According to a report by WTSP, officials in Iowa have started granting permits to allow individuals who are legally or completely blind to acquire and/or carry guns in public.
Here’s some news that has law enforcement officials and lawmakers scratching their heads:
Iowa is granting permits to acquire or carry guns in public to people who are legally or completely blind.
No one questions the legality of the permits. State law does not allow sheriffs to deny an Iowan the right to carry a weapon based on physical ability.
The quandary centers squarely on public safety. Advocates for the disabled and Iowa law enforcement officers disagree over whether it’s a good idea for visually disabled Iowans to have weapons.
On one side: People such as Cedar County Sheriff Warren Wethington, who demonstrated for The Des Moines Register how blind people can be taught to shoot guns. And Jane Hudson, executive director of Disability Rights Iowa, who says blocking visually impaired people from the right to obtain weapon permits would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. That federal law generally prohibits different treatment based on disabilities
On the other side: People such as Dubuque County Sheriff Don Vrotsos, who said he wouldn’t issue a permit to someone who is blind. And Patrick Clancy, superintendent of the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, who says guns may be a rare exception to his philosophy that blind people can participate fully in life.
As the report notes, Iowa state law does not allow sheriffs to deny any resident of that state the right to carry a weapon based on physical ability, but I can’t help but wonder about how wise it is to have individuals who are either legally or completely blind carrying firearms in public.
H/T to Crooks and Liars.
And Scott Walker snaps his fingers and say “Darn! Why didn’t I think of that!”.