This is not a new debate. In a March 2012 Journal Sentinel article, Flynn pointed out that regardless of how many times people carry concealed without a permit — in other words, illegally — the offense never rises above a misdemeanor.

In defense of the current law, Nik Clark of Wisconsin Carry, a gun rights group, was quoted as saying, “Some (misdemeanors) I don’t think are things that should preclude people from having the right to self-defense. There’s a protester in Madison. He’s protesting Gov.Walker and he gets a ticket for obstruction. That’s a misdemeanor. Let’s say someone is very active politically and they want to go protest but when they do so three times — you know, politically active season here in Milwaukee and in Madison — and three times someone gets a disorderly conduct or a disturbing the peace, or any of those misdemeanors.”

That is a bad example. If you are convicted three times for disorderly conduct in five years, there probably is reason for people to be concerned about you carrying a weapon.

Realistically, we imagine most gun crimes are not committed by people who have gone through the legal process of obtaining a concealed-carry permit. It’s likely mostly people trying to illegally skirt the law.