I’m a big fan of concealed carry, as are most folks who support the Second Amendment. The truth of the matter is that being able to carry a weapon is a key component of what the Second Amendment means.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think people should have to jump through any hoops to carry concealed. I’m just saying I support people doing so.

In Los Angeles, though, there are a ton of hoops to jump through and most folks will never see an issued permit, much less get one themselves. That’s led to a lot of discussion about that.

One person talking about it is Florida Sen. Rick Scott.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott offered his thoughts Tuesday night on an uptick in gun permits in one California city.

The Senator was on the “Evening Edit” on the Fox Business Channel when he made the comments.

Asked to comment on an increase in concealed weapons permit applications in Los Angeles in recent years, Scott said he wasn’t surprised, adding that it probably wasn’t the wealthy who were opting to bear arms.

“If you have money, you can go and hire private security. But the poor family that struggles to make ends meet, they can’t move apartments or move homes all the time. They’re stuck with their local public schools. And so they probably can’t afford to even have a gun to defend themselves,” Scott said.

Scott’s comments were clearly off-the-cuff, which explains why he’s talking about people who can’t afford guns trying to get a carry permit. However, his overall point stands. In Los Angeles, those who have money have the means to protect themselves while those who can’t afford to outsource their protection get left holding the bag.

This is what anti-Second Amendment types actually want to see. They want no one except the connected to get a concealed carry permit.

“Oh, but celebrities and the wealthy are more likely to be the target of criminals,” some might say. Of course, if they do, they’re morons.

Every year, there are 1.3 million violent crimes every year. Now, think about it, how many times do you hear about a celebrity being the victim of one of those violent crimes?

Yes, the rich and famous face threats you and I probably won’t, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us are immune to crime. That’s especially true of the poor you find in a city like Los Angeles.

Scott’s overall point, that these people can’t hire bodyguards, is completely relevant and an important point that needs to be discussed.

I find it amusing that anti-gun Hollywood, right in the heart of Los Angeles, tends to fuel that anti-Second Amendment attitude that concealed carry is bad. However, these are the same people who often have private security with concealed firearms.

They just don’t think anyone else should be able to carry a firearm concealed, and that’s the problem.

Frankly, I agree with Scott. Poor people should be able to protect themselves with guns. Middle-class people should as well. Everyone should be able to protect themselves, for crying out loud.

Of course, depending on what the Supreme Court decides, they might just be able to do so in a matter of weeks from now.