Link to youtube video of State of the State address, 2025
On March 4, 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis gave his State of the State address to the Florida legislature. In the address Governor DeSantis vocalized his support for restoring Second Amendment rights. Second Amendment statements start about minute 24 into the speech:
The free state of Florida has not exactly led the way on protecting Second Amendment rights. We have some of the more "weak" laws on the country compared to our other states who consider themselves conservative. I would ask you to protect peoples Second Amendment Rights. Look back in instances where legislation may have been passed in recent years, such as shifting the burden on red flag laws, such as taking away the rights of young adults to be able to purchase firearms, such as limiting somebody's ability to both keep and bear arms.
Governor DeSantis asked the legislature to protect peoples Second Amendment Rights. He particularly mentioned Red Flag laws, pointing out those laws do not provide proper due process. He stated Florida should not ban young adults from being able to purchase long guns.
In this video on the Florida channel, Governor DeSantis was speaking with reporters, directly after the State of the State address. Governor DeSantis discusses open carry, starting at 8:25. An abbreviated clip can be seen on X.
In the press session, after the speech, Governor DeSantis expounds on Second Amendment issues. Governor DeSantis makes arguments often made by Second Amendment supporters. He stresses the Second Amendment protects open carry. He believes most gun owners will not open carry very often, but they want to have the right to open carry to be recognized and protected.
"We see other states that have laws that respect that - I'm for it, I've always been for it. If you talk to most gun owners - very few will actually open carry. They just want to know they can, it's a constitutional right. I'm for open carry."
"Reevaluate recent legislation [things] like red flag law[s] [...] You can go in and say, 'this person's a danger, they should have their firearms taken away...' then the burden shifts, where you have to prove to a court you are not a menace or a threat. That's not the way due process works... I think it's a huge due process violation."
If Florida restores open carry to the state, beyond the very limited legal open carry now allowed, only three states will effectively ban open carry. They will be California, Illinois, and New York. Governor DeSantis notes most states have open carry and problems with it are, essentially, non-existent.
Analysis: The movement to restore limited, Constitutional government has long been intertwined with the restoration of Second Amendment rights. This correspondent recalls a conversation on an Internet discussion and news aggregation site, about 15 years ago. One of the participants wrote, essentially:
I have often wondered if the Second Amendment would be the key to restoring the Constitution, not in a bloody revolution, but because the violation of Second Amendment rights is so blatant it cannot be denied.
The comment has proved to be prescient. Second Amendment supporters have been a key faction of the coalition to restore Constitutional government. The struggle to preserve the Republic will never be over. There is a long, long way to go. In the roughly 60 years this correspondent has been aware and involved, public awareness of the issue has never been more informed.
©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
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Link to video on Youtube of State of the State by Governor Ron DeSantis.
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