Face it. Guns can be intimidating. That's how I felt until several crimes were committed against me and my family. I now find myself embracing concealed carry.

The thought of Wisconsin allowing people to carry concealed guns has brought on a new type of "fear of the unknown." What many people in Wisconsin don't realize, though, is that we are already an "open carry" state. That is, you can carry a gun, but it must be out in the open.

You might not have known that because not many people avail themselves of that law. The talk surrounding concealed carry seems watered down, in light of that.

Proponents of concealed carry state the main reason they want to carry at all, whether concealed or not, is for personal protection. They are not a group of crazed, power-hungry, vigilante wannabes. They are mostly average Americans in favor of preserving their most "prized possession," their loved ones.

Kenosha Police Chief John Morrissey is in agreement with me. In his opinion, some people who shouldn't have guns already have them. He feels law-abiding citizens who are going to carry a gun will do so for personal protection only.

His support of concealed carry is punctuated with three very important caveats, though: There must be training, background checks and permits. He also believes in strong legislation addressing misuse of the privilege: specifically, carrying and using while intoxicated and making sure those penalties are stricter. I back all of that 100%.

I think it's safe to say that with any one of us, when faced with danger, our first instinct would be to protect ourselves or the ones we love. Concealed carry actually provides a certain level of "comfort" in knowing you can do just that.

When I was a child, my father would carry a gun in his boot, his main goal to be able to protect his wife and five children. His defense: "You have a different attitude when you have the gun. It's like an insurance policy." He never had to use it, thank God.

And I never knew he had it until he told me as I was preparing to write this column. It doesn't have to be that way; no one has to know. Concealed carry offers the security without the intimidation.

Wisconsin and Illinois are the last two states without some sort of concealed-carry laws. Data exists that supports a reduction in crime in states with concealed carry. There is an assumption that when criminals know anyone out there has the capacity to take them down if they dare to provoke an attack, it can provide a certain hesitation on their part to do so.

Morrissey and I agree on one other point: Passage of this law would most likely mean more women would be carrying guns. I personally would be more likely to carry one in my purse than I would on my hip.

Would you suspect that a middle-aged, exhausted housewife pushing a cartful of groceries in Woodman's parking lot at midnight would be packing? Better think twice before approaching her.

Sherry Schultz of Burlington is a wife, mother and owner of a real estate company. Email TownofMayberry@gmail.com