Florida’s requirement that residents wait three days before purchasing a firearm could end soon, as the state’s Attorney General, James Uthmeier, has sided with the National Rifle Association (NRA) on the matter. This alarmed some Florida residents, who feared that the change could increase violence.
As reported by Central Florida Public Media, Uthmeier said during a recent press conference that Florida will not “violate the Second Amendment” and that, because of the NRA’s lawsuit arguing that the law is unconstitutional, it should stop being enforced soon. The law, which was originally approved in 1990, concerns the purchase of handguns and applies to retail purchases, not purchases made by firearms retailers or hunters.
Earlier this month, Uthmeier had already indicated that the AG’s office was going to settle the lawsuit. After the recent press conference, however, he was criticized by Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman, who reportedly described the decision as “deeply disturbing” and said that it was a “dereliction of his duty as the attorney general.”
Floridians Fear Change Could Increase Violence
On Reddit’s r/Florida, reactions ranged from outrage to fears that the change could lead to more violence in the state. One user asked sarcastically: “WHAT COULD GO WRONG?”
Someone else claimed that “this will without a doubt lead to more gun deaths in Florida.” This led to a brief discussion in which someone argued that “of the 50 states only 13 have mandatory waiting periods. You interpret this change as some catastrophic upheaval of gun laws. It’s the norm nearly everywhere else in this country.”
However, other users fired back: “Just because other states made this their ‘norm’ doesn’t mean it’s not a [bad] norm. How many otherwise preventable deaths are worth it to you for the instant gratification of having a gun now instead of in a few days?”
The thread included a range of opinions, with some saying that the change was not so bad after all, while others appeared deeply concerned. For example, one user said, “Looks like that background check and my completely spotless criminal record might actually prove to some [expletive] that I’m buying that gun because I want it, not because I’m in the middle of a blood rage.” Another user responded: “The fact that waiting 3 days is so very onerous, is an indicator you might be in a blood rage.”
It is impossible to tell whether the change will lead to more violence in Florida, but it seems highly likely that the old law will not remain in place.
