The city that has long been synonymous with gun control, rampant crime, and the senseless killing of citizens is about to become a city in which law-abiding citizens can carry guns to defend their lives and the lives of their families.

Thanks to Illinois state lawmakers, concealed carry is coming to Chicago with or without Gov. Pat Quinn’s (D) support, because the legislation passed with a veto-proof majority.

And while there are the usual naysayers warning that concealed carry will turn the Windy City into the Wild West, the AP reports there are many Chicago citizens eager to be able, finally to defend themselves from gang violence and criminal attack.

Among these citizens is 79-year old Otis McDonald, from McDonald v. Chicago (2010).

Said McDonald: “We just had a weekend where something like 48 people were shot, seven died….Now law abiding citizens like myself…can carry [a concealed weapon] when they want to and not carry them when they don’t want to, and the people out there who will do us harm won’t know when we got them and when we don’t.”

Once the legislation becomes law, it will require “the state police to issue a concealed carry license to any gun owner with a state-issued Firearm Owners Identification card, who passes a background check, pays a $150 fee, and undergoes 16 hours of training.”

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