The Right to Keep & Bear Firearms in Motor Vehicles

Below is an article written by a Florida Legislator, Paige Kreegel, who was a co-sponsor of Florida’s “The Preservation and Protection of the Right to Keep and Bear arms in motor vehicles Act” — legislation that passed and was signed by Governor Crist in 2008.

Frequently, editorials castigate legislatures and legislators, for passing or supporting legislation allowing law-abiding citizens to keep their firearms locked in private vehicles while at work or while shopping. This is an issue on which thoughtful people can and do disagree. However, so many editorial contain enough errors, assumptions, and omissions, that it begs for – in Paul Harvey’s words – “The rest of the story”.

Derided as the “Bring your gun to work” bill, in Florida our bill/law is actually titled as “The Preservation and Protection of the Right to Keep and Bear arms in motor vehicles Act”. It is in reaction to many businesses including Wal-Mart, Disney World and others prohibiting their employees from being prepared for legitimate self-defense while driving to and from work.

Consider a (depressingly) common situation: A single mother with custody of her child, dealing with an abusive, violent ex-husband or boyfriend, maybe even a stalker. These unfortunate women are not part of the leisure-crowd or the golf-and-tennis-scene. Mostly they are relegated to low-paying jobs in the service industry, often evening or night shifts.

From the time they leave the house, to drop off their babies at child-care, go to work, and then reverse the process 8 or 10 hours later, these women are completely vulnerable to premeditated violence from larger, stronger, and often obsessed males. There are not possibly enough police or armed guards to escort these employees safely to and from work. Moreover…..none are offered. Their only possible protection is a firearm.

Now, some employers would take away even that basic right–the ability to self-defense, and offer no alternatives. They have forced employees to sign waivers allowing their cars to be searched in the parking lots. Private property rights of the employer are invariably invoked in this debate. But what about the private property of the employee? What is it about an employee’s car that does not seem to be “private property”?

Lobbyists for some industries claimed that employees lose their private property rights when they enter an employer’s parking lot. Really? So then an employer could steal their car, sell it and not be violating the law?

Others claim that the employee has no right to privacy while on employer property. Is that so?? Then is it OK for them to set up a hidden camera in the ladies rest room?

Much emphasis is given to the employees having “waived” their rights–in writing–as a pre-condition to employment. If constitutionally guaranteed rights can be so casually dismissed, can the employee also be forced to “waive” their right to the minimum wage? How about “waiving” your right to non-discrimination based on race, gender, or religion?

Some editors parrot what many businesses insinuate–that disgruntled employees are dangerous and violent. This is a cheap-shot, and a deceptive one at that. What do the murders at Columbine, Northern Illinois University, the Amish Community School in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, Virginia Law School, and Virginia Tech have in common? These massacres occurred at SCHOOLS. That’s right—-supposedly “gun-free” zones.

These tragedies never seem to occur at police stations, gun shows or biker-bars. The reason is obvious—folks in these locales will shoot back! Fact is, whenever a psychopathic, murdering, domestic terrorist wants to carry out carnage, they invariably head for the “gun-free” zones of our schools and malls. “Gun-free” laws have arguably created these horrors where our children are led like lambs to be slaughtered. Does anyone really think that killers will obey the “gun-free” babble on their way to murder innocents?

And who are these citizens who will have their firearms locked in their cars? They are women and men who are taking responsibility for their own safety. They are law-abiding people and are habitual “rule-followers”. They are NOT part of the problem, but they are able and willing to become a part of the solution. We in the Legislature should let them do so.

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MS: Suspects ID'd in robbery, chase, shooting death: "A warrant was issued for Jaime Flores, 26, charging three counts of armed robbery and one of aggravated assault. Both men believed to have robbed a small Vicksburg grocery before being chased down and one of them killed by the store owner were from Texas, police said. A warrant was issued for Jaime Flores, 26, 919 Dallas St., Houston, charging three counts of armed robbery and one of aggravated assault. Flores fled on foot Thursday night from Interstate 20 and U.S. 61 South, police believe. Found dead of a gunshot wound the next morning below the overpass was Jose Arenas. Authorities said Arenas was 25, and his last known address was 12013 Glorieta St. in San Elizario. An autopsy also showed Arenas had a broken ankle. Police Lt. Bobby Stewart said identifying the men was accomplished through tracing the 1993 Toyota with Hinds County plates that crashed during the chase and that witnesses confirmed seeing the two together before the La Chiquita store and patrons were robbed. Police Chief Walter Armstrong said the store owner told investigators he started the chase, which covered about 4 miles, to get the tag number and returned gunfire after the suspects’ vehicle crashed. The store owner has not been charged. The robbers wore ski masks, one carried an SKS assault rifle and the other showed a handgun. A woman clerk was hit with the rifle, officials said."




FL: Police Identify Would-Be Convenience Store Robber: "Police identified the would-be robber who they say tried to hold-up a convenience store clerk in Deerfield Beach. Instead police say the owner's son Samir Al-Madi shot the alleged robber identified as 24-year-old Alexander Brown [above] Friday night. Al-Madi told BSO detectives that he was on the phone when he saw an armed man with a handkerchief over his mouth wearing a hooded jacket approaching the store. Al-Madi said the suspect burst through the door yelling and demanding cash with the gun pointed directly at him. BSO robbery detectives said at about the same time Al-Madi reached for a nearby gun and fired one shot, striking the gunman in the lower jaw area. When the robber started to get up, Al-Madi fearing for his safety fired several more shots. After hearing the commotion a clerk, who was in the back area of the store at the time of the shooting, came to the front of the store and grabbed the thief's gun before he had a chance to retrieve it." Police said there were no customers at the time of the hold-up."




Peaceful "Gun free" Britain: "The number of youths taken to court for gun crimes in London rose sharply last year amid a surge in offences involving murder and robbery, Met figures show. A total of 375 suspects aged 19 or under were charged with firearms offences — 70 per cent up on the 220 recorded in 2008. The biggest increase was in gun robberies against businesses, such as late-night convenience stores, which tripled during the 12-month period to a total of 121. There was also a 37 per cent rise in gunpoint muggings taking last year's total to 95. The number of youths charged over a firearms murder was also up with 13 prosecutions last year, compared with five a year earlier, although armed rapes fell from four to two. The Met said the rise in prosecutions was partly due to an increase in anti-gun crime operations and more effective detection of offenders. But it admitted the figures also reflected a growing problem with gun crime among the young. [The pic above shows a shooter and his victim]