Florida Goes Permitless Carry: Is This the End of Days?

Will this make it easier for law-abiding citizens to defend themselves?

The Sunshine State is in a state of flux. Florida’s HB543 just became effective over the weekend, allowing citizens to carry a concealed firearm without asking permission from the government, something criminals have been doing for years. For some odd reason, this has sent shockwaves through the state, as people debate the merits of permitless carry versus constitutional carry. Constitutional carry would have been the way to go, but many Republicans would not vote for constitutional carry, so they favored the watered-down permitless carry bill instead.

Permitless carry is a system in which anyone who is legally allowed to own a gun can carry it concealed without a permit. This means that there is no background check required to conceal carry. Constitutional carry is a system in which a citizen is able to own and keep a firearm on their person without any infringement by the government, meaning one can buy a firearm at a store without getting the government’s approval or knowledge, similar to if one was to purchase a knife. A free people should not be asking the government permission for anything, nor should the government be infringing upon the citizens’ freedom unless they are harming another.

So, what's the difference? Well, permitless carry is basically a free-for-all. Anyone can carry a gun, regardless of their training or background. This could lead to less gun violence as potential thieves and those seeking to assault a fellow citizen may become more hesitant in the future, as they will realize more citizens are armed and may not be such easy targets. Constitutional carry, on the other hand, would allow citizens to open carry without restriction making it obvious to criminals and keep them at bay. This could help to reduce the number of accidents and gun violence.

Photo by Brian Lundquist on Unsplash

But there are also arguments against permitless carry. Some people argue that it is dangerous. They believe that more guns in the hands of untrained people will lead to more accidents and gun violence. Others argue that permitless carry will make it harder for law enforcement to do their jobs.

So, which is it? Is permitless carry a good thing or a bad thing? Well, that's a matter of opinion and time will tell over the next few years here in Florida. But one thing is for sure: the debate over permitless carry is sure to heat up in the coming months and years.