Today Governor Maggie Hassan vetoed Senate Bill 116 aka Constitutional Carry. Proponents of this bill have implored Governor Hassan to end almost 100 years of state-sanctioned discrimination, racism and gender bias but Hassan chose to allow it to continue.
In Hassan’s press release she states that anyone who is discriminated against will be able to seek recourse through the court system. This shows that indeed she knows discrimination occurs but chose to continue to allow it. Unfortunately not every person who is discriminated against has the means to seek recourse. Lawyers and lawsuits are expensive and time consuming.
From Hassan’s statement:
“New Hampshire law already allows for the open carry of handguns without a permit, and it also ensures that an appeal process is in place when a permit is denied.”
Hassan is saying that everyone should just open carry a firearm. She’s telling women who want to carry to protect themselves to open carry so they can be potential targets for criminals. Hassan is using the excuse that there is an appeals process for those who are discriminated against. Clearly Hassan only believes the wealthy who can afford lawyer fees, court fees and time off from work should be able to seek recourse.
Abused or stalked women who need to immediately concealed carry in order to protect themselves and the lives of their families don’t have 14 days to hope their police chief decides they are a “suitable” person. Open carrying does nothing to resolve this situation. These women will either have to hide and hope their attacker doesn’t attack them in public or break the law by carrying a loaded firearm illegally.
Hassan can no longer claim to be a proponent of women’s rights in New Hampshire. Not only did she choose to veto modernizing women’s rights but she is victimizing women who have already been victims. The original pistol license became law under Democrat Fred Herbert Brown. Discrimination, gender bias and racism reign under another Democrat 90 year later only this time, ironically, that Democrat is a woman.
