Just got this via e-mail:
DATE: May 2, 2013
TO: USF & NRA Members and Friends
FROM: Marion P. Hammer
USF Executive Director
NRA Past PresidentWashington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) who failed to fill out the NRA-PVF candidate questionnaire in his last election, has recently demonstrated an anti-gun and anti-veteran position, by revoking reciprocity with Florida for concealed weapons and firearms license holders.
The punitive action against gun-owners who have Florida licenses to carry concealed weapons or firearms was taken because Florida has honored members of the armed forces and veterans.
In 2012, Florida passed legislation to recognize the men and women of our armed services who have served our nation honorably.
Our nation trains 18 year old men and women in firearms proficiency then sends them off to war and asks them to give their lives, if necessary, in the cause of Freedom.
When they have served our nation honorably and returned home to private life, it is unconscionable to tell them our state will not allow them to qualify for a concealed weapons and firearms license so they may protect themselves and their family because they have not yet reached the age of 21.
Recognizing that our men and women in the military have been called into service in the fight for Freedom when they reach the age 18 – the age of majority, the Florida legislature lowered the minimum age requirement from 21 to 18 years of age for those men and women who have served our nation and have been honorably discharged from the service.
This age waiver ONLY applies to veterans. Every other citizen must be 21 years of age or older.
Because of this recognition of special circumstances involving our brave military men and women, Attorney General Ferguson has chosen to revoke reciprocity with Florida for concealed weapons and firearms license holders.
Florida has honored our veterans, and for that, all law-abiding Florida license holders have been punished by Attorney General Ferguson.
You can help by urging the Attorney General to reinstate reciprocity with Florida and once again recognize our licenses as valid in Washington State.
CALL: Please call Attorney General Ferguson at (360) 753-2702.
E-MAIL: Attorney General Ferguson does not have a publicly available e-mail address, you may send an e-mail to Assistant Attorney General Susan Pierini at: SusanP1@atg.wa.gov
Plan your travels to that state accordingly. I expect that Florida will respond accordingly.
Naturally, he still expects those self-same members of the armed forces to fire on American civilians in case of an armed insurrection?
I always thought this particular villain trope was a bit stupid. I don’t know how I feel that it’s apparently based in reality.
As a resident of Washington State, I can only say that not ALL of us are of that mind. Keep the Mission, Keep the Faith.
This isn’t necessarily the work of the state’s AG, this is just in accordance with the laws already on the books. I am most certainly NOT defending those laws, but it is a matter for us in Washington to take up with state legislators to get the law change, not an issue with the AG.
The Washington AG could have just simply stated that the state would not accept CWP from Florida if the person was under 21. There are exceptions being made between the states to honor each other’s laws all the time, from residency requirements to type of weapons a person can carry.
Good answer! In this case the AG is enforcing a law as it current exists on the books. An you are right that this is a matter for us in Washington to take up with legislators.
[…] Jim W. sent us yet another good reason for the partition of eastern Washington: Attention Florida CWPs: Washington State is no longer reciprocal. […]
As a resident of the State of Washington and a retired member of the military, I find this to be very disturbing! I also believe that I served this country to defend and protect to Constitution just so people like our AG can be just as stupid and ignorant as they want! I voted for Constitutionalists not liberals!
I’m no fan of AG Ferguson, but in this case, he had no option. The state reciprocity law requires that the issuing state issue no licenses to people under 21 years of age. This is not a requirement he could make an exception to. It will require a change in the state law. Look it up yourself: search for RCW 9.41.073.