The knee-jerk reaction of some people to stop crime with guns is to ban guns. However, the reality is that gun bans simply stop law-abiding people from owning them.
A criminal out to do a robbery with a gun isn't going to be deterred by a no-gun sign on the door. Gun bans leave the law-abiding citizen vulnerable. Criminals know this.
While law-enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, it's impossible to protect all 18 million Floridians at all times.
Fortunately, Floridians have a right to own and keep a gun in their homes and to have a concealed-weapons license. With a permit, Florida residents can carry concealed guns in 35 other states. As of Feb. 28, Florida has issued 793,309 carry permits, 85,129 of which are issued to out-of-state residents who visit Florida.
This is the main reason crime is down in Florida.
The FBI released crime-report data for the first half of 2010 that indicates a 6.2 percent drop in violent crime across the nation. This is in line with the study done by John R. Lott Jr., who teaches criminal deterrence and law and economics at the University of Chicago. Lott points out in his book, "More Guns, Less Crime," that from 1977 to 1994, crime was down significantly where people were allowed to have a gun.
Purchasing a firearm is your right. Gun safety is the most important issue when you own a gun. There are a number of gun ranges that teach concealed-carry courses, which include gun safety.
People should understand how a gun operates and make sure the range is reputable. This will lead us to less crimes and an even safer Florida.
Bill Bunting is Second Amendment chairman for the Republican Party of Florida and the Republican State Committeeman for Pasco County.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/mar/23/MEOPINO1-more-guns-less-crime/news-opinion-commentary/
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