Roberts: Arpaio's call to arms: readers react

Laurie Roberts | opinion columnist

Arizona gun owners are reacting to Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s call to arms … or at least, they’re reacting to my reaction to Arpaio calling for armed citizens to take action in the event a terrorist hits a crowded shopping mall or movie theater.

Shoppers up and down the mall pulling out their pistols as bullets fly and people panic. What could possibly go wrong, I asked in a recent column. .

There were the thoughtful responses, like this one from Howard.

“America is at war and Americans do not want to admit it yet,” he wrote. “Basically, Sheriff Joe is right this time. I think he understands that this is not a small time criminal problem. This is War with Guerilla Soldiers and he understands the police are not capable of handling all of it.”

There were the usual Joe’s-my-hero responses, like this one from an Anthem resident who signs himself “Arizona Patriots and Christian Families.” (Apparently, he speaks for them all.)

“Liberals like yourself are the real problem in our America Ms. Roberts. ‘Liberalism is a mental disorder’,” he wrote. "Your (sic) pathetic.”

Then there were the many gun owners like Mike Ritter, who assured me that almost everybody at his golf course is packing and they know how to use their guns.

“Only people that are comfortable and trained would return fire in a crowded room,” he wrote. “Sorry to burst your bubble but we are not all hoping for the chance to open fire on an armed insurgent.”

I hope Ritter’s right, that only people who are comfortable and well trained in how and when to use a gun would return fire in a crowded mall or a darkened theater.

People like Phil Scott, who said he has 75 to 100 hours of training with another class coming up.

“I practice every week,” he said. “I don’t mean shooting at a tin can for practice. I mean fast draw and hit the threat, reload and get ready again.”

Scott sounds like a guy who could answer Arpaio’s call.

Somehow, I doubt that’s the case among many (most?) people who carry a concealed weapon in Arizona. They probably take one firearms safety class and consider themselves trained.

Or they don’t bother.

The Second Amendment, they will tell you, doesn't say that training is needed.

"Can you tell me where it states I need training..." asked Mike LaVoy, "You should not have to be trained to use your firearm in high stress situations to carry concealed or open carry."

The Arizona Legislatures apparently agrees with LaVoy. In 2010, our leaders eliminated the requirement that you get actual training before you can carry a concealed weapon. Then they watered down the training requirement for those who want a concealed-carry permit.

So let’s say we’ve decided that Arpaio – and Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, who echoed Arpaio’s call over the weekend -- is right, that it’s time to be ready to take up arms.

“I expect armed citizens to take action in the event a terror attack or other violence occurs until law enforcement arrive,” Arpaio said.

Can we also expect that armed citizens ought to have extensive and continued training before they take on the terrorists?

Or any training?

That’s not a rhetorical question. I’m really asking it.

The Legislature convenes on Jan. 12.