In the wake of tragedies, questions will always be asked. At all levels of government- but also at the workplace, at church, at the grocery store. We have the opportunity to inform and educate those we meet to ensure our views are heard as part of a rational discourse.
On one hand will be those who desire Canadian style laws where all firearms must be stored unloaded and secured with a trigger lock or in a safe. Some require storage WITH a trigger lock INSIDE a safe. That’s unreasonable and ridiculous.
And on the other hand are those who think it’s perfectly acceptable to have handguns hidden in living room end tables or kitchen drawer and if Junior brings his friends home after school- well, they should know not to mess with stuff. That’s careless and irresponsible.
Both views are extreme and counterproductive.
What does the law say?
Florida law states that if you leave a firearm where a minor (under 16) could gain access without their parent or guardian’s consent- you are breaking the law. It is a misdemeanor. We are required to take precautions that are “reasonable”.
What is the RIGHT and RESPONSIBLE thing to do?
The National Shooting Sports Foundation has created resources and an entire program called Project Childsafe whose sole purpose is to balance responsible storage solutions with education and training. If you need a lock for your firearm, please come see us. We’ve got a box full. If you are about to purchase a safe- whether small enough for just one pistol or a whole collection, we can help point you in the right direction there as well.
For many of us, a firearm purchase is so we can defend and protect our families. That is our right and our responsibility. Having them all locked away in a vault is counter productive to that. Making sure that we can access and deploy them in the event of an emergency while preventing unauthorized access is vital. We encourage all of our members to familiarize themselves with the requirements of the law as well as the responsibilities of the home- without, and we stress this- WITHOUT sacrificing ONE INCH of our natural rights.
