IXLR8,
I am not a rich man. So don't take this lightly.
We live close to each other in the Katy TX area. I will pay you $100 for the privilege of convincing you, and possibly some on this board, that I am not a danger to society.
You put together the information I should know to carry a gun and a written test.
You develop a practical test of my basic gun handling abilities at Hotwells or American Shooting Center. (I will pay range fees)
You print a card I can carry that states your approval that any member here can check at will while I'm armed.
I will pay you $100 for the privilege of your feelings of security even though the money will be missed.
Unfortunately it is not me that you have to impress, it is the public at large. A 5 minute conversation would be enough to convince me. But the public has to have a benchmark. Perhaps you should have the community pay to test your worthiness to carry a firearm? If you can find a better way to do it, I am 100% behind you. There just has to be a minimum benchmark set by someone familiar with the operation of deadly weapons.