Should blind people be allowed to carry concealed?

[Brimstone]

Playing devil's advocate, if I were blind and had someone on top of me beating me to death I would like to have a pistol in my pocket.

[JBecker 72]

Just to be clear here, you guys who are pro blind CCW, we are talking completely blind, like Ray Charles blind. Would you want them driving a car? No. Would you want them operating heavy equipment? No. But somehow a firearm gets a pass.

I'm not for stripping rights from anyone, but there comes a time when you have to be realistic about what you can and can't do. And blind people can't see shit. Tell me again how many of you were taught sight picture isn't important?

[Apricotshot]

Just to be clear here, you guys who are pro blind CCW, we are talking completely blind, like Ray Charles blind. Would you want them driving a car? No. Would you want them operating heavy equipment? No. But somehow a firearm gets a pass.

I'm not for stripping rights from anyone, but there comes a time when you have to be realistic about what you can and can't do. And blind people can't see shit. Tell me again how many of you were taught sight picture isn't important?

There is a thing called contact gunshots. And they happen all the time. Basically a blind person could use a handgun like a bangstick when an attacker is commiting an attack.

Obviously the head shot at 15 yards isn't going to happen here.

[Gutshot John]

Just to be clear here, you guys who are pro blind CCW, we are talking completely blind, like Ray Charles blind. Would you want them driving a car? No. Would you want them operating heavy equipment? No. But somehow a firearm gets a pass.

False choice, like anything the devil is in the details but I wouldn't just put a gun into a blind person's hands and say "have at it."

Firearms aren't only used at distance.

Obviously they have to undergo training as to when and where they can use that firearm, and like everyone else they are responsible for every round they fire.

Even with two good eyes, I hear of people shooting innocent bystanders. Every shoothouse class I've been to, the cop always gets shot even with a badge plainly visible.

At least the blind KNOW they're blind.

With the proper training, clearly established rules, and regular practice, I see no problem with this, especially in their own home.

[JBecker 72]

I definitely don't see a problem with a blind person defending their home or target shooting at a range. And yes, I know humans make mistakes all the time. I still don't think it's a good idea to let a person lacking sight loose on the streets with a CCW. As was said earlier in the thread, being born blind or blinded at some point in life is a tough deal. Unfortunately that disability is going to come with significant limitations.

[Hmac]

Will said person be heading to the DMV to acquire a drivers license afterwards?

There's a constitutional right to drive?

[Gutshot John]

Unfortunately that disability is going to come with significant limitations.

What difference does it make if it's in their home or other? Bullets go through walls, and through people. Blind or not a bullet never misses.

Never said otherwise, but as someone pointed out it doesn't require a lot of eyesight to make a contact shot...a blind CCW can certainly work within those limitations with the proper training.

Just like someone who may have another physical handicap. They have to figure out how to overcome them.

If the blind can go to and from work without someone holding their hand, I'm sure they can figure out when they can and can't use their firearm.

[THCDDM4]

I definitely don't see a problem with a blind person defending their home or target shooting at a range. And yes, I know humans make mistakes all the time. I still don't think it's a good idea to let a person lacking sight loose on the streets with a CCW. As was said earlier in the thread, being born blind or blinded at some point in life is a tough deal. Unfortunately that disability is going to come with significant limitations.

I have (And others in this thread) elluded to the fact that there may be a circumstance where a blind person COULD effectively defend themselves with a gun without putting others in harms way. Mainly, extremely close up shots- body to body contact scenarios.

I think we all have an idea of what our limitations are and would be able to understand this in the heat fo the moment and act accordingly.

Why can't blind people be afforded the same rights and be trusted to limit themselves to teh VERY FEW scenarios where they could effectively defend there lives?

We have a saying here in Colorado on the mountains:

"Know your limit and ski within it"

It crosses over to all things in life.

I belive blind people can be trusted just as much as those of us with perfect or better sight to know when and when not to shoot. Blind people obviously not being able to shoot in MOST scenarios.

If I was blind, I would most certainly want to carry a gun in case a situation arose in which I needed it- and I would certainly be well aware of my limitations in employing the weapon.

I would know when and when not to shoot- the former being incredibly limited and the latter being 99.99% of situations.

It's as if some of you guys (Not directing this comment at anyone in aprticular) think that just because there a blind person has a gun on their persons they are going to shoot at anything anytime without knowing their limitations- is this how ALL CC'ers should be perceived as well?

[Moltke]

At least the blind KNOW they're blind.

And that's why 99% of them probably won't be carrying a gun.

Let the 1% that wants to carry a gun have at it, and then 1% of them who get robbed can either draw and shoot, or not. If they shoot the mugger, great. If they shoot the wrong person or otherwise do something stupid with it, then they can go to jail just like anyone else. You can't fix stupid, your can't prevent shootings or violence, and fact of the matter is - if blind people want to carry then they'll find a way to do it. Lets just treat them like regular people, let them decide for themselves, and then when they screw up they can continue to be treated like everyone else.

You want equality? You got it.

[tb-av]

Just to be clear here, you guys who are pro blind CCW, we are talking completely blind, like Ray Charles blind. Would you want them driving a car? No. Would you want them operating heavy equipment? No. But somehow a firearm gets a pass.

Yes, they could drive a car or heavy equipment under certain very extreme conditions and situations, much like their use of a firearm would likely entail. Like say me and a blind guy who happens to have a gun in his pocket are driving around. I get the truck stuck. I say ok, you get in the drivers seat. Just ease it forward as I try to get out there and wedge it out and push. After is comes free, just step on the brake. There is a cliff in front of you about 50 yards out... Can you do this? We only need to move it about 10 feet forward. Notice he's not afraid of running over the cliff and I'm not afraid of getting shot. It's kinda like real life

I'm not for stripping rights from anyone, but there comes a time when you have to be realistic about what you can and can't do. And blind people can't see shit. Tell me again how many of you were taught sight picture isn't important?

There are actually some really good , no sight picture videos on YT. What's even more bizarre is that the people can see.

You guys are trying to impose your limited scope scenarios that reflect a desired and predetermined outcome onto a person that lives a completely different life and would use the tool under a completely different circumstance.... a blind person would be dis-advantaged in use far beyond what a sighted person is, but they would not be 100% disadvantaged and under any given situation may actually make wiser decision than you. This doesn't mean they have some magic ability to shoot in the dark nor that they would suddenly suppose they do.

Create a realistic scenario for the blind person. Stop pretending as though being blind means you have the reasoning power of a two year old.

Liberal point: "This -could- happen" so we need to make a rule about it.

The reality is... you are in no more danger from a blind person having a gun in their pocket than you are anything else in life. If anything, blind people are probably inherently more cautious than sighted people.