Jenn Jacques: It’s up to You, New York, New York

On Saturday, a North Carolina woman who had recently relocated to Brownsville, New York, shot her ex-boyfriend when he attempted to break into her apartment.

Police say 30-year-old Marlon Womack stormed the woman’s apartment by kicking in the door only to find her ready to defend herself with a .40 caliber handgun. The 52-year-old woman, identified as Tonya Wooten, took aim and shot Womack in the neck. But police say that although the handgun was legal in North Carolina, she had not yet received a New York handgun permit for the weapon.

In other words, while Womack, who is in stable condition at Brookdale Hospital, may be facing charges, so could Wooten.

Can you imagine facing charges for successfully defending your own life?

This is what police states like New York do to good citizens—they make them criminals for doing what no police were around to do. The role of the government should be to help citizens do what they cannot do for themselves, but good, law-abiding citizens have proven time and time again that we can and do defend ourselves and protect our loved ones.

The intent of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act is to ensure citizens’ rights do not end at any state line. While some supporters liken the legislation to driver’s licenses, driving a car is a privilege. The right to keep and bear arms is, just as it says, a constitutional right.

Regardless of their support for this common sense legislation, citizens of New York need to rally behind Wooten and stand up for this woman who is undoubtedly still shaken from her traumatic experience. No woman (or citizen, for that matter) should be punished for refusing to be a victim.

As every and any concealed carry permit holder will tell you, we do not ever want to draw our weapon, but we stand ready to do so if the need should arise. And that need knows no state line.

Jenn Jacques is an Independent Women’ Forum fellow and a guest columnist for “Down Range with AWR Hawkins.”