Now the NRA wants to force all states to let just about anybody carry firearms

It's always interesting to see the "state's rights" argument turned on its head by the very people who normally invoke it.

In many cases, it's used by conservatives to defend the right of states to limit access to the ballot box, on the unspoken theory that entirely too many poor and minority citizens are voting. Or to limit the constitutional right to obtain an abortion, on the belief that too many women are availing themselves of it.

But this time we've got the reverse, predicated on the conviction that too many people are walking around unarmed. At issue is a proposed federal law that would strip states of their authority to decide who may carry a concealed, loaded weapon within their borders.

H.R. 822, or the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, would force every state to honor every other state's permit to carry a concealed gun -- no matter how lax the other state's standards. That would mean a convicted felon who can't pass muster in, say, Pennsylvania, could get a permit elsewhere, and local law enforcement would have no choice but to let him walk around with a loaded weapon.

It's already happened on the other end of the state, where officials want to see it stopped, not increased.

According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Marqus Hill lost his Philadelphia carry permit in 2005 after an arrest for attempted murder and other offenses. The charges were dropped, but when his 2008 appeal to get his permit back was denied, he assaulted a police officer and was convicted. Yet he was able to get a carry permit from Florida.

In 2010, Mr. Hill went outside to find three teens breaking into his car and fired 13 shots into Irving Santana, 18, killing him. He was held for trial on counts of murder and possession of an instrument of crime. His lawyer said he will plead self-defense.

The same newspaper found that more than 2,500 Pennsylvanians have obtained Florida permits, although many would have been denied in their home state. Now city officials are advocating canceling the reciprocity agreement with Florida.

Similar situations exist across the country, according to information compiled by Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Last year, more than 5,500 Texans got concealed-carry permits from Utah, where rules are much more lax. In fact, some 70 percent of Utah's permits were issued to non-residents. New Mexico and Nevada both stopped recognizing concealed carry permits issued by Utah because it lacks a live-fire instruction requirement.

It's no secret who's behind the legislation. The National Rifle Association has made passage its top priority. And while the NRA likes to say that states could still make their own rules about where, when and how concealed guns would be allowed, it is simultaneously working every state legislature to open bars, college campuses, restaurants, churches and other public places to concealed carry.

Clearly, this proposed law is designed as a race to the bottom. The least responsible states would sell the most permits to the least qualified people, and states across the country would have to mop up the blood.

Not everyone thinks this is such a hot idea. Mayors, police organizations, domestic violence experts, prosecutors and citizens have launched a national effort to defeat the legislation. The campaign -- www.OurLivesOurLaws.org -- was launched by the aforementioned Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which claims more than 600 members among Republicans, Democrats and independents. Some 175 of them live in Pennsylvania, from Alden to Youngwood, including Pittsburgh's Luke Ravenstahl and Philadelphia's Michael Nutter.

A similar law was narrowly defeated by Congress in 2009, but now the political balance has shifted. Mark Glaze, director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, noted that H.R. 822 has 243 sponsors in the Republican-dominated House -- more than the majority needed for passage.

"In the Senate we have a harder poll than in 2009 to defeat it," Mr. Glaze said. "But I think when we make it clear to senators that police, mayors and domestic violence experts all think this is terrible policy, we'll beat it again."

Last time, Pennsylvania's senators were split. Bob Casey voted for it, while Arlen Specter voted against. This time, with conservative Pat Toomey in office, the state is likely to have two "yes" votes -- unless Mr. Casey hears from enough opposed constituents.

"Pennsylvania happens to have rigorous requirements," Mr. Glaze said. "This would compel the state to let those people who don't qualify still carry guns on their person, in their cars and communities.

"Why, in a state having such difficulty validating other states's permits, notably Florida, would they want to dive head first into a deeper and more dangerous morass?"

Boston Mayor Tom Menino, co-chair of the mayors' coalition, put it this way:

"State and local officials, and police who fight crime on the front lines, should be deciding how to best protect our communities, not the Washington gun lobby and their allies in Congress. Forcing states to accept a new federal mandate that needlessly undermines local laws and creates a weak, lowest-common-denominator policy for who can carry concealed, loaded guns would be irresponsible, shortsighted and dangerous."

Gun advocates say that armed citizens stop more crime than they cause. Mr. Glaze and his coalition don't buy it.

"The extensive data on that has pointed to what any cop on the beat will tell you. More guns in public places do not make the streets safer."