Book Report: For Gun Nuts

In a recent article I addressed the lunatic gunslinger mentality that seems to be permeating this country. At the close of the article I suggested that before you strap on your Second Amendment rights that maybe you should read a book first. I did and Florida Firearms: Law, Use & Ownership should be mandatory reading for anyone in this country who plans on packing heat or passing firearms legislation.

In his book author Jon H. Gutmacher, Esquire enumerates more ways to land in the slammer than there are bullets in a thirty round clip. You pistol packers can be perfectly legal and still wind up in prison facing a minimum 3 year stretch. Interesting, isn't it? After reading this book I realize that I may have, inadvertently, violated a Federal law, and from the Fed's perspective, ignorance is not an excuse. Have you ever, or do you now carry a firearm in your vehicle? Have you, again inadvertently, passed within 1,000 feet of any school zone? Well, unless you have a Concealed Weapons Permit, are a school security guard, or a policeman then you have broken the law - not Florida, but Federal.

Do you realize that if you display or pull your firearm in a non-forcible felony situation that you could very well be found guilty of aggravated assault (mandatory three years), and if in this situation you should pop a cap as a warning shot that three years suddenly becomes a mandatory 20 years? Do you even know what constitutes aggravated assault? Can you name the forcible felonies? In what circumstances can you use deadly force as opposed to non-deadly force? If you are going to carry, you better be able to answer these questions and a shit-load more.

Mr. Gutmacher discusses these and many more issues in his book. You will be totally surprised, I know I was, at the number of myths and untruths being perpetuated by the wild west, 2nd Amendment cowboys. As Mr. Gutmacher points out, there are a number of ambiguities and un-tested legal arguments in the Florida Statutes. If you are clueless (or just unlucky) you might have a chance to test the law in court. I believe Gutmacher mentioned a starting figure of $15,000 to begin a criminal defense, and not on a contingency basis.

For all of you pistol packin' Mamas and Papas out there who think all you need to do is satisfy the Florida concealed carry license requirements, strap on your popper, and you are ready to take on all evil-doers in society, like Liberals and such, Mr. Gutmacher was kind enough to include contact information for his criminal defense firm.

Among other things, Mr. Gutmacher is an NRA certified firearms instructor. I tossed in that little tidbit in case you were thinking he might be anti-gun. He isn't, and I don't believe he is anti-stupidity either. Stupid probably enriches his law practice.

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I would like to say I get some sort of financial consideration for reviewing Gutmacher's book, but sadly I don't. I just think a little dose of reality is refreshing what with all the gun-toting bullshit that surrounds us these days.