New York Times Tells of Novice in Pursuit of Carry Permit The New York Times featured a first-person account of writer Ralph Blumenthal’s path to obtaining a concealed handgun license. His daylong course was presented at Hot Wells Shooting Range in Cypress, Texas. "I wanted to learn how to handle a gun and see what it took to be licensed to carry one," Blumenthal wrote. "In the end, and to my surprise, I learned about more than shooting," he added. "I learned about not shooting," referring to his orientation, which he declared as "clearly defensive."