The NEW Florida Open Carry Petition

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I started coming here to this board a few months back. I was very interested in this topic of Open Carry of firearms. I quickly recognized that the petition started a couple years ago was at that time dead. I could not get to the results page at all after attempting to sign the petition. At that point, I looked up the details of the web page and emailed the owner several times. I got no response.

Also during this time, I attempted to begin to organize an Open Carry event. It was during this attempt to organize I found that the State Parks system still to this date refused to recognize the right of Florida citizens to Open Carry firearms during lawful activities.

Most of you are aware of the outcome of this but if you are not please go see this thread"
http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum17/32742.html

At this time, the original petition is now online and you can view the results page. However I personally have several issues with this petition. I will list them here for your perusal:
1. This petition is not actively managed. If you go to the signature page and look, I mean really look, there are a lot of blank signatures as well as signatures from people not living in Florida.
My problem with this is that if you are going to sign a petition, at least let your name be shown.
2. There are a lot of signatures from people not living in Florida. Legislators do not care about anyones opinion unless you have the power to vote them in or out of office. Period. That is the currency of the legislature. VOTES.

So.. seeing another problem I am providing a solution. I have started a website :
http://www.floridaopencarry.org

Now please understand, I have been working on this for some time now. It takes me longer because I am not a webmaster but I am dedicated to this cause. Please read the opening page and the petition thoroughly. As far as I am concerned, this is the beginning of the Florida movement. We are going to need people who believe as firmly as you and I in this cause. In the coming weeks additions will be made to this website. We need county coordinators, people willing to spend a few bucks to print posters, cards, etc and go to gunshows, get tables at gunshows and speak about the cause to others. There is a LOT to be done and people are needed. Go look at what I have started, if you wish to sign the petition I will be grateful.

I intend to get people to go to Tallahassee and speak with legislators, ultimately delivering the signatures to them in person.
But please understand, it is WE THE PEOPLE that control the state. WE need to show them our dedication to the cause and present a good logical argument to them to get them moving. Letters, emails, and phone calls are going to be needed.

2010 is going to be a keystone year nationally as well as for the State of Florida. Go sign the petition. Get the word out on as many boards as you frequent and are a respected member. If you have time, send me a PM and become a county coordinator. Lots of information to dispurse.

LETS GET OPEN CARRY MOVING IN FLORIDA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GCG

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I hope to see more activity on open carry in Florida. Web petitions are all well and good but without an effective grass-roots campaign, lobby, and a proper backer in the state legislature to bring a bill; we're going nowhere fast.

I propose an OC camping/fishing event this spring in a state park to exercise our right and raise awareness. See attachment.

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Hi StogieC. Man you are right on target most of your observations. I do realize that it appears things are "going nowhere" but that is not true. Things are however going very slowly. As of right now I have one, read that, one, day a week to dedicate to working on this cause. Whenever I have asked for volunteers the calls have gone unanswered.

I am using this busy time of the year to get the design of the site looking better and getting things organized. Beginning early next year there is going to be a membership push along with pushing the petition a bit more. As a matter of fact, I have not been pushing the petition yet till I get the redesign done. But I have done my research and know where I am going to post and how I am going to get the word out more after that redesign is finished. In concert with this will be opening up a dialog with legislators. 2010 is a good year for this as it is an election year.

There is lots to be done and right now resources are limited. Simple things likes banners and flyers are needed. Printing costs are minimal but they still exist. Entry fees for gun shows need to get covered. Events are good but there are fees associated with those as well. I am saving what I can and dropping it into a seperate account and am going to spend this money very efficiently.

If you keep watching the website, you are going to see changes happening soon. It is my hope and desire that as this movement gains publicity and gets moving, more people will come out of the woodwork and start actively doing things to support it such as donating time and effort, however meagher, to the cause. But if not, I am positive this movement can still be successful.

As I was working my way through the state parks issue which resulted in the memorandum you published in your post, I had naysayers. I kept pushing anyway. A few people joined in the effort and guess what? We were successful. These things can be changed but you have to work the system and you have to have your arguments layed out and be able to discuss it fervently, but not in a hostile format.

I have said before, I am working on it. What everyone else needs to decide is their personal level of involvement. So far, that has been wait and see more than anything else. That is fine, I am in this for the long haul.

Now, you caught me with my first cup of coffee in hand on my one day off. LOL. So I apologize if this reply was a mini rant. Not the intent. Just speaking plainly and from the heart. All those things you have said are needed, I agree. And they will happen. Maybe not as quickly as some or many wish, but will happen.

Stay well, and I hope to hear from you soon.
All the best
Gulf Coast Gunman

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I am a staunch advocate for bombing the state into the stone age and not investing one ounce of effort into it. But I signed the petition anyway.