Poll and News, Orlando Sentinel - Movement under way to let Floridians openly tote...

[MountainGator]

I'm opposed to any Pistol Carry without training. Given that the people in Florida are willing to get (essentially) the same level of training to carry openly as they do to carry concealed, I would not be opposed. But if you're going to take the class, then why not just go get a FL CWFL??

We spend 'half-the-year' in Gainesville (FL), a city of ~125,000 plus 50,000 (+/-) college students. Yesterday we went to a (Gator) 'function' in a public park in Gainesville. There were a couple hundred people at the function including the Softball team, the Basketball team, the cheerleaders, the dance team, a bunch of coaches, etc. and there were maybe 500 or so other people "Doing Their Own Thing" in close proximity. Of course I was carrying - we always carry except when we're on the Univ. of Fla. campus (or other prohibited place), and once or twice the thought ran through my mind wondering how many other people were also CCW?

As an NRA Certified Instructor, I teach folks the basic Knowledge, Attitude, and Skills necessary to safely handle a Pistol, and to CCW in 34 states... PROVIDED they can pass the background check, and so I have ABSOLUTELY no problem with anyone legally CCW. But I really wonder what the "FEELINGS" would have been from the Student Athletes that we talked to, the Coaches that we talked to, the other folks that we talked with, and the other folks in the area, etc. if I had been walking around with my Ruger Blackhawk on one hip and my P-95-15 on the other, and my wife had her Pink Lady on her hip instead of in her purse plus the S&W 22A on her other hip?

[kskgeos]

As the natural resource manager for a large, private manufacturer in Florida, I carry openly on the private lands I manage for my employer, but when I step (or drive) off the property, I have to revert to concealed carry and my CCW. I am not a "titled" LEA and don't pretend to be, but I work in some harsh environments where encounters with water moccasins, rattlesnakes, alligators, and wild hogs are not uncommon. Most times, in private, I prefer concealed carry, but when I am in the uniform of my employer, it would be nice to not worry about how to revert to concealed carry mode if I take a run into town to pick up some supplies.

[Malk67]

Speaking as a "Native Floridian" (although I now live in NC) I have NO Issue with open carry. As long as the firearm (and it's carrier) are legal and know the "what, where, and when" laws, have at in my oppinion.