Take Your Gun To Work? Two States Say Yes
New Laws In Florida And Georgia Allow People To Take Their Weapons To Work With Them
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Taking Your Gun To Work?
Florida and Georgia have passed new laws that allow guns at the workplace, as long as the weapons are left in the car. Many property owners say that's "unconstitutional." Mark Strassmann reports.
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Ann Stone is a Georgia mother who carries her .357 Magnum everywhere. (CBS)
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Ann Stone is no Annie Oakley, just a Georgia mother, edgy about safety. So wherever she goes, she wants to take her .357 magnum.
"If there's a man that's going to attack me, there's nothing I can do personally, but if I have a gun, of course I can," Stone said.
Just this month, Georgia and Florida expanded state gun laws. People can now bring guns to work, so long as they leave them in their parked cars, joining gun owners in six other states with similar laws.
"They have the right to defend themselves and their families." said State Representative Tim Beardon, who wrote Georgia's new gun law.
Beardon, a former cop, says criminals benefited from restrictions on citizens carrying weapons,
"And it's about time that we started standing up for the innocent, law-abiding citizens instead of making excuses for the criminals all the time," Beardon said.
So, what's the worry? Guns within easy reach will lead to workplace shootings, some critics say. Just last month, a Kentucky plastics factory worker got angry, and got his gun in his car. He killed his supervisor, four co-workers, and then himself.
That's Larry Levine's nightmare.
"It's that ready access to a firearm that frightens us," Levine said.
Levine is an executive with Brandsmart, an appliance chain in Georgia and Florida. Even this NRA member wants guns kept away from his stores.
"Our company has the right to make the rules," Levine said. "Same as in your house. You may tell people that come to visit you they are not allowed to bring a firearm in the house."
Georgia's new gun law has more sticking points: whether firearms belong inside restaurants that serve alcohol; public transportation; and even the world's busiest airport in Atlanta.
The issue is whether people can carry guns in the common areas -- from the parking lots right up to security checkpoints -- not beyond, Strassmann reports. But for now, get caught carrrying a gun anywhere inside this airport, and you're in for trouble.
Ben Decosta runs this airport and oversees its security.
"They need to know who the good guys and the bad guys are, and have no mistake about it," Decosta said.
He's fighting in court to keep guns out. Decosta says even an accidental discharge would cause bedlam.
"It doesn't make any sense to bring in dangerous weapons in with people who are civilian and untrained," Decosta said.
But, to Tim Bearden, it makes perfect sense.
"Property's great, but nothing's better than your life," Beardon said.
And to Ann Stone, that's what it's all about. Feeling like she's not a target for trouble.
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See all 159 Comments"If there''s a man that''s going to attack me, there''s nothing I can do personally, but if I have a gun, of course I can," Stone said.
What an unbelievable amount of paranoia the NRA is responsible for in America, and is it a case of how gullible are those who fall for it, or is the situation, with the easy access to guns, so out of control that total lawlessness reigns supreme in America.
You can''t "defend" anything with a gun; you can ONLY offend! A gun is an offensive weapon. He who shoots first, kills. He who tries to "defend" himself with his gun can''t do so because he''s DEAD!
The NRA consists of GUN DEALERS who don''t care about ANYTHING or ANYONE. They only want to manufacture and sell more guns. To do so, they NEED a world full of igno/rant, paranoid fo/ols to buy their products. And that''s what they''ve got!
I predict MORE senseless deaths, and damm few successful "defensive" gun uses.
Posted by kazar70 at 10:22 PM : Jul 27, 2008
You mean for the common man. Think the Kennedys, Clintons and Bushes are going to give up their armed escorts and body guards? Oh...but that''s different. They''re rich. It''s okay for them to be protected. Right?
Posted by kazar70 at 10:22 PM : Jul 27, 2008
You''d better be ready to shoot me and my boys if you want our guns! Good luck...
In what scripture, and in which version, on what page does it say God gave you the right to carry a gun? You have just made that up!
And don''t waste my time with vague statements that apply equally well to guns, uzis, bazookas, hand grenades, shoulder fired rockets, tactical limited nukes, etc.! Be specific.
If you are honest, you''ll just have to admit that no such "right" is granted to you by God. However, there are MANY places in MANY scriptures where you are told "Thou shalt not kill". Ponder THAT for a while, you imbecile!
This should make pay raises more easy to come by. You will now be graded on preficiency, production, and AIM.
lol
Posted by edintex
always learn something when west virginia checks in...
www.georgiacarry.org has nothing to do with the NRA.
If you don''t like guns ask yourself this question.
Will you tell your kids that your sworn to protect, mommy and daddy wet their pants at the sight of a gun so we couldn''t protect you?. Criminals will have guns anyway so law abiding citizens should too.
Posted by WarDogLRS
It may be a constitutional right , but I doubt god has anything to do with it!
Alright....trip to Georgia is off!
Now, they want to allow people to take their guns to work, too?! I can''t see a lot of good, positive things coming from that---but, additional shootings!
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Posted by neoconism at 12:11 AM : Jul 28, 2008
Give me a break, nobody interprets the law that way except tree hugging hippies!!! Go grow some pot somewhere and smoke it and stop trying to change the constitution
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Posted by neoconism at 12:11 AM : Jul 28, 2008
Give me a break, nobody interprets the law that way except tree hugging hippies!!! Go grow some pot somewhere and smoke it and stop trying to change the constitution
Now, they want to allow people to take their guns to work, too?! I can''''t see a lot of good, positive things coming from that---but, additional shootings!
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Posted by stn_sage
Lots of studies show that Places like DC (who had the gun ban) have more violence then places that don''t. Legal guns don''t kill people. Criminals shouldn''t be the only people armed
Posted by jedi080808 at 12:16 AM : Jul 28, 2008
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I never said I was against it. If the citizens there want to do it that way, it''s up to them.
I understand the argument you''re presenting, but I''d point out a couple things:
1. Historically, ''D.C.'' has always been a very violent place! Not your typical city. That''s WHY they had the gun ban to begin with! Not a good example to use.
2. You say, legal guns don''t kill people. Sure, they do! Just as well as illegal guns, too.
3. Criminals aren''t the only ones armed! So are the police, private detectives, military personnel, couriers, and private citizens. If you catch some b@stard breaking into your house, then you blow him into a parallel universe!
Alright....trip to Georgia is off!
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Posted by timdgrim at 12:08 AM : Jul 28, 2008
report abuse
LOL.....Good One.....
I think not.
I go out there and strap on my gun and walk down the street, just because I can. It feels good to be a Free Citizen in America, where cops aren''t Tazering your Azz for exercising your Constitutional Rights.
Everyone should try it. It feels really good.
Don''t be Skeeeeeeerd.........
Personally I don''t want a bunch of slack jaw fear based rednecks coming to work with guns.
Personally I don''''t want a bunch of slack jaw fear based rednecks coming to work with guns.
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Posted by AntiZion at 01:22 AM : Jul 28, 2008
+ report abuse
On the bright side, if they go berserk, you can blow their heads off.....
Slack-Jawed, Mouth-Breathing, Droolers Bullet to Forehead = Good Times and Improved Gene Pool
Out West in places like Wyoming and Montana, you can see people strapped inside stores and on the streets, any time of day, any day of the year. They leave their doors unlocked and windows open, and they have virtually no crime. Is this a coincidence???
I think not.
Posted by vnveteran72 at 01:10 AM : Jul 28, 2008
Sounds just like the town I live in, but then that is just as it is like in my country in general.
We have gun control laws [not bans] so we do not have to arm ourselves for protection against every Tom, *** and Harry who has a gun.
Hopefully America''s NRA induced paranoia remains in America.
i think D.C. is a perfect example. They went for 30 years without guns and the crime only increased each year. The argument that people having guns makes more crimes doesn''t fly. I could support a law like Florida and Georgia have instated, but i would also want mandatory firearm training, back ground checks and at least a three day waiting period. Why not also have a law saying a private citizen also has to have a state approved permit to purchase a firearm even from individuals. I think this is a loop hole that needs to be closed. My point is to make sure citizens do things legally and also be morally responsible for their actions.
I am sure you must be joking as explosives are covered by federal law and very well regulated as to who can have and for what reasons.
I agree totally, i do not want any idiots around handling guns. That is why i want controls on buying and mandatory training.I have been a responsible gun owner all my life and i fear the idiots with guns as much as you do. Personally i do not know them and am happy for that. I have run into a few and they are definately to be feared.
In fact it is the "good" gun owners who commit many of the crimes. The gun-owner who shoots their own family or kids friends because they are afraid and mistake identity. The gun-owner who becomes too angry, or drunk, or jealous, or scared, or bullied, to exercise good judgment.
So yes there is no doubt: more guns in more places, means more crime.
It is not paranoia to fear something real. We do have a serious crime problem in the U.S. There is no way a police officer can always be available to deal with a criminal. We have to protect ourselves.
I like Florida but my ex lives there. I also prefer my baby desert eagle to the glock, but to each his own.
I have been a responsible gun owner all my life, obey all the laws, do not abuse anyone, do niot drink, never mistook my friends or family members as thieves, nor has anyone i know. Perhaps the fantasy is in your mind thinking if i don''t admit or recognize the danger it cannot harm me.
Yes that IS paranoia and if you feel that way you should not be allowed to own a gun.
You are a scary one. No one is all good, and anyone who claims to be so is not being honest or is insane.
He was such a nice quiet man, the neighbors all said--how many times have we heard that about killers?
And what makes you think being a gun owner means we sit around and dream of blowing people away. I do not think about it, and when it is brought up i know it is the last thing i would want to do. I had enough of killing in war, but i also look at things reom a reality prospect, There is enough crime going on that it can happen to you, it isn''t always goig to be someone else. I thwarted a car jacking once by drawing my gun, and i was involved in one shooting incident while in law enforcement. I have never enjoyed shooting or killing anyone.
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