Linoge discusses a rather nasty bout of hoplophobia in Knoxville
Apparently some control freaks in the Knoxville governmental structure are against law-abiding citizens being able to legally defend themselves in city parks: Joe Walsh, the city of Knoxville’s parks and recreation director, and Doug Bataille, the county’s parks chief, cited many of the same reasons for opposing the bill. “We have confrontations all the time between players, parents and umpires,” Walsh said. “Things can escalate … It only enhances those chances (of violence) by allowing people to carry their guns in the parks.” Bullshit. Having a firearm present during a confrontation does not "enchance those chances of violence". Most of these fights break out at situations where there are a plethora of weapons available (baseball bats, bottles, coolers, fists, heads, feet), and yet violence somehow just refuses to break out. Sure, tempers get hot, voices get raised, and disagreements become quite vociferous, but for some reason, people just refuse to beat each other to death.
Apparently some control freaks in the Knoxville governmental structure are against law-abiding citizens being able to legally defend themselves in city parks:
Joe Walsh, the city of Knoxville’s parks and recreation director, and Doug Bataille, the county’s parks chief, cited many of the same reasons for opposing the bill. “We have confrontations all the time between players, parents and umpires,” Walsh said. “Things can escalate … It only enhances those chances (of violence) by allowing people to carry their guns in the parks.”
Bullshit. Having a firearm present during a confrontation does not "enchance those chances of violence". Most of these fights break out at situations where there are a plethora of weapons available (baseball bats, bottles, coolers, fists, heads, feet), and yet violence somehow just refuses to break out. Sure, tempers get hot, voices get raised, and disagreements become quite vociferous, but for some reason, people just refuse to beat each other to death.
Look, I carry a firearm legally, just like hundreds of thousand of other Floridians in parks, playgrounds, restaurants that serve booze, bus stops, t-ball games, theme parks, churches, nature trails, backyard BBQ's, beaches, shopping malls, crowded city streets, and even political protests. We simply do not have a problem with it.
There are not dozens of stories a week about somebody getting pissed off at someone else's child stealing second and whipping out their Desert Eagle .44 Magnum and killing the opposing team. So far, I've yet to read any stories of Chili's customers gunning down their waitress in a hail of bullets for pouring unsweetened tea rather than the syrupy goodness they should have. Kids in the playgrounds aren't dying by the dozens playing with guns left behind by careless CCW holders.
The undeniable fact is that here in Florida, there is not a problem with people carrying weapons into places some might be a bit uncomfortable with. And it's not like we're some small, Podunk state either. Other states with similar rules seem to have the same, distinct lack of shootouts. So anyone arguing otherwise is a coward and a liar.