WAIT! WHO said that?

From the Chicago Tribune…

Ald. Howard Brookins, 21st, chairman of the City Council black caucus, welcomed the decision, saying allowing Chicagoans to carry concealed weapons would help level the playing field* in neighborhoods where law-abiding citizens feel like they need firearms to protect themselves.  (emphasis Guffaw)

“Certain people will have a sense of safety and peace of mind in the ability to do it,” Brookins said of conceal-carry.

That “peace of mind” would stem from citizens’ new-found ability to legally challenge Chicago’s “gangbanger monopoly on force” (granted, Illinois and Chicago law mandates a “government monopoly on force,” but considering the history of many Chicago officials and police officers, the two terms might be reasonably seen as largely synonymous).

Brookins then goes on to say that many otherwise law abiding citizens, forced to choose between disarmed helplessness and being “gun criminals,” have chosen the latter option:

“I think those people have a gun now, they’ve just been made criminals because they can’t legally have it,” Brookins said. “And I think the gangbangers and thugs are going to have a gun regardless.”

Of course, The Associated Press reports that not all the alderman’s brethren are on-board with his pronouncement.

“I believe that the city would be well within its rights to prohibit that (concealed weapons) within its borders, and then we’ll take that up to the Supreme Court,” said Alderman Joe Moore.

“People’s safety is at risk,” said Alderman Anthony Beale.

Well, at least the scales have dropped from some Chicago politician’s eyes.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out, both in the Supreme Court and in the electorate.

*one of the President’s favorite phrases!

h/t Gun Rights Examiner