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Health & Fitness

The Right to Bear in Florida

Gun ownership is a sacred American right but is it just too easy to get one in Florida?

Let me start out by saying that I fully support second amendment rights. While I agree times are not what they were in the late 18th Century when the amendment was written, it is one of our sacred rights as citizens.

Now let me say that gun ownership and public possession should be privileges and not inherent rights. Meaning that I do not automatically get to arm up with as many guns as I want but that I must demonstrate knowledge of and proficiency with whatever firearm I aim to possess or carry.

I just completed my class to attain my concealed weapons permit and I found it woefully lacking. Don't get me wrong, some very important information was presented and discussed but shooting a cap-gun loaded .22 into a metal box is as far from demonstrating firearm proficiency as driving around a parking lot is for demonstrating proficiency with a vehicle.

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One thing that kills more people that guns in the United States is automobiles. Yet, it is excruciatingly easy to attain a driver's license. Guns are right there toward the top and I agree that it is too easy to attain one. I would defend a citizen's right to own one but that person should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the weapon, the laws regarding it, and proficiency with it.

The same should apply to driving a vehicle. The last time I had to take a driving test, I did not even leave the parking lot. I could have been severely intoxicated or otherwise impaired, even psychologically unstable and passed that driving test. Just the same I could have passed this CWP class I just took. I don't mean to diminish the class. In fact, I think that CWP class is very beneficial and should be required for anyone that wants to own a firearm, period. I think that if you are taking it out in public, you should have to undergo training in stopping a confrontation without your firearm, proper targeting and discharging thereof, even training with drawing the firearm from its concealment.

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My thought is that if we have fewer, more qualified gun owners and drivers for that matter, the fatality rate would plummet for both categories.

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