Florida Flap: Newspaper
Details Where, Where Not to O.C.

The Sunshine State is slowly, steadily moving through a "learning curve" concerning open carry following a ruling by a three-judge panel of the Florida Court of Appeals last month which struck down the state ban on open carry.

The Tallahassee Democrat has just published a report which explains where one can, and cannot, ,open carry, and in the opening paragraphs, the newspaper—perhaps unintentionally—exposes how some people are reacting. The newspaper quotes a Tallahassee resident who declared, "I just don't want to get caught in the crossfire over the last jar of peanut butter," in reaction to the announcement by Publix Supermarkets that the chain will allow open carry in their stores. It's a response which typifies the squeamish attitude some people have about legally-armed citizens, especially if they openly carry.

Noting there are currently about 2.6 million active Florida concealed carry licenses, the newspaper acknowledged the court ruling "opens a new front in Florida's debate over guns."

But the story seemed to focus on the discomfort some Floridians are feeling about seeing fellow citizens openly carrying sidearms. …