Miami advice for Brits (Antigun zealots spreading disinformation and fear to visitors from overseas)

The Sun (U.K.) ^ | September 30, 2005 | EMILY SMITH

[Stoat]

Miami advice for Brits

By EMILY SMITH
US Editor

 BRITS visiting Florida are being warned — don’t pick a fight or you could be SHOT.

Any tourist who starts a road-rage or bar row risks being gunned down under a new state law.

It makes it legal to use any force necessary on an attacker WITHOUT first trying to escape the confrontation.

Opponents call it “The Shoot First Law” and fear it will lead to a huge increase in gun deaths.

Anti-gun groups plan to issue leaflets to Brits arriving at Orlando and Miami airports giving the chilling advice: “Do not argue unnecessarily with local people.”

The groups also plan to put ads in British papers.

Peter Hamm, of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said: “It’s a particular risk faced by travellers coming to Florida because they have no idea it’s going to be the law. If they get into a road rage argument the other person may feel he has the right to use deadly force.”

Gun supporters call the measure “The Stand Your Ground Law” and insist it is reasonable to meet force with force.

Ex-National Rifle Association president Marion Hammer said: “No law-abiding citizen should be forced to retreat from an attacker.”

The new law comes into force tomorrow.

Latest figures reveal there were 30,242 gun deaths in the US in a year and enough firearms to provide every adult with one.

More than 1.5million Britons go to Florida every year, making it the No1 long-haul holiday destination. Eighty per cent head for Orlando.

 

[Stoat]

So, when the gun grabbers are faced with endless losses on the philosophical, legal, political and cultural fronts here in the USA, their solutiion is to try to scare our British Friends when they come to visit Mickey Mouse in Florida.

I suppose they think that if they can increase the already unwarranted, illogical and hysterical level of fear on the part of some visitors, that this will put pressure on politicians here and move things in their direction.

My hope is that our British Friends will be smart enough to see through this as the desperation from a bunch of losers that it truly is.

[Caipirabob]

This only difference between before and after here is that now the shooter has a fair chance to defend their actions without facing prison time.

We would still shoot the idiots, regardless.

BTW - Visitors. Use your turn signals. 50% of Florida drivers carry weapons with them in their cars. Be VERY, VERY NICE ON OUR ROADS.

[ukman]

This is the SUN - a Murdoch paper, not exactly anti-US!

You have to remember who the Sun's readership is - the closest British equivalent to your "rednecks". The types who like to have a drink (or ten), hold strong (and rightist!) opinions, don't respect foreigners even when these are in their own country, and like to let off steam on holiday. On European holidays they just brawl at holiday resorts with each other, the police, the locals, no big deal.

So this is sensible advice to these readers.

[glock rocks]

Anti-gun groups plan to issue leaflets to Brits arriving at Orlando and Miami airports giving the chilling advice: “Do not argue unnecessarily with local people.”

LOL. At least they tangentially got one thing correct... an armed society is a polite society.

[tcostell]

My first thought as well. In this case the anti-gunners might be doing us all a favor by getting the Europeans to behave themselves while their here.

I'd put a sign like that over my desk if I could get away with it.

[Bubba]

"I'd put a sign like that over my desk if I could get away with it."

I can & I have... along with... to old to fight and to fat to run.

[Michael81Dus]

We are very very nice on your roads not because we fear being killed, but we fear being fined or locked up. I mean, who wants to pay 250 $ for not having "buckled up" - or 460 $ for being too fast? Not me, not me!! That would be an expensive holiday.

[MarkL]

Anit-gunners should be forced to identify themselves while driving their cars, sort of like the way rental cars in Florida used to have the rental company stickers on them.

Those stickers were very useful to car jackers and other criminals, in identifing which cars were carrying unarmed tourists, usually with lots of money! They were easy prey for the criminals, especially with the CCW laws that Florida has.

Unfortunately, the FL legislature passed a law mandating that the rental companies take those stickers off their cars. While I'm for protecting innocent tourists from predators, since the anti-gunners are so vehimantly against people protecting themselves with guns, then they should reject the protection of the CCW laws, as provided by their neighbors, and identtify themselves as unarmed.

Mark

[marktwain]

Other than the stupid anti gun rhetoric, it is good advise: Don't attack people, you might get shot. Pretty good advice anywhere, whether the people you are attacking are armed or not.

[goldstategop]

I'm sure that will frighten foreigners... Americans are trigger happy savages.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[xJones]

You have to remember who the Sun's readership is - the closest British equivalent to your "rednecks".

Then it's doubtful that very many of them would be coming to Florida anyway. One, there's the plane fare to Florida, and two, is the fact that Disney World ain't cheap.:)

[xJones]

I mean, who wants to pay 250 $ for not having "buckled up" - or 460 $ for being too fast?

Oh, it's not all that bad, I only paid $135 for my unbuckled seat belt offense. And you can get out of one speeding ticket a year by taking an 8 hour defensive driving course. I've slept through several of those.

[Michael81Dus]

LOL. And when I cross the Atlantic, I sure want to take 8 hours defense driving courses!! No, it´s ok. I use to check the speed (even here at home); that´s cheaper.

[VeniVidiVici]

Finally, the Brady Bunch is doing something useful.

Telling visitors who come to our state to behave and don't attack the locals or you could get shot is great.

An armed society is a polite society.

[ukman]

Don't you believe it. Thanks to Britain's booming economy, high consumption and a good pound-dollar rate, there are plenty of Sun readers who can afford a fling in the USA (not for me, though).

[ukman]

You mean, an armed society is a scared society?

[Daniel Ramsey]

I'm in Alaska and we thought we had real frontier justice!

Now its legal to shoot first instead of having definate legal restrictions like being at or in home or definately in harms way.

Problem I see in this is now its legal to have "high noon" shooting. However there is truth to the saying an armed society is a safe one.

Last time I went to Orlando on vacation with the family was jan 2004, and I went armed with a pocket .380 pistol.

Next time its a hi-cap Glock.

Perhaps this may be a new trend? I hope so, I remember an incident earlier this year went I shot out the tire of a robbery suspects car, I posted it at another forum and they called me nuts. Locally I was a minor hero, go figure.

Looking at the recent disaster like in New Orleans and the breakdown of society I think Florida is looking ahead to protecting its citizens. I now feel like its worth my money to buy a winter retreat home there as well.

[VeniVidiVici]

Scared? I'm not scared. I've got the gun, remember? :-) And it's been in my car long before this law was passed.

[axes_of_weezles]

They are Hoplophobes. How politically incorrect!

[Caipirabob]

The thing is we're not concerned about British guests being polite, they are frequently the only group that "imports" manners.

As for our third-world guests, that means Dims from Blue states, too...be nice!