Florida –-(Ammoland.com)- Dear Senator Steube,
We see the writing on the wall, that once again we are getting lip service but no action on open carry. SB 646 is the “consolation prize“.
But no, that won’t pacify us.
We know you tried. If there is anything else you can do, respectfully, now would be the time.
We want to see movement on SB 644 and we want to see a companion bill in the House – with NO watered down language.
If open carry fails AGAIN this year Florida, there will be PROVOCATIVE protests at large public events on public property, where we will openly carry enclosed gun-shaped holsters that hide our firearms, but that do not hide the FACT we are lawfully and peacefully armed.
Our actions will be meant to show the stupidity of state law prohibiting the open exercise of our rights, and to get our message out that we demand the LIBERTY of our choice in how we carry our personal self-defense firearms.
There will be groups of us at Fairs, Festivals, and other large events. Once we gain lawful entry we will discreetly switch to our protest method of carry, whereby it will be plain that we are armed, but our guns will be covered by a fabric sock that clearly shows its outline, or they will be carried in a fully enclosed holster in plain view.
We Have Had Enough Janet Reno Gun Infringement. She Is Dead, And Her Legacy Should Die Also. This nonsense has been going on since 1987.
This protest plan is going out on Facebook and Internet Gun Rights Forums.
Our rights will be honored, or we will do our best to bring embarrassment to the Florida Legislature. This is our BOSTON TEA PARTY!!!
Warmest regards,
Phillip Evans
In related news:
Before Texas legalized open carry of pistols, Murdoch Pizgatti and Jason Orsek, the founders of Come and Take It Texas developed a pistol shaped covering that hid the firearm, but did not hide the fact that the person was armed. Pictures of guns were printed on the covering to emphasize that it was covering a gun. It allowed a person to “openly carry” his pistol while at the same time staying withing state law to hide the actual firearm. Now that Texas has open carry, people there no longer need this product. But it looks like folks in Florida can sure use them!
https://countercurrentnews.com/2015/02/open-carry-activists-trespassed-from-state-capitol-for-carrying-pictures/
I agree that “open carry” might make me more of a target — especially for a criminal who may want my firearm. People seem to forget that the best and smartest of our criminal element never get caught. They don’t look like criminals, they blend in effectively, and they plan their get away in advance. Why make it easier for them to identify a potential score and set yourself up to be the patsy? What we really need in Florida is a statute that will allow us to avoid arrest/trial/conviction if we “accidentally” exhibit our concealed weapon. A citizen reporting… Read more »
“If open carry fails AGAIN this year Florida, there will be PROVOCATIVE protests at large public events on public property . . . ”
How to win friends and influence people – to harden their opposition to open carry. Work through your supportive legislators to pass the needed bills. Provocative displays of open carry were tried in California, until the legislators took away that right. It almost sunk open carry in Texas.
I don’t understand why so many gun owners are interested in pushing open carry. I was in law
enforcement and open carry is like being in a uniform ( very noticeable ) . Over recent years I have
been able to stop some crimes before they played out because my weapon was not in plain sight.
Just saying.
Open carry causes more problems. You give up the element of surprise. Walking into a persons store upsets the owner and employees. It upsets people in general. I have been carrying concealed since 1977. I have never seen a need to open carry. Why do people see the need to open carry? All it does is create doubt. Who is this person with a gun. Good guy or bad guy. Police do not know what kind of person is walking around with a gun. Could he be the guy that just held up the 7-11? I never leave my home… Read more »
If open carry is going to get anywhere soon in Florida, the time is now! The rhino that stopped OC from moving forward last year is gone. Now we have another rhino trying to tap the brakes this year. Steube needs to press hard like Gaetz did last year. I understand why Steube broke up the original bill into several pieces this year and agree with the tactic, but Matt Gaetz was far more vocal and put up a helluva fight last year. Steube… it’s time to get LOUD! You know as well as we do that this is the… Read more »
All of these anti-gun zealots seem to live in gated communities, have armed protection accompanying them, or have LEO protection most of the time. It is time they should have to be exposed to the crime they seem to blatantly ignore. It is so ridiculous that we have sat back and passively accepted all the limitations of our 2nd AD rights, and more importantly the right of self defense given us a humans by GOD himself.