Florida – -(Ammoland.com)- This week, an alert was issued by the National Rifle Association that Florida Carry was “cutting off its nose to spite its face“. It claimed that Florida Carry’s unwillingness to compromise its core values was the reason that we do not have open carry in Florida.
NRA is the nation’s oldest civil rights organization. They were founded in 1871. Florida Carry has only existed since 2011. Who then is responsible for allowing the 1934 passage of a bill allowing the federal government to register and tax Suppressors and automatic firearms?
- Who is responsible for the GCA 1968 that prohibited us from accepting a firearm from a family member across state lines?
- Who is responsible for allowing a ban on certain firearms manufactured after 1986?
- Who is responsible for allowing the passage of the 1994 Clinton Gun Ban?
- Who is responsible for the creation of a flawed and failed instant background check system?
No organization is perfect, and no organization has worked longer than NRA to protect the right to bear arms. In many of the instances just mentioned, the NRA was backed into a corner by the politicians with whom they had to work, and a media that lied. The NRA compromised to protect what they could.
Florida Carry will not criticize another pro-gun civil rights organization because they believe they have a better way of achieving the common goal we all work for. But Florida Carry will also not stand idly by when attacked for opposing a deeply flawed bill and amendment.
Florida Carry makes no apology for its opposition to bills that did nothing to advance the right to bear arms that is the birthright of all free Americans. Compromise can be a wonderful thing that creates a country, or it can be a horrible thing that ruins one. A compromise between more and less populous states gave us a Constitution that created a house of representatives and a senate, a model followed by all but one state. Compromise also gave us a constitution that allowed slavery to continue in this country for another seventy-five years, and a horrible war to keep the America unified.
For the past seven years, Florida Carry has worked closely and in good faith with the NRA in Tallahassee. We have not always agreed but have recognized that we had a common goal. That is as true today as it was before December 5, and on that day when Florida Carry had to take a stand that it would not compromise and allow its name to be heard in support of a bill that in our analysis, did more harm than good. It is our hope that after these grievances are addressed we will be able to continue our good working relationship with the NRA.
Not only would the bill have had little practical effect on how inadvertent open carry by concealed carry licensees is treated, it would have resulted in over sixteen thousand Floridians being investigated for even erroneously denied purchases of firearms. Based on the FBI’s statistics for denied purchases, only a fraction of such denials are cases of known prohibited persons illegally attempting to buy guns through legally licensed dealers. The bill would have caused flawed arrests and launched harmful investigations of sixteen thousand citizens to catch sixteen criminal purchase attempts.
For seven years Florida Carry has offered a compromise– ‘give us licensed open carry’. In reality, the Second Amendment has been understood throughout its entire history to protect the right to unlicensed open carry. Of all the courts of this country to ever consider the question of unlicensed open carry, only one has ever held that the Second Amendment does not protect unlicensed open carry… the Florida Supreme Court. Florida Carry did not lose the Norman case. A group of liberal activist judges, with a preordained conclusion in mind, changed 226 years of understanding and court precedent that they did not like, and continued Florida’s ban on open carry by ruling that the Florida Constitution does not apply to the Legislature.
On December 5, 2017, another compromise was offered, for Florida Carry to support a bill that did little to restore the right to bear arms, other than to possibly prevent the arrest of law abiding citizens whose handguns became exposed. The past six years have shown that no matter what laws are passed to prevent arrests for inadvertent exposure of a concealed firearm, anti-gun law enforcement and judges will subvert a law’s intent in order to advance a personal political agenda. Florida Carry chose not to be a part of this failed compromise. It is important to note that while Florida Carry’s opposition to the bill may be claimed as cover by anti-gun politicians, their votes were never going to go to support the right to bear arms.
Florida Carry acted out of a genuine concern for our members and all law-abiding gun owners.
One of the core principles of Florida Carry, and a reason for its founding, is that CWFLs represent allowing the government to turn a right into a licensed privilege. Florida Carry supports the right of all law-abiding citizens to bear arms, not just those who have obtained government permission. As for the accusation that Florida Carry is responsible for the risk that 1.8 million license holders face if their firearm becomes exposed, the NRA’s email is clear that Florida Carry did not exists when the law was passed in 1987. How is Florida Carry responsible for a 30-year old law that was passed when one of its founders was only thirteen years old and the other was stationed overseas? Who is responsible for the continued existence of the open carry ban in the twenty-four years prior to 2011 when Florida Carry was formed?
Florida Carry is blamed because its ‘folks’ ” . . . made a barrage of threatening and bullying phone calls to Senators.” There is no evidence to support such an accusation. To suggest that Florida Carry is responsible when a person is rude to a legislator using its name, is directly contrary to the NRA’s own position when a person claims that should be listened to on “common sense gun laws” because they are a NRA member. As the NRA is quick to point out anyone can claim to be a NRA member and membership does not mean they speak for the organization. Since NRA’s email against Florida Carry we have received a number of such emails, it seems that Florida Carry does not have an exclusive on self proclaimed supporters who lack decorum.
To blame Florida Carry for opposing a bad bill that was not going anywhere to begin with was uncalled for. In truth, the bill that the National Rifle Association is criticizing Florida Carry for opposing, did nothing to get rid of Florida’s current ban on the open carry of Rifles or any other firearm.
As we approach the 226th anniversary of the Second Amendment on December 15 2017, ask yourself what the right to bear arms means. Ask if a refusal to accept half measures is the mark of an organization ‘cutting off its nose to spite its face‘, or an organization with a true core of beliefs.
A core of beliefs it will not compromise on as it continues to fight for the rights of its members.
About Florida Carry
Florida Carry, Inc, is a nonprofit, non-partisan, grassroots organization dedicated to advancing the fundamental civil right of all Floridians to keep and bear arms for self defense. Their website is www.FloridaCarry.org.
I was around in 1968 when the NRA and one Mr. Charlton Heston backed the English version of the Nazi weapons control act aka: The GCA of 68 presented by Democrat Thomas J. Dodd. I don’t trust the NRA since the time Harlan Carter was in charge, especially after what the pulled on Neal Knox.
NRA worked for a lot of years to get the nation’s FIRST “shall issue” right to carry law passed in 1987 and it wasn’t perfect or all they wanted but it was a start. That’s why you have had a license since 1988. Year after year they have continued to work to get more and make it better. Florida Carry had nothing to do with restoring your right to carry. Ms. Marion Hammer started lobbying for NRA in Florida around the mid to late 1970s. NRA has been successful in killing hundreds and hundreds of gun control bills in Florida… Read more »
Your article says Florida carry started in 2011
I have had my permit since I turned 21 in 1988
What’s up
They meant the “Florida Carry” organization, not the right to carry in Florida.
Ok for those of you who misunderstood what I ment or I was unable to make clear. 1. In a perfect world where people like Finkinstein and Pelosi are consigned to jail or mental institutions instead of being in Political office. There would be no need for any bills. There would be universal acceptance of the Second Amendment.The right for law-abiding citizens would be without question the Law Of The Land. 2. Because things are as they are we need the Universal acceptance of a nationwide concealed carry. 3. We need it NOW not someday in the future!!!. Honest people… Read more »
Gee, I didn’t know NRA PASSED LAWS! Here I thought the NRA, an organization I am a LIFE MEMBER OF, just represented gun owners. Now I don’t know “Florida carry”, but it sounds like they only believe in “pure” laws and do not understand how this works, how ANY OF THIS WORKS. Now if NRA had not “compromised” a little, all HANDGUNS would have been put under NFA and instead of 200 MILLION handguns or there-abouts, there MIGHT BE ONE MILLION and they would ALL be in the hands of cops and criminals. Hopefully NRA can get nationwide concealed carry… Read more »
Thanks for admitting that the NRA (of which I am an endowment life member) is willing to compromise on your rights, because the left surely isn’t compromising on taking them away.
He is correct. If you read the newspaper accounts of the legislation fights surrounding the 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA). They wanted to put handguns under the NFA. At the time most people with Class III style weapons were WWI Vets, Collectors, and Gun Gallery Owners (suppressor were very popular for indoor shooting). The average person couldn’t afford automatic weapons due to the cost. The average wage was about $37 a week. Plus, the $200 tax for a $20 handgun would have put handguns out of the reach of most people. The NRA was compromising due to heavy political and… Read more »
Florida’s CW costs $55 for a 7 year license and $45 for a 7 year renewal. The fees were just reduced again this year. That’s $7.86 a year intitially and $6.43 a year for a renewal. How much do you spend on ammo everytime your go to the range to practice? If you can afford a gun, the holster you carry in and afford ammo you shouldn’t object to paying your way.
Why then when I got my bill for renewal was the stated cost over $100.00 ??? When I saw the outrageous cost I decided that since My Arizona and Utah CCW together covered most states and Florida did not add any I could let it go. I suspect the prices you quoted were for Florida residents not out of state residents like me. Regardless of the cost of a Florida CCW I can do better with my Arizona Resident and Utah out of state.
How much did Americans pay for the right to keep and bear arms in 1791 when the 2A was passed?
@CJG, At that time, nothing. The bill had already been paid in cash by the American soldier.
I used to have a Florida CCW but let it lapse because the cost of renewal was way too high. Also, my Arizona and Utah CCW cover the same states as an Arizona and Florida CCW would. There should be no costs beyond the cost of a NIX check costs.
The NRA has a history of attacking activists who threaten the status quo. If they were so powerful and you were so illegitimate, they wouldn’t have needed you to get the bill passed. They don’t understand that the left doesn’t compromise and they will NEVER support a pro-gun bill, so there is ZERO reason to compromise with them. What do we get when we compromise? A loss of freedom. What does the anti-gun zealot gets when they compromise on gun control? A loss of control. Which do we want? More freedom or more control?
Quote: “Compromise also gave us a constitution that allowed slavery to continue in this country for another seventy-five years, and a horrible war to keep the America unified”. This is not trueat all. Yes compromise was involved in the drafting and ratification of our federal Constitutioin. But that compromise did NOT “give us” a Constitution that allowed slavery to continue… that “peculiar institution” survived because of corrupt and immprao politicians, and financial greed. The Constituionwas designed to enable change to be made. It also forbade certain things that were done in spite of it. The federal “fugitive slave law” was… Read more »
Thank you Tionica; the truth about Lincolns war needs to be made public. This traitor, and his cohorts, irrevocably damaged this country and we are seeing this even yet today. The same democrats that owned the slaves are the same ones that manipulate them for their votes today. They no longer own their bodies, but they certainly own their minds and alledgience. Interestingly, Lincoln received a letter from Carl Marx, who resided in this country at the time, congratulating him on consolidation the power to the federal government. No, I am not a bitter Southerner, I am the first of… Read more »
I called Sen. Greg Steube and asked him if Florida Carry had called him, texted him or emailed him with concerns about his bills and asked him to to amendment or change anything. He said NO. He said they have his personal email address and his cell number but they hadn’t contacted him at all. They just showed up in committee and “thanked him for all his hard work” then tried to trashed his bills testifying against them. Florida Carry’s leadership apparently doesn’t know that when you’ve dug yourself into the bottom of a hole you should stop digging. Such… Read more »
I was planning on joining your movement. This lack of foresight turned me off. I will take what I can get, I won’t allow for the loss of anything. It isn’t all or nothing, it’s some, them some more, then some more. In my humble opinion.
You will take gun control as long as it’s packaged to look like a pro-gun bill?