Fla. Gun Law to Expand Leeway for Self-Defense

Washington Post ^ | 4/26/05 | Manuel Roig-Franzia

[jalisco555]

MIAMI -- It is either a Wild West revival, a return to the days of "shoot first and ask questions later," or a triumph for the "Castle Doctrine" -- the notion that enemies invade personal space at their peril.

Such dueling rhetoric marked the debate over a measure that Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) could sign as early as Tuesday. The legislation passed so emphatically that National Rifle Association backers plan to take it to statehouses across the nation, including Virginia's, over the next year. The law will let Floridians "meet force with force," erasing the "duty to retreat" when they fear for their lives outside of their homes, in their cars or businesses, or on the street.

NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said in an interview that the Florida measure is the "first step of a multi-state strategy" that he hopes can capitalize on a political climate dominated by conservative opponents of gun control at the state and national levels.

"There's a big tailwind we have, moving from state legislature to state legislature," LaPierre said. "The South, the Midwest, everything they call 'flyover land' -- if John Kerry held a shotgun in that state, we can pass this law in that state."

The Florida measure says any person "has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm."

[jalisco555]

National Rifle Association backers plan to take it to statehouses across the nation,

New York, please.

[jalisco555]

The Left is out of ideas.

That's been true since the 40's at least.

[snowsislander]

Another fine job from Ms. Marion Hammer. She was the leader in the Florida concealed carry fight (where the left used exactly the same silly "Wild West" rhetoric), and Ms. Hammer did a fine job shepherding this one also.

[1Old Pro]

New York, please.

We can't even get "unrestricted" concealed carry in most NY counties, I doubt this liberal legislature will do anything to support our right to crry.

Besides, they just reinstituted the so-called assault weapon ban in NY....unbelievable.

[Gritty]

This legislation has the Brady Bunch and criminals (but, I repeat myself) quaking in their Birkenstocks and boots, respectively.

[Windcatcher]

"DUmmies with firearms? Ha. Darwin will run rampant when that day comes ;)"

Last night, Slashdot was loaded with post after post of distressed lefties writing that they want to form armed militias and overthrow our government. They're not even hiding it anymore.

[School of Rational Thought]

I don't own a gun


Why not?

[jalisco555]

We can't even get "unrestricted" concealed carry in most NY counties, I doubt this liberal legislature will do anything to support our right to crry.

I know. I was unable to prove to the judge overseeing handgun permits that I had a "need" for a concealed carry permit. I've about had it with this state.

[Calusa]

I'm just a klutz.

[Fenris6]

Maybe all those gun toten rednecks can scare some of them sissy liberals back up north

Reinstitute the Draft, that'll do it. And no more dual-citizenship.

[ExSoldier]

The BEST part about this law (speaking as a Floridian and a firearms instructor) is that once this is signed into law, it will bar the attacker (or his estate) from filing a lawsuit to recover damages (assuming the shooting is ruled justifiable in the first place). ALSO, it bars an antigun jurisdiction (like my area of Miami-Dade, and again, assuming a justifiable shooting) from arresting the shooter to harass and recklessly prosecute for the sake of deterrence in order to send a signal to other gunowners not to shoot the downtrodden and misunderstood criminals.....

We MUST go on the offensive and spread legislation like this to other states. Force the Brady Bunch and the Million Morons to run around and try and stamp out pro-gun fires rather than allow them time to cook up more ways to deprive us the use of arms in self defense.

We need to start rolling back more of the 20,000 gun laws on the books that are useless (all of 'em) and put the antifreedom crowd into a tailspin from which it will require 100 years to recover.

[jalisco555]

We need to start rolling back more of the 20,000 gun laws on the books that are useless (all of 'em) and put the antifreedom crowd into a tailspin from which it will require 100 years to recover.

I agree. Is there any evidence that any gun control law in any jurisdiction has prevented even a single crime? I'm aware of none.