JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There is a push around the state for what some groups are calling common sense gun safety measures. The group, Moms Demand Action, held events around the state, including here in Jacksonville. They’re asking the Florida legislature to reject legislation they say would save lives, but one gun rights proponent disagrees.
Moms Demand Action is meeting with other groups like Mad Dads with the intent of asking the state legislature to support gun safety bills, like what they refer to as Florida’s “Shoot First” law and reject permitless carry legislation.
“Gun violence is tearing apart our community and ripping families apart in our backyards, and it’s too important for our legislators to ignore. And I’m a mom and it bothers me that kids are growing up in a country with this problem. And this gun violence problem is uniquely American,” said Katie Hathaway from Moms Demand Action.
This Jacksonville event mirrored multiple others held around the state this weekend as the group Mad Dads joined. That group is an anti-crime group who tells News4jax they support any push that will help save lives lost due to gun violence.
“We see it everyday in what Mad Dads do. We were just out yesterday with a family that lost their son due to gun violence in the city. So it’s very important to reduce that,” said A.J. Jordan from Mad Dads.
Gun rights proponents disagree with the premise of Mom’s Demand Action push for gun safety laws.
Eric Friday is General Counsel for the group Florida Carry. Friday said that’s a mischaracterization of Florida’s much publicized stand your ground law, which he said should remain in the state.
“We have no such thing as a deadly shoot first law. We have a law that allows citizens to protect themselves from criminal attack, and that’s not a bad thing,” said Friday.
Friday said 36 other states have permitless carry and that Florida should also.
At the same time, Moms Demand Action told us at the event today they are not opposed to the Second Amendment at all, just common sense reforms that they believe will save lives.