For many, constitutional carry is pretty much the Holy Grail of firearm rights at the moment. It kind of makes sense, truth be told. After all, the Second Amendment is pretty explicit that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, which constitutional carry fixes.

More and more states have adopted constitutional carry, while others battle for this important restoration of rights.

In Colorado, gun owners just missed out on constitutional carry.

The bill would allow anyone 21-years of age or older who is allowed to carry a handgun legally to do so in a concealed manner. The sponsors of the bill reinforced current laws which prevent the carrying of a weapon in schools and universities within the bill language.

SB18-097 passed the third reading in the Senate by a 18-17 vote.

It then moved into the House committee for discussion, put instead of voting on the measure, the the State, Veterans and Military Affairs committee voted 6-3 for a reverse roll call. Ending any further discussion on the matter this session.

Of course, it’s not remotely likely it would have actually passed in the House. Colorado has been the recipient of way too many Californian refugees who don’t understand that the junk they vote for is why California sucks. As a result, the state has shifted more and more blue over recent years, which is a shame–especially for gun owners who stood to gain from constitutional carry.

For many, the issue of constitutional carry seems ridiculous. After all, isn’t a “shall issue” permit good enough?

What they don’t understand is that you’re essentially still having to beg for government permission in order to exercise a constitutionally protected right. I don’t have to get a permit to speak freely. I don’t have to get a permit to exercise my faith. I don’t have to get a permit as a member of the media to do my job. None of those require permits, nor should they.

Carrying a firearm should be no different. No law-abiding citizen should be barred from carrying a firearm for personal protection…or just because he wants to. That’s how rights work. You don’t actually need a reason, and you shouldn’t need permission. Again, that’s how rights work.

But too many politicians and voters seem to think the government needs to protect people, even though it kind of sucks at it. So, they push for laws that take away our ability to protect and care for ourselves, then block laws that return any measure of personal freedom.

The Colorado Senate seems to have understood that. The Colorado House, however…well, leave it to them to show what we already knew, that the anti-gunners stand to oppose the right to keep and bear arms on a fundamental level and that any claim to support the Second Amendment is puffery at best.

Maybe Colorado voters can take their state back from the forces of insanity and get the restoration of their rights they deserve.

Here’s hoping.