IN PRAISE OF FLORIDA'S NEW DEADLY FORCE LAW
By Pastor Chuck Baldwin
September 30, 2005
In my home state of Florida, a new law just took effect which strengthens the right of citizens to use deadly force in protecting themselves. The new law has been nicknamed the "stand your ground" statute, because it changes the state requirement that a person try to avoid or escape an assailant before using deadly force.
As one can imagine, liberals throughout the State of Florida are screaming their opposition to the new law. Last May, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference held a protest in my home town of Pensacola.
Not to be outdone, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence is purchasing newspaper ads and handing out flyers at Florida airports. Among the flyers' suggestions is one saying, "Do not argue unnecessarily with local people."
Can anyone hear me laughing? I love it! I can only hope that the Brady campaign will help deter a whole bunch of Yankees from invading our good state thereby preventing further corruption from Northern liberalism! We have more liberals than we need in this state already, especially in the southern part of Florida. (There is a saying in the Florida Panhandle, "The further South you go, the further North you get." And it's true!)
The new law was sponsored by Florida State Senator Durell Peaden. He defended the new law by saying, "With the awareness of all this, maybe crime is dropping. The criminal element know this is out there." He went on to say, " We need to do everything we can to preserve that Second Amendment right." Hear! Hear!
Ever since Florida passed its concealed carry law back in 1987, serious crime across the state has plummeted. Furthermore, Florida's concealed carry law has spawned similar laws in more than two thirds of the states across the country, and crime rates nationwide reflect it. Crime rates are down to their lowest levels in decades. In fact, the state with the lowest crime rate in the country is a state which allows its citizens to carry a concealed weapon without even requiring a permit: the state of Vermont. It is also no coincidence that the cities and states with the highest levels of violent crimes are those places that have the strictest forms of gun control. Washington, D.C., Chicago, and New York City come to mind.
Instead of ushering in "vigilante justice," as one liberal predicted, the "stand your ground" law actually makes our state safer. One can only hope that other states will follow suit.
© 2005 Chuck Baldwin - All Rights Reserved
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Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.
Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and newspapers.
The reason freedom has survived more than 200 years of history is due to the American people's lawful access to firearms and to the preservation of our republican form of government.