This one's short, so I'll just include the whole editorial below. Got it through netscape's main page, in case linky doesn't work.Twenty years ago, the Florida Legislature cravenly decided to allow “law abiding” citizens to carry concealed weapons merely by declaring their preference for self-defense. Then last July, at the prodding of the gun lobby, the current crop of state lawmakers proved they could be even more corrupt and cowardly than their predecessors by deciding to make the list of gun-toting Floridians a secret.
I absolutely LOVE the adjectives and adverbs. Of course, to give credit, at least this one's in the Editorial section. Love the scare quotes around "law abiding" too.
Fortunately, a local newspaper has given residents of the state a final look at their representativesÂ’ gruesome handiwork.
Yep, folks it's gruesome to allow a citizen his/her 2nd Amendment Rights. All the fault of the FL State Reps, not the goons carrying out the crimes listed below.
When the law was first enacted, there were fewer than 25,000 licensed gun holders. Since then, the state roll has boomed to 410,000 and counting. As the veil descends on this dangerously macho part of the public record, enterprising articles in The Florida Sun-Sentinel are laying bare the fact that more than 1,400 people easily got gun licenses despite pleading guilty or no contest to felonies that included manslaughter, burglary and child molestation. In Broward County alone, gun licenses grew in 20 years to more than 35,000 from 25.
Let's see divide 410,000 by 1,400, carry the 2, ah well, it's WAAAY less than one-half of 1%. But who am I to point out the obvious to this enlightened, progressive Editorialist?
Sampling records just before the law took effect, the newspaper uncovered hundreds of tales of mayhem, official indifference and glaring loopholes in criminal justice protection. One man got a license after pleading no contest to manslaughter in fatally shooting his girlfriend in the head while she cooked him breakfast. Another applicant was licensed despite guilty pleas to grand theft and assault charges for holding a handgun against his roommateÂ’s head in an argument.
Those permitted to pack concealed weapons include 216 people with outstanding criminal warrants, 128 under domestic violence injunctions and 6 registered sex offenders.
But, hopefully, Florida law enforcement put these goons behind bars for good. That way, the gun permit doesn't really apply. But, I'd imagine this Editorialist doesn't get the irony of pleading for criminal's "rights" while also un-arming the "law abiding" citizenry and not allowing them to use self-defense when these goons get out. Boggling mind and all.
The gun lobby, predictably enough, is blaming “bleeding-heart, criminal-coddling judges and prosecutors” for this grim state of affairs. The truth is that the National Rifle Association has succeeded too well in herding legislators to do its dangerous bidding. Lawmakers in 38 states have approved bills allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons.
OH, the horrors, of allowing State Legislatures to arm their citizenry! And, who are these Lawmakers that are allowing democracy to work like that? Crucify them, I say, CRUCIFY them!
As in some of those states, FloridaÂ’s legislators take the position that itÂ’s no fun to have a gun if you canÂ’t use it.
teee-heeee, that type comment will really drive the LLL batty, even more than they really are.
So they loosened the laws on self-defense to allow a civilian to stand and use deadly force “if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary.” If lawmakers had any sense of shame, they would undo these lethal threats to their constituents.
Serving the citizenry I say. Let's get these Legislators a medal or something.
| From official Florida statistics, violent crime commited with firearms was 34.0% of all crimes in 1989, and 22.0% in 2005. In 1989 there were 49,524 firearms-related violent crimes versus 27,676 in 2005. In that same time period the murder rate in Florida was 11.0/100,000 in 1989 versus 4.9/100,000 in 2005, and the percent of murders committed using firearms had decreased (63.2% to 59.1%). Kinda goes against everything the NYT is arguing here, but don't confuse them with facts. |