Target: Rick Scott, Governor of Florida
Goal: Applaud Florida’s new gun control legislation recently passed into law.
On March 9, 2018, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a bill to create the first gun control legislation since the Parkland mass school shooting in February 2018. The law is known as the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. It allows some teachers to be armed while in school and will tighten gun control in general in modest ways. A earlier ForceChange petition called on Scott to sign the bill into law.
Upon signing the bill into law, Governor Scott recalled, with families of victims and survivors of the Parkland mass school shooting, the grief that resulted from the tragedy and the unnecessary loss of lives. He also touched on the shootings at Pulse nightclub in Orlando and at the Fort Lauderdale Airport that occurred in 2016. Scott said, “The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do as governor is try to find the words to console a parent who has lost their child. There are just no words.”
Instead of words, Governor Scott took political action. The new laws raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21 and bans the sale of bump stocks. The $400 million bill will also provide funding for school-specific measures like mental health counselors. Despite pushback in the form of a lawsuit from the National Rifle Association, Governor Scott praised the Florida Legislature for quickly delivering a bill—a step, he said, that greatly contrasts with the inefficiency of the federal government in Washington. Sign this petition to applaud Governor Scott’s approval of the bill that provides safer gun control in the state of Florida.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Governor Scott,
In the wake of tragedies like the mass shootings in Parkland, Pulse Night Club, and the Fort Lauderdale Airport, sympathies and mourning can only do so much. True change comes in the form of legislation that prevents these tragedies from happening again in the future. While the federal government has not created any nationwide political change, you recently signed a bill into law that tightens gun control in the state of Florida.
The $400 million bill raises the minimum age to buy a gun, funds school mental health counselors, and allows some school staff members to be armed. All of these will changes will work to prevent future mass shootings. While these decisions are not easy and are almost always contentious, I would like to personally thank and applaud you for taking swift political action in the wake of tragedy and passing laws that will help prevent gun violence.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore
One of the few things he’s done right in his career. Good for him! Gun control is important and should be advocated for by all Governors, Senators, etc. since we’ve had altogether way too many incidents involving gun violence and it needs to stop as does this country’s sick obsession with firearms!
Im signing because of the gun control laws being passed but I’m against making teachers have to be armed and stand up to gunmen .. they shouldn’t be able to get the guns so a teacher would have to stand up to a shooter with a gun ! It’s insane ..and only in America.
Dear Governor Scott,
Thank you for signing the gun control bill for the State of Florida!
Completely absurd. Teachers, think of it, TEACHERS carrying guns in school. WTF America. You want teachers to be able to gun down students with no law enforcement background and god only knows what their training will be. What are their rules of engagement? No trial then, just point and shoot like communist countries? America you are one sick, messed up society. It’s no wonder you thought of this ludicrous idea.
if gun reform is good, then no excuses of arming the non-military citizens like teachers but arm military only.
I won’t sign this petition because allowing “some staff members” to be armed” defeats the purpose of gun control in schools!