BALTIMORE CITY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE
June 17, 2021
To Baltimore City Mayor, Brandon Scott and Members of the Baltimore City Council
The number of homicides and violent crimes committed within our great city have continued at a staggering rate. Three hundred thirty-five lives ended last year as a result of gun violence. Over the past ten years, over 3,000 Baltimoreans have been killed. And 2021 is outpacing the 2020 murder rate.
Open Carry allows citizens of any social class to defend themselves from predators who would wantonly steal, assault, or worse. Opponents will argue that open carry will increase gun violence. In fact, criminal activity decreases wherever law abiding citizens are allowed to defend themselves. Unlike criminals who flee the scene after a shooting, those who are registered gun owners will justifiably report an incident to the police after a shooting, knowing they have the legal right to defend his or her person.
This problem is not confined to Baltimore. The nation has seen the same lawless trends in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and other major cities. Shockingly, our city leaders have no plan to combat this crisis.
- We cannot help but wonder what level of security the mayor and council members enjoy while those who voted them into office live day-to-day in one of the most dangerous cities in America.
- What message are they sending neighborhood residents who can’t afford protection and can’t even be sure the police will answer a call for help? This, at its core, is social injustice and systemic failure. Every American – not just the wealthy or political classes – deserve to live their lives in safe neighborhoods. The protection of citizens is a core responsibility of the government.
- We, the Republican Party of Baltimore City, call for the full recognition and enforcement of every law-abiding citizen’s Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms within city limits. To ensure the restoration of those rights, the ability to carry firearms openly should be available to every law-abiding citizen.
Giving power back to the people is not an option for those accustomed to wielding the reins of power. While they tell us what is and isn’t feasible, criminals continue to attack the innocent with impunity, knowing they are unlikely to be caught and that, if caught, they are unlikely to be prosecuted or found guilty by a weak and feckless State Prosecutor.
Let's return the power back to the citizenry… where it belongs.
Respectfully,
Baltimore City Republican Central Committee
Drafted by Jovani Patterson and Adopted by Fellow Members of the Baltimore City Republican Central Committee on June 17, 2021