On April 21, 2021, Florida’s Rules Committee approved the measure HB 259 for licensed concealed carriers to bring guns onto these churches leasing school space. Florida already allows concealed weapons to be carried at religious institutions with the exception of shared schools.
Threats will always remain prevalent in society. The measure only allows those the option at the very least to protect themselves and their peers.
“We’re giving one of the safest subgroups in our society the ability to carry,” Senator sponsor Joe Gruters said.
If Florida’s senate approves this measure, it only emphasizes the need for fewer gun-free zones. Senate Minority Leader Gary Farmer seems to think differently. Speaking of gun-free zones, Farmer says it is a proven fallacy that the “good guy” will rise up and save the defenseless. “There hasn’t been a Dirty Harry or John McClane or Rambo that’s come to the defense of anyone in any of these mass shootings,” Farmer said.
Farmer is completely wrong with this statement. It’s not about just being a hero when you make the decision to carry a weapon. More so, it is about defending those who are defenseless. What worse occurrence could have happened in the White Settlement Church shooting if Texas did not allow guns to be carried in churches? Going back to Farmer’s lack of heroes, would the Sutherland Springs shooter done even worse had he not been pursued by two law-abiding citizens, one of which traded fire with the shooter while getting two shots on him?
We can go on about being a hero, but at the end of the day, this measure disproves the rather complete safety of gun-free zones and allows the defenseless to be defended. It is important religious institutions are given at least the choice to choose whether or not weapon carry is allowed in their spaces.
