How will this affect your daily way of life? (Tampa: big house, school)

[Old Man Winter]

Originally Posted by justNancy

I have an idea. Why don't we all walk around with sabers? We can change our motto on license plates from "The Sunshine State" to "Better Behead Than Dead."

What I fail to understand is why this is such an important issue when the crime rate across the country is so much lower than a few years ago. It's like saying, "Well, the crime rate is down, so why don't we all go out and get weapons we can carry around."

I don't remember anyone taking a gun to a town meeting until Obama became President. Yet he's made the gun laws more lenient since taking office. So what is everyone really afraid of? Admit it, people. I guess when there's a Black president in the White House and so man Jews on the Supreme Court, people start getting nervous. I hear it all the time in whispers.

The race card? Really? So you are saying anyone in this country that owns guns or has a CCW permit is in fear of blacks and jews? Come on Nancy, I thought you were mature and more intelligent than that. Apparently you have fears of your own if you fear law abiding citizens.

Since this is starting to circle the drain Ill leave it alone, the race card . What an insult, but only in America. When we cant discuss or understand an issue we just toss the race card to trump the topic and derail it. Well done Nancy

Atrox, bravo.... you mock civil liberties that you obviously dont understand. But I am glad you brought such insight into the discussion. If you had read the OP perhaps you would have seen this was not a discussion about the 2nd amendment, perhaps your tinfoil helmet didnt let that sink in.

[gettinoutofjersey]

I have an idea. Why don't we all walk around with sabers? We can change our motto on license plates from "The Sunshine State" to "Better Behead Than Dead."

What I fail to understand is why this is such an important issue when the crime rate across the country is so much lower than a few years ago. It's like saying, "Well, the crime rate is down, so why don't we all go out and get weapons we can carry around."

I don't remember anyone taking a gun to a town meeting until Obama became President. Yet he's made the gun laws more lenient since taking office. So what is everyone really afraid of? Admit it, people. I guess when there's a Black president in the White House and so man Jews on the Supreme Court, people start getting nervous. I hear it all the time in whispers.

i wont even engage the ridiculous racial or religious claims that you make. i am equally nervous with a liberal white christian in office or on the supreme court. have you listened to col. west from here in florida? he would make a great president, (happens to be black) i would have been proud to have served under him.

while it is not on subject of the orignial posting, i am curious where you get the claim that obama made the gun laws more lenient? very strict gun laws are a part of his agenda, however they are so far down the list of his liberal country destroying agenda that he never got to them. he did more to increase gun sales because of fear of these laws than any gun salesman could have.

and another question, where do you get your statistics that crime is down? violent crime is not. read the papers.

[coastal chic]

Originally Posted by gettinoutofjersey

where do you get your statistics that crime is down? violent crime is not. read the papers.

Read the papers????? If we believed everything the media spoons us, oh wait...we do! Here are some FBI year-over-year crime statistics showing crime IS down.

FBI — Table 3

[Rushmore]

Originally Posted by justNancy

I don't remember anyone taking a gun to a town meeting until Obama became President. Yet he's made the gun laws more lenient since taking office. So what is everyone really afraid of? Admit it, people. I guess when there's a Black president in the White House and so man Jews on the Supreme Court, people start getting nervous. I hear it all the time in whispers.

Those whispers can be taken care of with a little Haldol.

I love it when people with vitriolic, fringe views say "Admit it, people," and "let's be honest," as if their crackpot opinions were obvious truths, and everyone else is just an imbecile with their collective head in the sand.

[Big House]

Originally Posted by Edgewater Homes

Read the papers????? If we believed everything the media spoons us, oh wait...we do! Here are some FBI year-over-year crime statistics showing crime IS down.

FBI — Table 3

On one hand you don't trust what is written, and then on the other hand you do. Where do the papers and reporters get their information . . . from the stats and surveys that the government turns out and sponsors mostly, and from many private companies that sponsor them with a clear agenda. Not all are scewed, but many are bent on reinforcing an agenda.

I don't claim to know anything about how this table was prepared, and quite frankly didn't even look at it. I have learned that politicians have modified what crimes are and how they are documented (whether they are crimes or not) with the purpose of reinforcing that while they were in office things improved. Stolen cars as an example are reported as "unable to locate" - thus not stolen, thus not a crime, thus the stats on stolen crimes goes down. Rapes, homicides, murders, and other crimes are also documented the same way, until they are judged. Even then the judge reduces the sentence, or accepts lesser pleas, in order to keep the docket moving - thus lower crime stats.

And, so. . . where does that leave you if you are vulnerable? Being afraid for your safety, doesn't make you a bad person. Being able to protect yourself doesn't make you a bad person, carrying a weapon, may infact allow that person to protect someone else (that is overly confident about their safety) avoid a potential pit fall.

I know a lot of law abiding citizens that carry weapons, and that don't. The police do, the military does, many of them carry when they work and don't work. Many of them have seen others (confident, law abiding, and not looking for trouble) become vicitimized, and are prepared to do something if necessary. I applaude them. I trust their judgement, and don't worry a bit about my safety around them. I trust those that do carry, have similar judgements and view points.

I am not afraid, and I don't carry a weapon. And, I am not afraid of those that do - so long as they don't threaten me or my family with it. And, I don't expect that. Even though I don't carry a weapon, I won't hesitate to step in and protect any of my family or friends to the fullest extent of my capabilities when threatened or the need arises. My friends and family know that about me. I have a Big Brother mentality, and I think many Americans feel the same way.

[gettinoutofjersey]

lets put the news media and statistical data aside for a bit. go to any of the sites or to the county sheriffs web site and look at the great number of arrests. that is fact, that is a person that did something bad enough for the cops to cuff and charge. these people walk amongst us. they are a threat to us. granted many are drug charges and one can say they are only hurting themselves until you look at where it says occupation and employer and both are answered as none. they got the money for the drugs somewhere. and in that getting the money very often bad things happen. the likely hood of it happening to you or i probably not likely but it could. and like i said in an earlier post the criminals here are not as brazen as other states that have very strict gun control laws. these bad guys dont want to get shot so they are careful as to where and who they hit. they dont know if that door they kick in will be an unlucky one for them.

the only way an anti gun liberal would ever see the need is when they become a victim, then their way of thinking changes.

now back to the original post.............i dont think open carry will be common place. i dont know any gun owners that would care to advertise to those around them what they have. being prepared is often enhanced by the element of surprise. the change of the law to open carry is just restoring a law that was previously taken away.

and i am still waiting to hear what laws obama created to help gun owners. (hint: he is the president, the president does not pass or create laws, the congress and senate does).

[Foxrivman1]

Thought I would chime in on this post, I lived in Arizona for years, grew up with guns, hunted, and went target shooting with my Dad many times. Lived there in the 80's before the border drug cartel issues were a problem. In Arizona it was never uncommon to see someone with a side arm at swap meets, or generally out in the open. Never seen a case of missuse or a threatening situation by someone who carrried. That is not to say it never happened but for me I didn't see any problems locally as a result. Too many people today have never even fired a gun, or gone target shooting, skeet shooting, etc, etc.

I don't believe this law if passed will change much if anything socially or otherwise just because someone is allowed to openly carry.

I think at first there will be those who will do it just for the sake of being able to do it and to make some stupid personal statement.

I'm not one to jump on the bandwagon and start showing everybody my S&W if the bill passes, so, for me at least, nothing changes.

[wondermint2]

One other thing I wanted to mention is that guns and alcohol don't mix. Do bars and restaurants with Happy Hours allow patrons inside with guns here in Sarasota? Back in St. Louis (where I come from) there was an incident involving armed off-duty policeman drinking at a restaurant for a friend's birthday party. Some sort of argument there occurred which escalated out on the parking lot. The result was 3 off duty police were shot, 3 civilians were shot. It was later determined that most of those shot in the parking lot were innocent people trying to calm the incident. The off-duty police who had been drinking fired on a civilian who was coming to someone's aid in the parking lot dispute. The off-duty police claimed this civilian was reaching for a gun. It was later determined he had no gun. It was later determined that many of those involved in the melee had a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit.

[jnanner]

Originally Posted by Edgewater Homes

That happened to me once in Orlando. I have never once, since, honked at anyone because I was mad at them for pulling out in front of me. Scared me to the core.

i feel this way since moving from NY to FL. I keep my mouth shut here, i don't honk and I keep you-know-which finger to myself!!

[atroxanautin]

Originally Posted by Old Man Winter

Atrox, bravo.... you mock civil liberties that you obviously dont understand. But I am glad you brought such insight into the discussion. If you had read the OP perhaps you would have seen this was not a discussion about the 2nd amendment, perhaps your tinfoil helmet didnt let that sink in.

You are too quick to judge. I was just trying to bring some humor into the discussion