I am a "liberal pansie" on most topics. However, I am a huge supporter of concealed carry. I think the difference between the 2 sides is often how one is raised. Liberals tend to think that a gun fires without anyone attached to it. I was raised with a father that made me learn to shoot, and, shoot well. I am very, very feminine and personally would never hunt or do anything of the sort, but, I can defend my children if need be. The criminals have the upper hand right now. They know that those of us that are law-abiding citizens are helpless. It has to do with peoples' fear of guns. Many of my liberal friends act like a gun is going to just "go off" and start killing people. A gun is only as dangerous as its user and if one is licensed to properly and safely use the gun, no one is in danger. However, with the idiot gangster wannabes doing their drive-bys, innocent lives are lost because they DONT KNOW how to shoot a target....

I guess their silence speaks to the depths of their arguments!

Why is it none of the "liberal pansies" (their term) care to address the fact that none of the other 48 states have experienced the predicted bloodbath since allowing concealed carry? We're not asking for a "leap of faith"--IT'S ALREADY BEEN SUCCESSFULLY TESTED!!

curtaincall - "So we should fight violence with more violence? That is just stupid. Enough idiots with guns running around out there without adding more legally or not."

Nice! and what would you do or want done if that was your wife, daughter or sister that was yelling for help? "please, sir dont hurt her - let's go sit down and discuss this" - THUMP - there goes goes your head!!!

some of you just dont get it - we all probably wouldnt be here if it weren't for conceal & carry. What do you think the Cold War was? They (USSR) actually had to think twice BEFORE attacking the US - they knew we had the weapons - just didnt know where they were pointed & weather or not we would actually use them is/was irrelavent. This is the same thing - maybe just maybe - someone would think twice before attacking someone else - they just dont know what they may have. The way it is the only people carrying guns are the criminals & they know it.

oh...and thank you Mayor Barrett for being a shining example of a true American. Your selflessness should set the bar for the rest of us.

I'm sorry, how many people died in this incident? And how many potential fatalities would there have been WITH guns involved?

Perhaps I'm a liberal "pansie," but the less weapons we have being toted around, the less chance of unnecessary deaths. Saying that concealed weapons can be controlled with licensing and education is a shortsighted and ignorant thought - I guess if the shoe fits.....

quam6535 - If this guy is dumb enough to bring a pipe to a gun fight, and then try to attack me with it, guess what? You guessed it, 2 to the body and one to the head! One less piece of garbage that society will have to deal with in the future!

I wonder what kind of sound it makes when a liberal gets hit in the head with a pipe.

I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth, so "fidpan"--feel free to correct me if you feel misrepresented. What I(possibly "we") would say is that's a consistent stand--crocodile tears for the violent preying on the innocent & defenseless, but not a shred of concern for the victims!

fldpln...I am not sure what my stand on abortion has to do with this story...since you asked I am pro-choice... by the way you can do all the training you want but how many poiceman have died in the line of duty carring a weapon?

fldpan-I will answer that one for you- A fetus is not a life, right CUBFAN?

These are the same people who let terrorists go free because we hurt their little feelings.

In addition, they also think that the Sept. 11, 2001 cowardly attack (not tragedy) was our fault and we deserved it.

And, liberals have enormous compassion for criminal predators, but little for the victims.

Private ownership of guns is the single greatest symbol of individual power, and therefore is despised by Liberals.

Ok...so the mayor is allowed to carry a weapon
He pulls it out and doesn't get a shot off before the criminal attacks him,takes the gun kills the mayor and maybe shoots his kids also.
So now what do all you "conceal carry" advocates say to that?

Way to go, future Governor :)

I think the POINT of concealed carry in this case would be that the mayor could merely draw it and the criminal drop the weapon. The reality is this: CRIMINALS have concealed carry already. Why shouldn't our MAYOR?

Sounds like we need Pipe Control - a state background check with a 48 hour waiting period for pipes less than 16" and a Federal background check on all other pipes. If said pipe is painted black, then it is especially evil, dangerous and scary and must be banned outright. No one should have a use for a black pipe...

I'll just say it: He's a hero. He came to the aide of someone being attacked and defended this person despite facing and being injured in the process. Kudos, Mayor Barrett!

oh yeah -what kind of people would want a shoot-out in a amusement parking lot filled with people? NRA people yaaaaaaaaaa. cars filled with bullets, shrapnel flying all around.-- wannabe action movie stars? nope NRA nuts !!!

janesvillecomments--You've got a good start there, but you stopped short. You failed to address the issues of micro-stamping all those weapons, registering them, licensing their owners, & minimum age requirements--& let's make sure they can't be purchased through the mail or out-of-state! Then peace will reign & we'll all start loving our brothers!

Everyone, please note there's an update posted above now that answers some of your questions.

well if it were the wild west maybe things would be a whole lot safer.........I'm going to have to side with reason here......................Conceal carry needs to happen here in Wisconskin. I can just hear it in court.....but your honor my client didn't attack the mayor......the pipe did it......oh wait i thought I was in the other story about guns........

Do you people not realize you are talking about taking the life of another person at YOUR discretion? This isn't the f-ing wild west

You all are missing the point. Wisconsin should ban the concealed carry of pipes. That would have prevented the attack.
.
Representative Sheridan and Senator Robson co-authoring , AB357/SB38 prohibiting the possession of concealed pipes, prohibiting the possession of concealed 2x4s, prohibiting the possession of concealed tire irons, prohibiting the possession of common sense... oh wait, that one apparently is already on the books.

Glock21, I think what nocheapthrill was getting at was this. If off-duty cops in Janesville can't take down a would be robber without half the public freaking out about it, they sure would flip out if the mayor of Milwaukee defended himself by shooting someone that was attacking him. I think he was being sarcastic. I think. I'm probably wrong.

So we should fight violence with more violence? That is just stupid. Enough idiots with guns running around out there without adding more legally or not.

Doesn't the Mayor have a secuity detail? where were his wife and children? I am glad he's going to be ok. His wife's family still live in Beloit and coninue business here.

What, just because he is the Mayor of a large city he shouldn't be allowed to defend himself?? Oh, that's me rolling my eyes just in case you couldn't tell!!! There is no reason that WI and Ill. is the only 2 states without concealed carry, you don't see blood running in the streets in all the other states that do allow it do you??? Get your head out of your arse!!!!

Yeah, that's what the MAYOR should've done. Pop a cap in that guy's ass. You can't see me rolling my eyes, but I am.

jj is right, wisconsin is way behind the rest of the country. we just have too many freaks in madison that just don't get it.

Why is Wisconsin one of only two states that do not have concealed carry permits. Maybe things would have gone differently in this situation.

Apparently cell phones don't work all that well for self defense.

I hope he is ok. He is married to a woman from Beloit.

Sounds like he may have saved that woman...

WOW!! I hope he's okay!