While Florida gun owners are celebrating the recent court ruling overturning the state’s ban on open carry of firearms, anti-gun Democrats in the Sunshine State are much less enthused. In fact, some are downright angry over the situation.
On September 10, Florida’s First District Court of Appeals ruled that the open carry ban violates citizens’ Second Amendment rights, reversing the conviction of the central figure in the case. Then, on September 15, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a letter to law enforcement agencies and prosecutors stating that “no Florida court will any longer be empowered to convict a defendant” under the ban, and that his office will no longer defend such prosecutions.
Now, anti-gun lawmakers in the state, particularly those of the Democrat persuasion, are speaking out against the ruling, promising certain tragedy—despite the fact that 47 other states already allow open carry of firearms.
One of the most vocal critics is Florida Democrat Party Chair Nikki Fried. In a news release distributed by the party, which handily appeared on the same pages as an opportunity to donate to the party, Fried bashed the court’s decision.
“I have a long history advocating for the rights afforded in the Second Amendment and have previously petitioned Courts to uphold those rights for all citizens,” Fried said. “However, I strongly believe that the First District Court of Appeals has erred in its recent opinion, which paves the way for open carry in the State of Florida.”
Of course, the phrase, “I support the Second Amendment, but … has been uttered by anti-gun politicians, bureaucrats and activists ever since they decided that truth wasn’t important to the gun control debate. But I digress.
Fried continued by mentioning various armed attacks throughout the country, without being able to tie legal open carry to any of the incidents. She then declared open carry unsafe for all.
“This is a moment in history when we need to promote safer environments, not embolden those who could abuse the ruling’s intent to sow seeds of terror,” she said. “We strongly encourage law enforcement to wait for a final legal judgment before allowing open carry, as it may cause confusion that leads to danger at a time when calm and clarity are so desperately needed.”
In the end, Fried made a dire warning of doom.
“Historically, the Florida Sheriffs Association, many departments across the state, and leaders on both sides of the aisle have agreed: open carry will make Floridians less safe,” she said. “The impact of this decision will have negative long-term effects on our communities and further erode Floridians’ trust in one another.”
As mentioned earlier, only three states—California, Connecticut and Illinois—still bar their citizens from openly carrying arms. Ultimately, Fried likely knows that and realizes that other states don’t have massive problems because of permitting open carry. The other option is she sees the court decision as just another opportunity to bash the right to bear arms and raise more money for Florida Democrats.
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