Here's the thing. I live in Ohio, so first and foremost - look into the laws of your state and don't necessarily take my advice. This is just a point of view from your neighbor to the west. Ohio has some pretty decent gun laws. We are not oppressed by any means. You do need a permit to carry though. And I was able to get one without a problem - but I have kept my nose clean and have no criminal record. That being said, I also work for a criminal defense attorney. Carrying without a permit in Ohio will get you a felony with mandatory time (once that happens, you'll never get a CCW). Now compare that to carrying with a permit in places that have that "no guns" sign: it's now a misdemeanor because I have a permit, I just wasn't supposed to carry in a certain place. This doesn't apply to court houses but they have metal detectors so you physically can't carry in those buildings. And the way criminal law goes, if you don't have a rap sheet longer than your arm, chances are they will reduce that charge to some other misdemeanor like "criminal mischief" or "disorderly conduct". I won't lose my CCW (not the first time anyway). But again, that's a big difference. I am more inclined to take that chance (judged by 12 instead of carried by 6), but I have the protection of my CCW.

What stops you from getting your CCW? I know the Constitution should keep us from having to, but as it stands, we have to. Until this NY case is settled in the SCOTUS, you won't have much of a leg to stand on if you get busted. Not to kill your hopes, just to insert a dose of reality into the conversation. Also, I learned a lot of really good info in the CCW class. It's good training and it's a good feeling to know that I'm trained properly. So that's my 2 cents. Be safe and be smart - we need all our pedes outside of jail! :)

p.s. - there is (again in Ohio law, but check PA) a portion of our gun laws that state someone without a CCW who is going into a notoriously dangerous place; i.e., somewhere everyone knows is dangerous/nobody would argue, that they have a limited exception from the mandatory felony and jail time. For us that would be East Cleveland.