Local 24 News political analyst and commentator Otis Sanford shares his point of view on Gov. Bill Lee’s permit-less carry gun bill.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Governor Bill Lee has totally given in to the far right-wing of the Republican Party on the most extreme proposal ever involving guns. Lee is now backing legislation to allow people over 21 to carry a handgun in public without a permit – which also means without any firearms training.

When he was running for governor, Lee said he opposed eliminating the handgun carry permit. But these days, this governor is being forced to bend to the will of GOP legislative leaders, who in turn keep bending to the will of the NRA.

The problem is - most people who work in law enforcement and criminal justice believe this is a terrible idea that will make citizens far less safe. Shelby County’s District Attorney Amy Weirich was spot on when he said Lee’s proposal makes no sense. She also posed the right question: is it really asking too much for someone to get a permit to carry a deadly weapon on our streets?

Apparently, Governor Lee believes it is. He’s calling this the constitutional carry bill that would apply to law-abiding citizens. But just because a person has never been to jail, that does not automatically make them law-abiding.