It's important to note that almost every single one* of the states which have become 'shall issue' CCW (or RTC 'right to carry gun' or LTC 'license') states, in the past ~25 years, had the shall issue law forced upon them, against the majority public 'will of the people'; .. those shall issue concealed carry laws were generally forced thru by republican legislatures once the political pendulum became favorable for them, & thus democrat opposition could not stop them. In the 90's public opposition was strong against shall issue ccw.
*Currently Illinois will become shall issue tomorrow july9,2013 evidently, coincidentally (& not included in above), but it's a special case to be remarked upon later.
A 1999 NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll found that 73% of Americans disapprove of making it easier for people to legally carry concealed weapons
.. Things have changed since then, after gwbush backed into his presiduncy & became a clandestine nra board member, but carrying concealed is still viewed disfavorably as much as not: A slight majority of Americans – 52% – oppose laws that authorize the carrying of concealed weapons CNN/Opinion Research Corp. Poll,(June 28, 2008),
..1999 survey, overwhelming majority said “No,” regarding whether average citizens should be allowed to bring their guns into restaurants (88%), college campuses (94%), sports stadiums (94%), bars (93%), hospitals (91%), or govt buildings (92%). http://smartgunlaws.org/polling-on-carrying-concealed-weapons/
two different Mason-Dixon polls 1995 found 62% of registered Texas voters opposed concealed firearms legislation (what TexGov Anne Richards used to proclaim 'texas did not need concealed carry', which gunlobby misrepresented as anti-rights etc).
2 A poll Louisiana found 60% registered voters opposed legislation to weaken the state’s may issue law. Mason-Dixon poll Louisiana, May6,1995.
3 Virginia, 1995 Richmond Times Dispatch poll found 56% state’s voters thought shall issue law would contribute to violence, while 28% would improve public safety.
4 1994, 48% Missouri believed allowing concealed weapons would cause crime; 14% crime would decrease.
5 1995 poll 61% Colorado residents opposed making it easier to carry concealed weapons, even if background check.
6 1994 Michigan poll 76% of Michigan adults opposed relaxing state law to make it easier to carry concealed firearm.
7 Illinois, 1995 State Police poll 73% of state voters opposed changing the may issue concealed firearm law. Press Release, Illinois State Police News, Springfield, Ill, April 13, 1995. http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/97/07/97007.pdf
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