January 13, 2001

8:15 PM

North Dakota Blind man gets weapons permit :FARGO, N.D. (AP) - Carey McWilliams has a concealed weapons permit from the state of North Dakota and isn't afraid to use a gun - even though he's blind...
posted by crunchland (14 comments total)

Now I believe in the Second Amendment but there are limits. In a "self-protection" situation, I have no doubt he'd be able to hit his assailant if he squeezes off enough rounds. I'd just be worried about what else he's going to hit with his strays.

Let's hope he never has to use it.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 8:31 PM on January 13, 2001

Maybe he just liked to take guns apart and put them back together really fast. You know how they do it in the ARMY, blind-folded, but you know, he's blind.
posted by tiaka at 9:21 PM on January 13, 2001

There's a lot that can be argued over the second ammendment. It was never meant to allow every normal citizen the right to carry a weapon. It's a leftover from revolutionary days, stating that you had the right to organize militias and whatnot.
posted by tomorama at 9:23 PM on January 13, 2001

The less guns carried around by private citizens, the better.
posted by tomorama at 9:24 PM on January 13, 2001

If a fucking blind man can pass the shooting test required for a gun permit with unlimited tries, WTF is the point of the test in the first place????? I happen to live in Fargo and I hope to never see the likes of this guy.
posted by grank at 1:20 AM on January 14, 2001

I hope to never see the likes of this guy.

He sure won't be seeing you. Haha, get it? seeing.

posted by thirteen at 1:39 AM on January 14, 2001

I assume he's taking his driving test next week.
posted by holgate at 2:30 AM on January 14, 2001

This is really, really stupid or am I just too blind to see it?
posted by lagado at 6:20 AM on January 14, 2001

Why couldn't a blind person with amazing hearing aim at and shoot an attempted murderer by ear any worse than a sighted person would do by eye?

Do attempted murderers sound differently than, say, the kid delivering the paper or a meter reader?
posted by rcade at 7:04 AM on January 14, 2001

I don't think this is about defense against murderers. I think this is about defense against muggers.

Muggers sound different because they say "Give me your wallet." That's rather unambiguous.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 7:45 AM on January 14, 2001

Unfortunately, there's nothing in the Second Amendment about not arming idiots. . . (under which I'd file a near blind man who thinks a gun will protect him).
posted by Mr. skullhead at 1:53 PM on January 14, 2001

Unfortunately, there's nothing in the Second Amendment about not arming idiots

Which goes a long way toward explaining the NRA's thriving membership.
posted by Optamystic at 5:32 PM on January 14, 2001

It seems no more or less "insane" for a blind man to hold a license to carry a gun than the usual suspect whose disabilities may be less immediately obvious. If anything, and assuming this man cited "home protection" as a reason for wishing to own a gun...........I would suggest that a blind person is more, not less able to know when they have an intruder in the house and if anything, more of a deterrent to an intruder, (the first shot may not be a warning, or it may not)

As most guns cause far more problems than they solve, it seems disingenuous to deny the most vulnerable in society the right to own a gun. They should never have to make that decision it’s true, but the amount of guns that are in society (and the relentless idiotic spiel from the NRA) eventually has the net effect of making ordinary people feel like they must own a gun - or be at the mercy of them.
posted by lucien at 9:44 PM on January 15, 2001