Florida Democrat: Campus Carry Goes ‘Way Beyond the Simple Bearing of Arms’

On November 2, Florida state Representative David Kerner (D-Lake Worth) voiced his opposition to campus carry by suggesting that being armed for self-defense on campus goes “way beyond the simple bearing of arms” protected by the Second Amendment.

Kerner’s opposition to campus carry was echoed by Reps. Victor Torres (D-Orlando), John Cortes (D-Kissimmee), and Clovis Watson (D-Alachua).

According to the Tampa Bay Times, Kerner denounced campus carry for self-defense as “bad public policy” and said “the fact that the state of Florida is legitimately considering these concepts is frightening.” He suggested the GOP’s push for campus carry is just another proof that lawmakers are “dealing … [with] policies that go way beyond the simple bearing of arms.”

On November 4, Florida Politics reported that the campus carry legislation–HB 4001–“passed easily through the House Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee” despite of the opposition of Kerner and the other Democrats.

HB 4001 is sponsored by Representative Greg Steube (R-Sarasota).

Campus carry is being pushed, in part, to open the door for women to be armed to defend themselves from sexual predators on college and university campuses. Yet some of the most ardent opponents of campus carry are women. Breitbart News previously reported that Moms Demand Action and Florida’s chapter of the League of Women Voters both oppose the effort to arm women for self-defense. On October 20, University of Miami law professor Mary Anne Franks contended that legislation allowing women to be armed for self-defense will not accomplish much because they cannot use guns effectively.

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.