Wordsmoker

Here is the language in the current Florida law. It appears that GA is just playing catchup.

FSS 790.06 (12):”No license issued pursuant to this section shall authorize any person to carry a concealed weapon or firearm inside the passenger terminal and sterile area of any airport, provided that no person shall be prohibited from carrying any legal firearm into the terminal, which firearm is encased for shipment for purposes of checking such firearm as baggage to be lawfully transported on any aircraft; or any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law.”

This has been the law for at least 20 years in Florida with no incidents that I could find with a concealed weapon’s permit holder discharging a firearm in an airport.

However, I still don’t know why anyone would want to bring a gun to an airport. More importantly, why do lawmakers think that people need to bring their guns to airports?

@Baroness: I agree that any idiot can read a sign. However, the license for crashing your car is the same as the license for driving it. I deal with motorists in a number of different capacities and I can assure you that the ability to communicate with me is always to their benefit. Don’t take this to mean that I treat speakers of other languages any differently, but the language barrier impedes my ability to wrap up my business in a timely manner. You shouldn’t need to be fluent in English to drive, but you should know a few basic terms. Then again, I should probably also know Spanish because of where I work. In the mean time, I just wing it.

@Virus: If you come to Florida, I will arrange a police escort until you’re clear of the airport.

@Heneage: I agree that it’s absolute insanity to require the “head of household” to have a gun and ammunition. How do you even enforce that law? What judge would sign a search warrant because a cop has probable cause to believe that the law is being broken? “Your honor, Mr. Henson hasn’t been attending the gun range lately and it’s been a fortnight since anyone has heard him shooting at squirrels. He’s either out of ammo or sold the gun. I think we need to go in.”

@Newt: I know that I’m in the minority of people who defend gun rights, but don’t constantly throw the Second Amendment in everyone’s face. Unless we are defending the common man’s rights to own tomahawk missiles and Black Hawk helicopters, it’s pretty unlikely that the people will have an effective militia to overthrow a tyrannical government.

However, there seems to be a pervasive paranoia about concealed weapons permit holders that the logic just doesn’t support. If Florida has allowed people with concealed weapons permits into parts of airports for 20 years (9 of which have been post September 11) and there haven’t been any incidents relating to gun violence at airports then at so far, the law hasn’t been a detriment to anyone’s safety. On the other hand, guns are always banned on college campuses and there have been a number of handgun murders committed by people who are not licensed. In this case, it seems to be pushing the point to allow guns into airports.

It’s anecdotal, but back on an earlier piece (I thought it was your The Spectre of The Gun, but it wasn’t there when I looked), I talked about the time that I protected my fiance and myself from an imminent attack at the parking garage of Bayside Marketplace in Miami. I didn’t shoot anyone, but it was the presence of the gun that protected me from a crime. I wasn’t a cop then, but I did have my Concealed Weapons Permit. The point is that the gun was very real security.

@Perverseus: 34D is a great, um, seat size. Beware of 34E. Back problems.