::facepalm::

[truepenny]

I wonder if this is what the fall of the Roman Empire looked like from the inside.

tzikeh has two posts about this ... this thing that the Florida legislature and governor apparently want to make into a law.

And I sit here and look at it--"... a bill that would give residents the right to open fire against anyone they perceive as a threat in public ..."--and it's like my brain is the Buffybot, trying to walk forward and hitting that damn dumpster over and over and over again.

The people who think this law is a good idea are people who think they are never ever ever, even remotely possibly, EVER going to be the people on the wrong end of the gun. They're going to be the ones doing the shooting, thank you very much.

You know, cops in Florida must be calling in their prescriptions for anti-ulcer medication pre-emptively. Because dear sweet freaking Jesus, they are so going to need it.

Comments

[veejane.livejournal.com]

I don't think lawyers and judges will be big fans, either, a definition of reasonable self-defense already being in existence.

The moral of this story is, legislatures can vote that coffee is an illegal drug, that the legal work week must be no less than 80 hours, and that the world shall henceforth be flat. The governor may sign these laws. Luckily, "activist judges" will promptly kick both legislature and governor in the butt.

Hurray for logicians with steel-toed boots!

[copperwise.livejournal.com]

Crappity Jehosephat.

[stillsostrange.livejournal.com]

Do you think we could detach Florida and push it into the ocean?

[radiotelescope.livejournal.com]

Back during the 2000 Florida vote recount debacle, a friend had a mantra:

"We just have to apologize to the Pope and give the whole territory back to Spain."

Timing is a little off for that this week, of course. But maybe in a couple of weeks. Apologize to the Pope and hand Florida back to Spain.

[libskrat]

You know, these really cool jobs keep turning up in Florida... and I keep not applying.

Can't live in that place, nope nope.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well, why do you think the really cool jobs keep turning up in Florida?

Because the smart people are getting the hell out of Dodge.

[katallen.livejournal.com]

I seem to recall a Brit who was shot dead in Florida for walking up to someone's door to ask for directions. So given how incredibly easily threatened Floridians are -- I certainly won't be accepting any of the phonecalls I'm getting telling me I've won a holiday in Florida. ::grins::

[sstaten.livejournal.com]

Egad....

I mean, I'm in favor of gun rights when reasonably dealt with, every right has a corresponding responsibility....

Including the responsibility not to open up on anything that liiks like it MIGHT be a threat....

Or just different and not understood.

This is insane and it's going to give people an excuse, and a legal justification for unsafe trigger-happy stupidity.

I'm really glad I'm not in Florida

[supergee.livejournal.com]

Dave Barry was ahead of it as usual: "Miami's motto: Come back! We weren't shooting at you."

[stillnotbored.livejournal.com]

Oh my God. Every time I think it can't get worse-- it gets much worse. What brainless twit thought of this one?

[papersky.livejournal.com]

No. We have records. Letters, even. Sidonius Apollinarius.

However, previous to the 2000 election, the US frequently and in detail reminded me of the end of the Roman Republic. Since, it's frequently and in detail reminded me of the beginning of the Roman Empire.

[peacockharpy.livejournal.com]

My state makes me feel ashamed. Between this, and the idiot who's proposing a law that students can sue if they feel discriminated against by leftist teachers... GAH.

(But note to Florida-bashers -- we are NOT ALL idiots, I promise. It's just that the warm weather attracts lots of people, many of whom ARE idiots. Just look at all the weirdos who came to FL for the Schiavo protest. One guy said God told him to come here and juggle. I'm not kidding.)

[hominysnark.livejournal.com]

No, the smart people are doing everything they can to change the level of idiocy in our local government.

And, you know, getting kinda offended by that big ol' brush.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

I apologize for using hyperbole in the service of a joke.

[larryhammer]

What She Said.

---L.

[hominysnark.livejournal.com]

Oh, please don't apologize for using hyperbole in the service of a joke--that's what it's there for. Now I'm wondering if everyone else commenting on this post was also joking, and I should take my hyperbole-imparied radar in to be serviced.

This reminds me of another old joke, the one that asks, "How does every racist joke start?" The punchline is the person looking around furtively.

Because the butt of the joke frequently is Not Amused.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm perfectly seriously in saying this is a criminally stupid piece of legislation.

But if Florida as a whole is to blame for the behavior of their legislative body and governor, then America as a whole has Congress and Dubya to explain. Microcosm, macrocosm.

We're all tarred with the same damn brush.

[elettaria.livejournal.com]

I have to confess the Brits think the legalisation of guns at all is absolutely insane. But don't worry, we don't blame the whole of America for the Shrub. Only the ones who voted for him.