Oak Lawn Residents React to Concealed Carry Passage

On Tuesday afternoon, Illinois became the last state to legalize the private, licensed carry of concealed firearms with the General Assembly overriding Gov. Pat Quinn's veto before a court-ordered deadline.

From shouts of hallelujah to screams of disbelief, reactions from our readers could not be more polarized. 

• • Mark K: Watch that murder rate plummet now!
  • Bobby G: Illinois has had no carry policy up to today and we have had the highest gun violence rate in the country what does that have to say
  • Bruce H: positive change for sure. I dont know why people think chicago will be the only exception of concealed carry to raise violence. There is statistic proof that citizens that carry make a town safer. People who say otherwise probably know nothing about previous studies and just say guns are bad.
  • Jan H: Time to go shopping for a pretty little pistol.
  • Michael C: I'm glad it went threw. Some of the neighborhoods I work in, the police ain't gonna save me. At least these thugs don't know if I could be carrying and they might think twice. 
  • Ann B: Law abiding citizens carry and handle their guns responsibly. It's the criminals that are the problem. 
  • Dan T: Yes i believe there will be more killings but it wont be the innocent people dieing it will be the criminals.They will think twice about robing you now.
  • Velma S: I just pray people who have self control and regulation problems and are not diagnosed do not go crazy with this it is kind of scary to think there are going to be people that have mental illnesses that are not disgnosed and have no mental history now able to conceal and carry...
  • Mandi B: For people saying that we have the highest gun violence rate in the country I'm not sure where you're getting your data from. We don't even rank in the top 10 let alone the highest! Perhaps I'm not reading the right reports but according to the census we're nowhere near the highest.
  • Kevin B: We are the last state to approve concealed carry. Not one state has had to repeal the law because of a spike in gun violence. If anything, it's putting guns in right hands so people can protect themselves.
  • Danielle S: I'll be spending more time at home. This is going to cause more violence for sure! Not happy!
  • Terri R: I think they should not be allowed in bars, but I am glad it passed. I will be carrying one.
  • Sheila M: I'm happy about it. I have to admit I'm curious to see changes in the gun violence statistics.
  • Jamie S: I think it will decrease violence. Most of the shootings are done by coward gangbangers bc they know that odds are those around them don't have guns. Now they will have no clue who does. All it will take I think is 1 dumbass coward to shoot at someone and then end up shot himself for people to catch on
  • Olaf P: If you ever went on vacation out of state, you were among concealed carry holders. So what was your experience?
  • Michael P: Finally, something good has come out of Springfield!
    
  • Dan G: How could gun violence possibly increase? Now at least law abiding citizens can legally protect themselves from the ruthless thugs that run the streets.
  • Bill C: Long overdue, and the new law is still too restrictive.
    
  • Dave B: now we have the legal nuts armed
  • Bill C: I don't see how anyone would NOT want this. The other 49 states did it and there crime rates are down, as ours goes up and up and up. The criminals ( gang bangers ) they interviewed in prison even said " they fear the citizen with a gun ,before they fear the police". At least Now we the people will have a fighting chance.
  • Donald W: If the bad guys already carry them, then the innocent should have the right to defend themselves. But Brian is right the ISP and our elected officails will do everything they can to prolong and disrupt this decision. Vote Quinn out and put a Pro-Gun Govenor in...
    
  • Jerald M: I am thinking it will make criminals think twice before they do anything. It evens the score with defense now. It has worked here in Missouri and I think it will do well in Illinois.
  • Dana P: According to the news there are quite a few restrictions on where you can carry a concealed weapon. What are all of you going to do with you're gun when you are out for the day and want to use one of these places? Please don't leave them in your cars where criminals can add another gun to their collection. In all this tough talk, I haven't heard anyone address living with knowledge that YOU took another persons life. There are a lot of men suffering from PTSD because they were asked to take a life in a war. This is a serious responsibility. I hope before any of you decide to pull that trigger and take a life that you make sure it is absolutely necessary to preserve your own life.
  • Joe W: It's about time! Law abiding citizens are NOT going to start committing crimes just because we are now allowed to protect ourselves just like people in 49 other states. The chaos that Gov Quinn has been "warning" us about hasn't happened in any other state with concealed carry!
  • Kevin M: I'm 100% for it, sorry for all the people that think a law abiding citizen should not have a weapon, but all the criminals don't care and will have weapons whether you want them to or not. Maybe just maybe criminals will think twice now. I know I'll protect my family at all costs!
  • Edgar R: I personally would not buy a gun but I'm all for concealed carry. Hopefully scumbags will think twice before robbing anyone.
  • Kevin P: Nothing will change. I believe it's all about your own perceptions of feeling safe.