To the Editor:

Soon, Illinois will have a concealed-carry law, and licensed residents will begin “packing.” Illinois will not become the Wild, Wild West, just as 49 (or is it 56?) other states have not.

Merchants and shoppers might occasionally catch a glimpse of a holstered firearm under a jacket, or notice the pattern of a holstered weapon under a sweater or jacket, and should not become alarmed. In fact, Wisconsin’s attorney general has advised law enforcement not to charge legally armed citizens just because someone happens to spot or imagine a gun. If the armed person is not causing a problem, then legal presence of a gun is not a problem.