Florida, will HB517 open carry go through tomorrow?

[Rotorhead]

I damn sure hope so.

HB 517 - FL House Judiciary Committee
Hearing scheduled for 3/24/2011
HB 517 is on the agenda of the FL House Judiciary Committee on Thursday at 8:00am. Florida Carry, Inc urgently requests that you email via the members of the committee in support of House Bill 517.

This NRA authored bill comprises several separate initiatives. These include the option for CWFL holders to carry openly; a the right to store a firearm in one's vehicle wherever it may be lawfully parked; the authorization for the Department of Agriculture to take fingerprints; the repeal of Florida’s ban on long gun purchases in most other states. Quite simply put, this is the most comprehensive carry rights bill since shall-issue concealed carry was passed twenty-four years ago.

Florida is one of only seven states where open carry of firearms is generally forbidden, excepting under certain circumstances. Arguments against open carry generally consist of concerns regarding the fearful reactions of the general population. Some have suggested that an open carrier becomes an instant target, having his firearm snatched by a criminal in line at a convenience store. The facts simply do not support those allegations. In states where open carry is lawfully practiced, citizens have become accustomed to the understanding that a holstered weapon is a danger to no one. There have been no wholesale attacks on open carriers, nor have open carriers been shot with their own weapons. Police officers are not fearful of open carriers as they know that a 5-year FBI crime study has shown that criminals do not open carry, nor do they carry in holsters. Criminals shun attention, something that the open carrying of a firearm invariably draws to some extent. Not a single state that has legalized open carry in recent years has repealed the right.

In 1987, open carry was outlawed primarily because of the predictions of wild west shootouts, blood in the streets, gun battles over parking spaces, and normally law abiding people indiscriminately becoming homicidal maniacs. The main opponent of open carry was Janet Reno, then assistant state attorney. She was able to rally support from a vocal group of police administrators with the doom and gloom scenarios. Amazingly enough, the exact same arguments were heard against "shall-issue" concealed carry. Twenty-four years later, and none of the rampant bloodshed predictions about concealed carry have come true.

Florida Carry supports HB 517, and encourages all gun owners/carriers to join us in contacting the senators on the Florida House Criminal Justice Committee. Please tell them 24 years is enough.

[JRD77VET]

Good luck, hope it passes

[DAB]

hope so. already that way here. car/truck/bike is considered an extension of your home.

[Mark C5]

Originally Posted by Rotorhead

HB 517 - FL House Judiciary Committee
Hearing scheduled for 3/24/2011
HB 517 is on the agenda of the FL House Judiciary Committee on Thursday at 8:00am.

Florida Carry supports HB 517, and encourages all gun owners/carriers to join us in contacting the senators on the Florida House Criminal Justice Committee. Please tell them 24 years is enough.

I don't think there are very many Florida Senators on the Florida House Judiciary Committee. But I am contacting my Representative and the members of the committee.

[high desert]

Good luck, I hope it passes too.
Nevada allows open carry without a CCW permit. I haven't heard of any problems because of this.

[Sea Six]

I sure hope so. I can't wait to hear it's finally passed.

Read my blog entry on this subject.

[DJ_Critterus]

Hmm... if we could get that here it would be friggen great!!!!!

I hope it passes.

[AU Eagle]

Ohio is an open carry state. I could be wrong but I do not think you need a permit to do so, but I've never seen anyone do it.

[Rapid Roger]

The last thing I would want to do is walk around with a weapon exposed on my hip....I'm not a cowboy......

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by Rapid Roger

The last thing I would want to do is walk around with a weapon on my hip....I'm not a cowboy......

It's easier than concealing it. I wouldn't mind open carry... plus I got used to it down range.

Granted, there are places/times when I'd conceal the weapon for common sense's sake, but open carry would be much better. People tend to think twice about starting shit the moment they know there's a weapon that could come into play.

[Joecooool]

I hope if falls flat. If it doesn't I will make it a point to leave any establishment where I see anyone open carry and let the manager know they have a choice to allow that or not.

This does nothing to protect anyone, it just puts more people at risk.

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by Joecooool

I hope if falls flat. If it doesn't I will make it a point to leave any establishment where I see anyone open carry and let the manager know they have a choice to allow that or not.

This does nothing to protect anyone, it just puts more people at risk.

Figured you'd have this response. Care to back that statement up with some arguing points? If you use anything from the Brady center or any heavily liberal biased rags ya might want to find better sources or most of us will laugh at you much the same as in the PR&C section over there.

But good for you, though, for choosing to leave an establishment and not trying to force everyone else to do the same to conform to your views.

[Joecooool]

Originally Posted by DJ_Critterus

Figured you'd have this response. Care to back that statement up with some arguing points? If you use anything from the Brady center or any heavily liberal biased rags ya might want to find better sources or most of us will laugh at you much the same as in the PR&C section over there.

But good for you, though, for choosing to leave an establishment and not trying to force everyone else to do the same to conform to your views.

Here are a few I agree with.

Bangor police last week arrested a 24-year-old man after his .357 Magnum accidentally discharged on a public transit bus, scaring the daylights out of the other passengers. The slug went through the side of the bus and, fortunately, injured no one.

Police said Jason Robinson was showing his gun to another passenger when it went off.

If "open carry" proponents are successful, this is the sort of thing we can expect.

That and children picking up dad's handgun off the coffee table.

And people shooting other people for small-time offenses, like stealing the hub caps off cars.

Or people hitting bystanders while firing at criminals.

Or people shooting at criminals then being shot by police who mistake them for criminals during gunfights.

Or people simply blowing their top and waving around handguns to express their anger.

The list of things that can and will go wrong is far longer and more likely than the effective use of a handgun.

That's because 98 percent of these gun enthusiasts won't have a clue.

They will have no idea of the laws surrounding self-protection and deadly force. They will receive no formal training either in using their weapon or when to use it.

They will not regularly practice with that weapon to make sure they can actually hit what they are pointing at. And they most likely won't know how to maintain that weapon or take the time to do so.

In short, they will have the same fire power as police officers, but without any of the training, preparation and practice to handle an actual deadly force event.

[LATB]

liberals are such dicks

[Joecooool]

Some more -

1. Permits are not required to own a gun.
Unless you plan to carry a gun on your person, you are not required to complete any training whatsoever. You are able to purchase as many guns as you want, as long as your background check comes back clear. The training came when a person decided they wanted to carry that gun on them in public, as opposed to leaving it at home for home security.

The obvious implication here is that all current gun owners without training could start carrying their weapons with them in public the moment a law is passed in favor of open-carry. Do we REALLY want thousands of untrained, gun-wielding people in rush hour traffic, late night bars, convenience stores, or the local post office? How many depressed, mentally unstable, road rage driven madmen with pistols do we really want to face on a daily basis?

2. Guns intimidate. Period.
The blessing of the concealed handgun permit is found in the anonymity. You can converse with people all day long, never knowing or having to wonder if that person has a weapon ready to hand. Now imagine thousands of people walking around town with guns strapped to their thighs and in plain sight holsters. We all know people who will use anything legal at their disposal to intimidate and manipulate others. Now imagine them with guns. ‘Nuff said.

3. Bad judgment will lead to gun fights.
Is he reaching for his gun? If you wait to find out, you could be dead. Better to pull your own gun fast and be ready to fire. What if he just has an itch? What if he’s just reaching for a pack of cigarettes? How do you protect yourself in long lines, public arguments, or traffic jams? Your bad judgment could get someone killed.

[LATB]

more proof of dickness

[Mark C5]

Originally Posted by Joecooool

Here are a few I agree with.

Originally Posted by Joecooool

Some more -

Other than one instance of an accidental discharge that injured no one you have not shown a single instance of open carry causing a problem. Just what you THINK will happen.

Your bemoaning of untrained individuals running around with guns doesn't hold up under HB517. You still need your concealed weapons permit to carry openly under this legislation.

Do you have any examples of open carry causing injury to any innocent citizen or is this just rhetoric?

[Joecooool]

A 911 call from a woman concerned about five people opening wearing handguns in holsters outside a Madison (Wisc.) restaurant ended with the police dispatcher explaining the state’s open-carry law, and with the woman saying, “Then there is no problem and it’s not an emergency. Even so, eight MPD officers were dispatched to the restaurant, and ultimately arrested members of the Wisconsin Carry Inc. (WCI) group when they failed to identify themselves. The group was formed to promote the state law that allows citizens to carry holstered, unconcealed and loaded firearms in non-sensitive locations, the so-called “open carry” law. The arrests sparked criticism from the WCI and public debate over the law. The WCI notes that neither the caller or others present noted any disturbance, threatening behavior or other violation of law. Four minutes into the call the dispatcher explained the open-carry law, prompting the caller to declare the situation was “no problem.” Madison police later dropped the failure-to-ID charges, but the district attorney then charged the men with disorderly conduct. The police department issued a press release that seems to say officers will respond to every report a person with a holstered weapon to investigate if it’s being properly carried and the person has the right to possess a firearm. Chief Noble Wray also issued instructions to officers on handling such incidents, including checking each firearm serial number against the NCIC stolen property database.

This is the problem with open carry laws. They specifically allow people to display weapons in situations where there’s no legitimate reason to have a weapon displayed. How can we tell the difference between a carrier who’s following the law and a carrier who’s about to commit a robbery or a murder?

[LATB]

Originally Posted by Joecooool

A 911 call from a woman concerned about five people opening wearing handguns in holsters outside a Madison (Wisc.) restaurant ended with the police dispatcher explaining the state’s open-carry law, and with the woman saying, “Then there is no problem and it’s not an emergency. Even so, eight MPD officers were dispatched to the restaurant, and ultimately arrested members of the Wisconsin Carry Inc. (WCI) group when they failed to identify themselves. The group was formed to promote the state law that allows citizens to carry holstered, unconcealed and loaded firearms in non-sensitive locations, the so-called “open carry” law. The arrests sparked criticism from the WCI and public debate over the law. The WCI notes that neither the caller or others present noted any disturbance, threatening behavior or other violation of law. Four minutes into the call the dispatcher explained the open-carry law, prompting the caller to declare the situation was “no problem.” Madison police later dropped the failure-to-ID charges, but the district attorney then charged the men with disorderly conduct. The police department issued a press release that seems to say officers will respond to every report a person with a holstered weapon to investigate if it’s being properly carried and the person has the right to possess a firearm. Chief Noble Wray also issued instructions to officers on handling such incidents, including checking each firearm serial number against the NCIC stolen property database.

This is the problem with open carry laws. They specifically allow people to display weapons in situations where there’s no legitimate reason to have a weapon displayed. How can we tell the difference between a carrier who’s following the law and a carrier who’s about to commit a robbery or a murder?

because murderers & robbers never hide their weapons.

[Mark C5]

Originally Posted by Joecooool

A 911 call from a woman concerned about five people opening wearing handguns in holsters outside a Madison (Wisc.) restaurant ended with the police dispatcher explaining the state’s open-carry law, and with the woman saying, “Then there is no problem and it’s not an emergency.

And people call 911 because Burger King gets their order wrong. Should we shut down all the Burger Kings?