Monday, January 17, 2011

Yes...Florida IS on the Cutting Edge...

...when it comes to firearms freedoms, and concealed carry of all weapons as well.

Gun Shy can pretty much conceal carry anything I like when in the State of Florida. When I leave the state or country, everything changes in respect to what I can carry. It appears that Florida is looking to take the next step in firearms freedoms, a freedom that Floridians once had until the notorious Janet Reno made it illegal. Isn't it great, that while other states such as New York are trying to further restrict firearms freedoms even more than they already have in the wake of the Arizona shooting, Florida is looking to expand them back to their original status. In your face Janet "waco" Reno.

In wake of Arizona shooting rampage, Florida gun bill proposes 'open carry'

quote:

After the shooting that wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed six people in Arizona, some federal and state officials are calling for stricter gun laws, especially control of automatic weapons and super-sized ammunition clips. But in Florida the tide is turning in the other direction, toward greater freedom for gun owners.

Senate Bill 234, filed in Tallahassee in December, would make the "open carry" of firearms legal in Florida for the first time in decades. Under legislation presented by Sen. Greg Evers, R-Crestview, people with concealed weapons permits could wear handguns on their hips in public view.

Evers said people with permits to carry concealed firearms have sometimes been cited by law enforcement agents when a gun inadvertently becomes visible.

"A gust of wind makes a suit coat flap open and the person is in trouble," Evers said. Or an air conditioner breaks, and a person removes a jacket and exposes a firearm.

He said the purpose of his bill is to end such instances, and he expects most licensed gun carriers will continue to conceal their weapons.

But he also said he is not averse to more people displaying their firearms.

"Do I think that will deter crime?" he asked. "Absolutely."


1 comment:

Jeff Morelock said...

In my experience as a police officer and tactically trained SWAT officer, I disagree with "open carry".

Most police officers shot in the line of duty are shot with their own guns even though they get special "weapon retention" training and are issued the latest in expensive and high-tech retention holsters. There are prison surveillance videos of inmates training each other and practicing disarming police officers.

The average citizen - even one who has gone through a concealed weapons class - will not be able to defeat this kind of attack.

Open carry will not prevent an attack in and off itself. Police officers are attacked and battered all the time when in uniform and while wearing a firearm and other weapons on their duty belts.

That being said, concealed weapon permit holders should be able to carry anywhere they want - bars, schools, police stations, polling stations, school board meetings, and at work.

One last thing...

As a former homicide detective and SWAT team leader I have studied and trained for these types of "active shooter" incidents.

Banning high-capacity magazines will do noting to stop these types of incidents. Most active shooters will simply bring more than one gun.

There is a well know saying in the shooting world, "The fastest reload is another gun." The shooters at Columbine, the shooter at the CA McDonald's and at Virginia Tech, and a few other all had more than one gun.

Banning high capacity magazines will do NOTHING but prevent law abiding citizens who have concealed weapons permits from fighting on a level playing field.

People that know nothing about guns, crime, and life in the real world should not be passing laws that will get more innocent people killed.

This is not 1950s Mayberry USA anymore.