Dear Senate Judiciary Chairman Miguel Diaz de la Portilla and Senate President Andy Gardiner,
I’m a member of the NRA, Florida Carry, Georgia Carry and author of the blog Pursuit of Patriotism, as well as being published by AmmoLand News.
I’m writing to urge both of you to support the open carry and campus carry bills. Let there be an honest, full Senate vote. Transparency in government is a good thing. Sweeping these bills under the rug and giving cover to timid Republicans will anger voters, as it would be an obviously cynical political move.
Let the voters see who really walks the walk and not just talks the talk.
It is well known that Democrats are 99-percent united in their opposition to carry rights. That’s no surprise. But, what is disheartening is when Republicans act like Democrats in denying citizens their Constitutional Rights, when these same Republicans proudly claim to support the Second Amendment. Citizens are not servants of the government. I believe it is the other way around, by purposeful design and for good reason.
Licensed, adult college students who already carry their firearms everywhere they go, do not deserve to have their right to protect their lives stripped away just because they want to get an education and step onto a college campus.
Keeping students as sitting ducks is simply immoral.
Why should college presidents, of whom 90 percent or greater are leftist elitists, be able to make the choice to disarm law-abiding, licensed adults?
I frankly do not care what their opinion on the matter is and neither should you. If college presidents are such hoplophobes, they can get a job at a private university where private property rights can ban weapons.
Forty-five states allow the legal open carry of firearms, with most of them not requiring a carry license to do so. Don’t fall victim to the Democrats’ fear-mongering and parade of horribles that always turn out to be false prophesies.
The vast majority of police officers work in open carry states.
Officers seem to be doing their jobs well in those states that recognize their citizens’ right to carry openly. Florida officers will get used to it as well, or they can choose another profession if they so desire. If they feel the need for additional training, they can ask for it.
The complaints from police chiefs do not deserve any weight of consideration. I don’t care who they are. They are not special enough to deny citizens their rights by complaining to you against freedom. So what if their egos are so fragile, they can’t bear the thought of mere citizens being able to openly carry pistols just like them? They can put on their big boy pants and get over it.
Senators, give liberty a chance.
If open carry and campus carry are either gutted with hostile amendments or do not see an honest full Senate vote, then respectfully, Senators, I do not want to ever hear any more talk about supporting the Second Amendment from those responsible.
Honor your oath to the U.S. Constitution, and do the right thing.
Signed,
Phillip Evans