written 30 day Notice of Threat before they assault me on the street or at home. That way I’ll have “justifiable need” (in NJ) and it will give the cops enough time to issue a carry permit. Thus the cops can’t refuse to give me the permit and I’ll always be protected. Makes perfect sense.

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  3. Talking to a cop in this type of situation makes you dumber and them smarter. If the po-po showed up at my door and asked to enter, I’d ask why. If there were there for me, I’d tell them to get a warrant. If they were there to ask me if I knew the family of my next door neighbor who just dropped dead, I’d ask the cops if I could make them some coffee. Different responses for different situations.

    In either case, l wouldn’t let them in. i don’t let anyone in my home who I don’t know unless they have an appointment.

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    • brianon,

      As a former resident of the socialist people’s republic of Maryland I wouldn’t praise their flag too greatly. Sure it may look visually interesting to some people, but the flag is a symbol of the state and symbols are chosen to have meaning.

      I think it telling that Maryland’s flag is the only one in the USA that copies the heraldic crest from the colony’s founding family. That a state in the post-Revolutionary period would have chosen to cling to the feudal privilege handed out by the King and keep that symbol alive to this day speaks volumes about the deepness and the conviction of the need for the citizenry to bow down and serve their betters, and of course, that the betters are the ones in charge of the government.

      I much prefer the flag of my current state of residence, the one immediately to the south of Maryland, which states “Sic Semper Tyrannis,” something the little slice of purgatory between Maryland and Virginia would do well to remember.

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  4. I can’t knock the guy for what he said. At all.

    Scary situation.

    He is allowed by law to shoot an intruder. He even warned the guy.

    That he said some choice words before shooting the subject should have no bearing on his actions in as far as anyone attempting to deem his actions in this shooting ‘illegal’ because ‘he said ______ ‘.

    He protected himself and his family. Good job. Sad place to be in as well.

    No telling what I might be saying if someone breaks in here.

    Of course, ‘Go ahead, make my day’ wouldn’t be one of them.

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  5. Sounds mostly like it was time for a cop.

    Stuff like this is why I carry a small pocket voice recorder that is “instant on” with the touch of a button. Heck the thing can record for 30 hours at a pop so when I used to drive limo I would often just turn it on in the morning and just let it run. If nothing happened that day I just deleted the file.

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  6. Thank you for your calling, your service, your work, your words, and your continued work in bringing logic to an illogical situation.

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  7. Another aspect to this. What do you think would happen if the teenager’s father was home and saw an angry guy point a gun at the teenager in the driveway? Angry guy is very fortunate an equally angry father didn’t shoot him dead in the front yard with a scoped deer rifle.

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  8. “It’s scary living in a state where I feel I can not even properly protect myself and my family.”

    I’ve dealt this this several times in the last few years. I too live here in Souther California. This state is COMPLETELY anti gun. I went as far as to remove ALL STICKERS AND EMBLEMS even remotely associating myself with the way of the gun.

    I am a co-organizer of a decent sized target shooting group, and I’ve heard plenty of stories, tales of woe, and first hand experience involving either of the following.

    1) Cops pulling you over, no idea why, they ask if you have any guns in the car, with no other explanation.
    2) People being pulled over and having their vehicle searched for “illegal weapons” because the individual had an NRA/CRPA/CalGuns/CGF sticker on their car. Usually in conjunction with a simple traffic stop.
    3) I personally went for a walk down the street with a weighted backpack to “train” with my gear as part of an exercise regiment. My backpack was camo, and quite bulky being filled with a bunch of stuff. I was approached by officers in what he refereed to in court as “a mutual discussion.” I was asked the typical, “Whats going on buddy? Where you headed? What’s with the backpack? You mind showing us some ID?” – To which I refused, explained my intent, and carried on my way. Long story short was later stopped again for “entering a park after hours” – They followed me and allowed me to so regardless of the fact I did tell them my intent. Thankfully I had my phone recording. They found my pocket knife and made a HUGE deal out of it and asked me all kinds of questions regarding my camo backpack. “Was I in the military? Why do I have the gear in my backpack? Do I like to go camping? Whats with the knife?” etc.

    I’ve reached a point where I no longer choose to announce my support for our 2A rights in public, or even discuss my rights, or current events revolving around a heated social debate within earshot of anyone other than what is better known to our community as “the choir.”

    I fear that my neighbors will hear a discussion I’m having that may get a little heated, usually between my roommate and I, being the kind of person who likes to raise his voice as a means of “being more right” – I find myself attempting to speak over his yelling, at which point I usually realize the sliding door is open.

    A great example of my “earshot theory,” was last night. I awoke sometime after 3am, maybe 4am. I dont recall but the sound of traffic was light and similar to that of the earlier hours of the morning. I sleep with a window open. I overheard 3 males having a conversation outside of our building at street level. Calling to each other, and discussing which way they wanted to go. Most likely taggers, or drunks trickling out from one of the local watering holes. Though the timbre in their voices suggested they most likely had not been to the bar, or at least they weren’t inebriated. I could hear them plain as day. My roommate thinks I’m paranoid, but this comes from someone who thinks it’s ok to leave the apartment unlocked while he takes a 20minute walk to the store for smokes. No big deal right? Sorry, I’ve been burglarized in the past, and frankly I have more than enough ammo, magazines, electronics, and unsecured valuables to warrant locking the damn door. That being said, I try to maintain some level of OpSec, a level of which he has no regard for, further supporting my concern regarding our neighbors in the Glorious Golden State of The Peoples Democratic Republic of California.

    I EDC (though not today – lol) one of two knives. Numerous times I’ve forgotten, mostly because the option is not much of one when considering the shady people in this town. Just yesterday we had property theft at a bustling starbucks, a huge 15+ brawl followed by a small riot/unruly crowd a half mile or so from me, a second all out gangsta fist fight in a known “crack alley” and a ADW involving a 2×4 and a mad man bashing bus windows and punching random passers by, all in the mid day. I live in Venice Beach. OUr “ghetto” is pretty much left to a 6 block radius just outside of Oakwood Park. Other than that it’s usually not a bad place. When I go out i carry a knife. But I know, that I would be better served avoiding stupid people doing stupid things in stupid places, if I had the option or chose to endure cabin fever.

    This state is about to meet a torrent of new disarmament laws, those of which will serve to compliment the already existing, draconian laws in place. Anything DiFi has proposed, will be pushed here. We need everyones help to prevent that from happening, but no one seems to even consider California, one of the largest markets of gun buyers and enthusiasts this side of the Alamo.

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  9. The ATF accidentally sent some of these from Bud’s Liquor Store to Los Zetas in a botched tequila sting called Operation Stumbling & Slurring. Boy, were their faces red.

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  10. guys who favor the shotgun are just automatically UNSKILLED. They REFUSE to try their ability at a gathering of really skilled people, (ie, an IDPA or IPSC combat match) cause they know damned well how badly they will be shown up. TRY it, if you dare. i don’t mean compete with a handgun. i mean have some of the top hands go up against you and your shotgun. Simple little exercise, gun in hand, even let you shoulder the shotgun, 90 degree aim angle away from man target. first you pivot to your left and hit, then pistol man and you swap sides, so you swing to your right and hit. he’ll have hit the target before you, both times, by a wide margin of time. you’ll never even FIRE that shotgun, most likely, in a fight, cause you’ll get shot first.

    cops don’t get surprised much, cause they KNOW when they are responding to a high risk scenario. so what they use is NOT what you need.

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  11. I used to be a stasher but then after ten hot burglaries in two weeks in my neighborhood I started home carrying. Upon further review of my previous practice I realized how stupid that was. It really isn’t a bright idea to leave loaded guns around the house. Even with multiple locations you could end up with the BG between you and your closest piece.

    Home carry is the only way to go.

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  12. We “all” came out of Egypt? “All” of us? Man, you really went out of your way to strike a nerve for just about everyone with this post!

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  13. “Is it possible they’ve been misinformed?” Possible? Yes. Is it likely? No. It’s more likely that they are attempting to misinform us.

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  14. It boggles my mind that people think they can approach you in this way and then when they find out you dont think the way they do they can just start in on you about it.

    Next time call the police (yes I know) because harassment is not something people should be allowed to get away with.

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  15. Being an RN, and having worked a Psych Unit (I’m great with drunks), I sometimes have cast a wary eye at the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) that is written by the the very same people who making the money from mental illness. And you should read some the the controversy, even on a professional level, with the new DSM-V.

    Some examples of mental disorders which may raise your eyebrow too:

    Alcohol Dependence: if you’ve ever had a hangover, spent time buying beer, and craved a beer, all in 12 months, you’re mentally ill.
    Asperger syndrome: a bit nerdy? Fascinated with molecular structure?
    Attention deficit disorder: better quit telling people you are ADD. And don’t make any more careless mistakes in your paperwork.
    Bereavement/Grief: ever cried at a funeral?
    Brief psychotic disorder: includes postpartum depression, usually occurs about four weeks after giving birth.
    Caffeine-related disorder: no coffee.
    Caffeine-induced sleep disorder: no coffee before bed.
    Cannabis dependence: more than just a crime.
    Circadian rhythm sleep disorder: didn’t sleep all night?
    Communication disorder: includes “problems comprehending the commands of others.” Including Cuomo’s and Hizzoner Bloomberg’s, see?
    Dyslexia: ever hear about the dyslexic agnostic insomniac? He laid awake all night wondering if there really is a D_G.

    That’s all folk, for now. I gotta get back to work. Well, one more really fun one:

    Dyscalculia: or mathematics disorder, difficulty in learning or comprehending arithmetic. I sh%t you not.

    YOU ARE ALL SICK IN THE HEAD. ALL YOUR GUN ARE BELONG TO US! 😉

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  16. The timeline doesn’t even add up. They said he was going for maximum kills and it took 20 minutes for law enforcement/first responders to show up so he had 20 minutes to run out of ammo, but instead did all his killing in 5 minutes and did what for the next 15? He still had plenty of ammo left to jack up his score even higher being that there were some 700 kids still left in that school. None of this makes sense.
    Twenty minutes! WTF??? The police station is only 6 minutes away! Was there some donut convention going on in a neighboring town or something?

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  17. How is the desire to defend yourself or your family against violent crime — which by its very nature is frequently unpredictable — not a “good” or “substantial” reason to grant a CCW permit? It is certainly not a bad reason (a bad reason would be something like wanting to threaten people or behave unsafely), nor is it insubstantial (we’re talking about potentially defending your life or those of others).

    I haven’t read the statue, but unless there’s some language that says an applicant needs to meet a standard of demonstrating unusually good or exceptionally substantial cause, how can they deny “ordinary” good and substantial reasons?

    BTW, isn’t this what the Peruta ruling was about?

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