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Be very nice to fellow employees, starting July 1.

wrobert avatar
wrobertBeach Fanatic
6,177 views
Crist signs 'guns-to-work' bill

Gov. Charlie Crist has just signed the controversial bill (HB 503) prohibiting businesses from barring workers from bringing guns to work and leaving them in locked vehicles. Only employees with concealed weapons permits would be allowed. Businesses could also not post signs banning customers from doing the same.
And with that, the Florida Retail Federation and Florida Chamber of Commerce will be filing a lawsuit challenging the law, scheduled to go into effect July 1. More on the suit here.

Replies

40
Smiling JOe avatar
Smiling JOeSoWal Expert
#2
Why wait to be nice to them? I think the car is viewed as an extension of a person's home or person, and is unlawful for an employer to regulate what can be in the auto. Next thing you know, employers will not want employees to keep cigarettes and coffee cups in the car. Personally, I am more concerned with the cell phones in the car (and I use one) and the car itself, than I am with a gun which is kept in the car. Statistically, employees are more likely to get killed by an auto crash than gunshot wounds.
wrobert avatar
wrobertBeach FanaticAuthor
#3
Why wait to be nice to them? I think the car is viewed as an extension of a person's home or person, and is unlawful for an employer to regulate what can be in the auto. Next thing you know, employers will not want employees to keep cigarettes and coffee cups in the car. Personally, I am more concerned with the cell phones in the car (and I use one) and the car itself, than I am with a gun which is kept in the car. Statistically, employees are more likely to get killed by an auto crash than gunshot wounds.

Sheesh! Did they issue all you moderators buckets of ice water? :lol:
Smiling JOe avatar
Smiling JOeSoWal Expert
#4
Was my post that cold?

I think many out of town SoWallers, at least some of the active ones, have arrived in SoWal, and are out on the town and eating at all the tasty places. I saw quiet a few of them today, and two said that they left the puters at home, intentionally!
TooFarTampa avatar
TooFarTampaSoWal Insider
#5
But did they bring their guns? :lol:
rapunzel avatar
rapunzelBeach Fanatic
#6
You know, if someone asked me to pick 10 friends or acquaintances to carry around a sealed vial of anthrax around with them for a year I'd have a hard time coming up with a list of people I'd trust with that kind of responsibility. I bet most people would. But if the deadly item is a gun, so many people are so gung-ho that everyone have the right to walk around with the power to dole out death (and by default provide others with that same access by virtue of the gun's presence).

I'm all for the second amendment, and believe there should be an armed citizenry to ensure there is an out clause on the social contract of our government should it begin to curtail civil liberties. Taking guns to work is not defending Man against tyranny, it's manifestation of gun worship.

When I worked at Blue Cross, a man killed his wife in the parking lot one evening. She was one of my co-workers, and she had been given the gun to "protect herself' from him. He didn't show up in the parking lot that night with a gun, but when things didn't go as he'd hoped, a gun happened to be there.

I just don't get why people need guns at the mall. Are there a lot of tyrants hanging out at Auntie Anne's Pretzels?
Jdarg avatar
JdargSoWal Expert
#7
You know, if someone asked me to pick 10 friends or acquaintances to carry around a sealed vial of anthrax around with them for a year I'd have a hard time coming up with a list of people I'd trust with that kind of responsibility. I bet most people would. But if the deadly item is a gun, so many people are so gung-ho that everyone have the right to walk around with the power to dole out death (and by default provide others with that same access by virtue of the gun's presence).

I'm all for the second amendment, and believe there should be an armed citizenry to ensure there is an out clause on the social contract of our government should it begin to curtail civil liberties. Taking guns to work is not defending Man against tyranny, it's manifestation of gun worship.

When I worked at Blue Cross, a man killed his wife in the parking lot one evening. She was one of my co-workers, and she had been given the gun to "protect herself' from him. He didn't show up in the parking lot that night with a gun, but when things didn't go as he'd hoped, a gun happened to be there.

I just don't get why people need guns at the mall. Are there a lot of tyrants hanging out at Auntie Anne's Pretzels?


Snicker.

I just don't "get" the gun thing. I never will. We don't have use for anything other than a BB gun, and even that is unnecessary - Darg Vader uses it to shoot those aluminum cans that are attacking us constantly.:roll:
beachmouse avatar
beachmouseBeach Fanatic
#8
Little blurb in the editorial section of the daily fishwrapper today mentioned that there had been a couple of studies comparing workplaces where employees were allowed to keep guns in cars to places where they weren't. One study said that fatal violence was five times more likely at workplaces where guns were allowed in vehicles. Another study said that fatal violence was 3-7 times more likely at workplaces allowing guns in vehicles.

So call me not in favor of this new law.
30A Skunkape avatar
30A SkunkapeSkunky
#9
Yet another compelling reason to await the arrival of a welfare check in the safety of one's own mcmansion.
Bob avatar
BobSoWal Insider
#10
You know, if someone asked me to pick 10 friends or acquaintances to carry around a sealed vial of anthrax around with them for a year I'd have a hard time coming up with a list of people I'd trust with that kind of responsibility. I bet most people would. But if the deadly item is a gun, so many people are so gung-ho that everyone have the right to walk around with the power to dole out death (and by default provide others with that same access by virtue of the gun's presence).

I'm all for the second amendment, and believe there should be an armed citizenry to ensure there is an out clause on the social contract of our government should it begin to curtail civil liberties. Taking guns to work is not defending Man against tyranny, it's manifestation of gun worship.

When I worked at Blue Cross, a man killed his wife in the parking lot one evening. She was one of my co-workers, and she had been given the gun to "protect herself' from him. He didn't show up in the parking lot that night with a gun, but when things didn't go as he'd hoped, a gun happened to be there.

I just don't get why people need guns at the mall. Are there a lot of tyrants hanging out at Auntie Anne's Pretzels?
well-written, but you are surrendering to the actions of the lowest common denominator
Smiling JOe avatar
Smiling JOeSoWal Expert
#11
packing heat is not going to work well against tyranny. Look no further than the mess out in TX right now. The Sheriff has a military tank on the scene. Police are not your protection. To think they are, is a false security. I don't pack heat, because I'm not in an environment where I feel that I need that protection. Carrying a loaded gun comes with many responsibilities, and there is no way to put the bullet back in the gun, so I choose not to go that route. Put me in a different environment where I regularly feel threatened, and I might increase my risk tolerance and carry a gun to protect myself, family, friends, neighbors. Some people get a little friskier when they pack heat, but I know many others, myself included, who know the responsibility of carrying, and we would use it as a last resort, not as an intervention in controversial situations.

Nut cases are everywhere. Add the wrong drugs to the mix and you get trouble. (Drugs not necessarily being illegal. Look at some people's reactions to anti-depressants. I've seen it first hand.) A gun can do some major damage in the hands of these people, but they can do as much damage with a 7,000 lbs SUV. I liken it to people being really scared of getting killed by sharks, when they drive on the highway to get to the beach. People have been carrying guns for a long time. If they are not being checked by security, you can bet that those guns are likely in their vehicle when at work. Charlie just makes it legal to do so. That is like the millions of Americans who smoke pot. Having a law making it illegal doesn't stop those people from smoking. Changing the law to make pot smoking legal, will not likely change these people's smoking habits.
scooterbug44 avatar
scooterbug44SoWal Expert
#12
You know, if someone asked me to pick 10 friends or acquaintances to carry around a sealed vial of anthrax around with them for a year I'd have a hard time coming up with a list of people I'd trust with that kind of responsibility. I bet most people would. But if the deadly item is a gun, so many people are so gung-ho that everyone have the right to walk around with the power to dole out death (and by default provide others with that same access by virtue of the gun's presence).

Taking guns to work is not defending Man against tyranny, it's manifestation of gun worship.

When I worked at Blue Cross, a man killed his wife in the parking lot one evening. She was one of my co-workers, and she had been given the gun to "protect herself' from him. He didn't show up in the parking lot that night with a gun, but when things didn't go as he'd hoped, a gun happened to be there.

I'm out of rep, but great analogy! :wub::wub:

Guns don't make people safer, they increase the potential for violence and death. Instead of passing legislation to make guns more prevalent, they should be passing legislation to limit gun ownership.

I know many wonderful people who own guns for shooting, hunting, etc. They are sane & logical people who do not feel a need to bring their gun to work, into social situations, etc.

Guns can be funn and there are many tasting things you can hunt with them, but safety, responsibility, and prudence need to be mentioned more than the misguided "right to bare arms."
rapunzel avatar
rapunzelBeach Fanatic
#13
packing heat is not going to work well against tyranny. Look no further than the mess out in TX right now. The Sheriff has a military tank on the scene. Police are not your protection. To think they are, is a false security.
I disagree. Guns will work against tyranny. The problem for those FDLS members is that the majority of the people don't see the U.S. government as a repressive regime. A small sect of people who want to marry girls within a year of menarche as though they were breeding cattle and not the 13 year old child who should be enjoying eighth grade innocently holding hands with a boy her own age, not having sex with a man her grandmother's age. The majority of people believe the sect is the bigger threat to our social contract, not the government. Therefore, there is no groundswell of support for the FDLS. It's when the government no longer serves the best interest of the majority, and when the tyrrany stomps more down than it lifts up that the armed citizenry would be formidable.

Of course, I agree with you about marijuana. There is no good reason for it to be illegal. The nanny state marijuana laws hurt more people than they protect by creating a distribution network of providers for a relatively harmless illegal drug. They create channels to distribute other, truly sinister drugs into every high school in this country.
Smiling JOe avatar
Smiling JOeSoWal Expert
#14
Sorry for the bad analogy. I don't agree with 13 year olds being forced to marry a grandpa, likely their very own grandpa. I intended to simply point out the fire-power of having Sheriff's Departments with tanks, and think about the US military arsenal and intelligence, via satellite, infrared, links to every webcam, email, etc. A bunch of guys with 6 shooters cannot stop that. We'd have more success at fighting our gov't by refusing to pay the gov't any taxes. Who would be left to run the gov't if they weren't being paid? Just a thought.
wrobert avatar
wrobertBeach FanaticAuthor
#15
Okay. I am not anti-gun. The right to protect oneself with the latest technology available is a sure sign of a free society. The problem is, unlike days of old, we do not educate people in the proper use and care. My granpappy educated me. And, if you choose to believe her, Hillary's granpappy educated her, of course that is another thread I will jump into later.

The problem with this legislation is I am also very pro property rights. I really believe that the employer should be allowed to impose rules against this if desired.
Smiling JOe avatar
Smiling JOeSoWal Expert
#16
Do you also believe that an employer should be able to tell you what you can and cannot have in your car? What about the customers' cars? Seems to me that the freaks who would would go postal, don't follow the rules anyway.
wrobert avatar
wrobertBeach FanaticAuthor
#17
Do you also believe that an employer should be able to tell you what you can and cannot have in your car? What about the customers' cars? Seems to me that the freaks who would would go postal, don't follow the rules anyway.



That is what makes this such an interesting issue. I think the owner of the car should be able to do what they want, but someone who owns property or a business can certainly be allowed to attach conditions on people who are going to enter that property. If everything is laid out then people could just choose to go somewhere else.

But in reality, the criminal is not going to obey a sign or a law, so I do not what the effects will be. According to the NWF Daily News we are going to see massive killings and insurance increases. I plan on being in DC the first week of July so maybe I will just read about the carnage.
Smiling JOe avatar
Smiling JOeSoWal Expert
#18
I haven't read the new Law, but I understood it to state the a person could have a gun in the vehicle while on the premises of one's employer. Carrying the gun inside may be a different issue, but in many states, one's person is seen as an extension of their home, and a police officer cannot search without just cause.

Personally, I don't want to live in a society where everyone feels the need to pack heat. Those who choose to pack heat are likely already doing so. I, too, don't see how the passage of this law will change the status quo. I'm not suddenly going to start carrying just because I can, just like I won't start smoking pot if they legalize it. People who want to smoke or carry, already do.
Matt J avatar
Matt JSWGB
#19
SJ here's another way to look at it.

Would you support a law that allowed someone to bring a gun on your property for their personal protection? It's very similar in that an employer generally owns the building/parking lot/parking garage that the employees park in. Why shouldn't they be allowed to tell you what you can/cannot bring onto their property?
Smiling JOe avatar
Smiling JOeSoWal Expert
#20
I wouldn't be against such law that allows one to bring their gun onto my property for their protection. I don't think it is currently illegal for someone to do so. As I said, people aren't going to change habits and start bringing a gun onto my property, just because a new law is created which gives them the right to do so.

Maybe I should tell the meter reader that he can no longer bring his meter reader worksheet with him, when he comes onto my property. Who knows what might be in those packages in the Fed Ex truck. Better make them stop at the road, eh?

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