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Reader states case against gun-free zones
Letter to the editor
lettereditor

Editor,

Before you enter any business, there is a sign you should look for. It will state, “No guns allowed.” If you see that sign, maybe you should go to another store or facility that allows concealed weapons.

About 96.2 percent of all terrorist shootings took place in “gun free zones.” In Orlando, there were more than 300 “soft” targets for this madman to shoot. Florida law forbids conceal-carry gun owners from carrying a weapon where alcohol is being served. All of the firearm experts agree that if some of the club attendees had a concealed weapon, the outcome might have been much different, as the shooter would have faced bullets flying his way.

One licensed gun owner at the door of the restroom would have prevented the shooter from entering and killing more people. Obviously, the three police officers who confronted the shooter outside the club were poorly trained in such a confrontation, as they missed when they engaged the shooter. Most conceal-carry gun owners spend more time at the range than police officers. Also, in all of the chaos, a conceal-carry owner might have been able to get close to the shooter for an accurate head shot. Remember, there was only one door in and out of that club.

It does no good to issue gun permits if the gun owner is forbidden to carry the weapon in some locations in order to defend themselves and others. Although Georgia is one of four states that allow weapons where alcohol is served, Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed a bill that would have allowed students and faculty to carry on a college campus, thereby making Georgia campuses soft targets for terrorists.

I personally will not enter any facility that makes itself a soft target by not allowing legal gun carry. Terrorism is going to get worse until we have a president who will confront it head-on, and we need every opportunity to protect ourselves. Although the police do a good job of generally protecting us, they cannot be everywhere all of the time. And as we saw in Orlando, they might need help.

Len Calderone
Midway

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