The right to carry is a social advantage Over the past three years, mass killings by individuals determined to be mentally deranged but without a criminal past have brought forward the discussion on controlling firearms. The Aurora Colorado Theater, the Navy Shipyard, and the Sandyhook Elementary School shooting are all tragedies that could have been prevented by methods other than gun control. Unfortunately, most in the time of mourning; automatically by default take away weapons. Over the years there have been many research papers, articles and opinions published on gun control with great facts and statistics supporting both sides, but very few regarding the effect of right to carry. Contesting the Right to Carry (RTC) or Concealed Carry Permit (CCP) may have reduced or eliminated the ability to carry out the mass killings mentioned above. The benefit of the public with increased concealed carry firearm permits has provided increased gun safety knowledge and high social cohesion over the past decade. Benefits of Carry Permits The debate over the “real” meaning of the Second Amendment will continue for generations, and the question remains: Could an armed civilian population deter crime? James Madison wrote: “The advantage Americans have over every other nation is that they are armed,” (Faria, FEB 2000). This could also be true for criminals or mass murderers if there was a possibility of them being confronted. Regardless of high or low crime rates, concealed carry can provide communities with social benefits of safety and cohesion. Gun Safety States that have passed the right to carry a concealed weapon believe in the Second Amendment, but they believe that with the right comes a responsibility. The laws were passed with the requirement that individuals must take… half of the document…, BJ (2006, October 2005). Safety first in the weapons course: the 8-hour course leads to the permit to carry concealed weapons. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/463251977?accountid=38569Stanley, D (n.d.). JSTOR.org. Definition of social cohesion. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3341872?uid=3739616&uid=2129&uid=2&uid= 70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21103723902267Agresti, J.D. & Smith, RK (2013) Just Facts.org. Facts about Gun Control Retrieved from http://justfacts.com/guncontrol.aspGau, J.M. (2008). A neighborhood-level analysis of concealed weapons permits. Police, 31(4), 674-693. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13639510810910625Macinnis, L. (August 2007) Reuters.com. The most armed country in the United States with 90 firearms per 100 inhabitants. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/08/28/us-world-firearms-idUSL2834893820070828