Florida Emergency Alert! Don’t Let Them Blame You For Parkland

Today, Governor Rick Scott, the Florida Senate and the Florida House announced their respective plans to stop future mass shooters in our schools.

There are components of the plan that we should all support.  Hardening our schools, putting law enforcement in all schools when students are present, training volunteer teachers to use guns and protect children, keeping guns out of the hands of the dangerously mentally ill, and allowing law enforcement and administrators to deal with people who are a danger to themselves or others, are all things that need to be done.  Unfortunately, there are gun control measures being considered as well.

The legislature is considering the following gun control measures:

1. A three day waiting period (3-Day Wait) on the purchase of all firearms. There is no way a 3-day waiting period would have stopped the Parkland murderer.  He bought his gun many months before committing a planned, premeditated murder of 17 high school students and teachers.  Proponents of a 3-day waiting period claim the waiting period is supposed to stop a person from running out in the heat of passion and buying a gun to kill someone.  But they ignore the fact that mass shootings have all been planned in advance.

2. Ban on Bump Stocks. This was pulled out of the air to add more gun control to appease anti-gun groups.  The regulation of Bump Stocks is currently being addressed by the U.S. Department of Justice.  Banning something that is being worked on at the federal leveI is just an excuse to add another gun-ban-type item to the list.  It had nothing to do with the Parkland shooting.  

3. Raise the age limit to purchase rifles and shotguns from 18 to 21. 18 year-olds can vote, purchase a car, sign a legal contract, become a law enforcement officer, join the military and go overseas and die for our country – but they shouldn’t be able to buy a rifle or shotgun for self-defense, hunting or target shooting?  This is a punitive, misguided and failed approach.  The result is that a 20-year-old man or woman would not be able to purchase ANY firearm for self-defense, hunting or any other lawful purpose.

If raising the age to purchase a long gun would have stopped the Parkland killer from purchasing a gun legally how could it have stopped him from purchasing one illegally?

We must address BEHAVIOR -- and that is not accomplished with gun control.  Punishing law-abiding gun owners for the acts of a criminal, instead of focusing on the abject failures of the FBI, Broward Sheriff’s office, Dept. of Children and Families, and a Deputy Sheriff who wouldn’t go into the school and stop the shooter is the wrong way to deal with this situation.  We can do better.

Please EMAIL Governor Rick Scott, Senate President Joe Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, incoming Senate President Bill Galvano and incoming House Speaker Jose Oliva IMMEDIATELY and tell them NO GUN CONTROL.  

Urge them to provide armed security in schools and tighten mental health laws to keep guns out of the hands of those who are a danger to themselves or others BUT LEAVE THE RIGHTS OF LAW-ABIDING GUN OWNERS ALONE.

IN THE SUBJECT LINE PUT: DON’T BLAME GUN OWNERS FOR PARKLAND

(To send your message to all just Block and Copy All email addresses into the "Send To" box)

rick.scott@eog.myflorida.com
negron.joe@flsenate.gov
richard.corcoran@myfloridahouse.gov
jose.oliva@myfloridahouse.gov
galvano.bill@flsenate.gov
officeofthesenatepresident@flsenate.gov
RC@richardcorcoran.com