A humorous, very readable commentary in today's Orlando Sentinel by Mike Thomas about Disney World's decision to keep its theme parks gun-free.
... As you may know by now, a new state law allows people with concealed-weapons permits to keep guns locked in their cars at work, even if their employers object.
Just as the law was to take effect earlier this month, Disney pointed out a loophole that, roughly translated, said this: We're exempt.
A defiant Disney security guard publicly proclaimed he still would bring his gun to work. He's now an ex-security guard.
The NRA, which spent three years pushing the law, cried foul. Legislators were outraged. And now both are asking Attorney General Bill McCollum to intervene against Disney.
Before explaining why that won't happen, let's see how Mickey outgunned the gun lobby.
[more]
Another reason Disney might want to keep guns out of Walt Disney World is that the Florida concealed carry permitting process has itself come under fire.
As the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported last year, many permit-holders have been found by courts to be "responsible for assaults, burglaries, sexual battery, drug possession, child molestation -- even homicide."
In fact, according to their reports, there were about 10 times as many criminal Florida permit-holders than the state previously admitted.
What's more, in recent weeks Florida concealed carry permit-holders have reportedly shot themselves, been found with criminal drug records, and even been charged with murder.
Clearly, the mere possession of a concealed carry permit does not necessarily mean that its holder is a "law-abiding gun owner," or is competent to keep a weapon, or even that he or she won't be charged with murdering a fellow citizen. That shouldn't be too much to ask.
Mickey has the common sense to see this. Apparently the NRA does not.
UPDATE (2:30 p.m.)
Make that two Florida concealed carry permit-holders who have reportedly shot themselves in recent days.
One of them actually shot himself on Disney property yesterday.
NewsWatch posted this story last night, but the shooter's concealed carry status was unclear at the time. Today, WESH NBC-2 (Orlando) reports that, in fact, he does hold a concealed carry permit:
A man shot himself in a Downtown Disney parking lot Saturday night.
The victim's 12-year-old son told deputies that, after arriving at Downtown Disney, his father accidentally shot himself in the leg.
The man asked his son to leave their car so he could safely remove the magazine from his semi-automatic handgun, the boy said. When he did this, the gun went off.
He's in stable condition at Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Police said the man had a concealed weapons permit.

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