By Chuck Papp, Contributing Writer
Should you carry a firearm to protect yourself? The only right answer is that it is up to you. It seems like a lot of folks want permission or justification from someone else. Carrying a firearm is a large responsibility. There are several very important factors to consider.
The first one is, are you going to carry it or not. A lot of people do it haphazardly. Which means you don’t know when you will actually need it. Is it the 20 minute trip to the grocery store, the weekend vacation in another part of the state, or maybe walking through that parking lot to get to your vehicle after work? There is no crystal ball to tell you when you’ll need it, so this thing should either be with you 24/7 like your cellphone, or don’t bother.
Training: In this state the requirements for getting your permit, as far as the actual range time goes, is kind of a joke. The state’s job is NOT to train you properly. You only have to show that you can safely discharge a firearm without harming yourself or others. Now, is this sufficient for the beginner or the not so savvy firearms individual, definitely not! I have seen countless individuals who have their permit and their firearm but have no idea how that firearm works. Scary, isn’t it? So, either put in the time at the range or leave it at home. You are just as much of a danger to the public walking around with a firearm with no idea on how to use it as a criminal is looking for their next victim.
Read: When you sign that CWP application you are stating that you have read Florida Statutes 790 found at the website “mylicensesite.com”. Again, the state’s job is not to teach you the laws, it’s YOURS. Do your homework before you carry so you know your legal obligations. There are 50 different ways to take the class to get your certificate and apply. You need to get the most out of that class.
Yes, if you use your gun, you might get sued. A lot of customers are unsure about the legal side of things. Even though the state says that if what you did was justified in your protection, you cannot be held criminally or civilly liable, someone will still try. That’s just the way it is, so that is something you may want to consider. Personally, I will take my chances with that any day of the week over being a victim.
Carrying a firearm in public is not something that you should take lightly. For more information go to the state’s website mylicensesite.com and go through it to see if this is something you might want to do. Hopefully you will never be put in a situation where you will need a firearm to protect yourself, but it is better to have one and not need it, then need one and not have it.