Douglas Weil

Douglas Weil is research director at the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, an organization that works to reduce gun violence through research, advocacy, and education. In the following viewpoint, he argues that laws that allow civilians to carry concealed weapons endanger the public. Under these laws, writes Weil, the only requirement for a concealed-carry permit is that the applicant has not been convicted of a violent crime. This system, he asserts, enables many ill-tempered, poorly trained, and unstable people to carry guns. Weil points to examples of violent incidents involving concealed-carry permit holders. Finally, he argues that studies linking concealed-carry laws to reduced crime are groundless.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is wrong with Texas’s background check system for applicants who want to...