Bad bill for tourism

Canadian snowbirds residing in Florida during the winter months are following with great concern the advances of the open-carry proposal being considered by the state Legislature. If such a law is enacted, I predict that it will have devastating consequences on tourism from Canada and Europe and will result in the loss of billions of dollars to the tourism industry.

In Canada and Europe, the principles of a society based on the rule of law do not authorize the open carry of firearms by ordinary citizens. Except for the United States, all modern democratic countries have evolved beyond the tenets of the Wild West. Most of the civilized world cannot understand that a great nation like the United States cannot evolve as other democracies already have done, starting more than a century ago.

I urge all Floridians in the tourism industry to get involved to ensure this legislation isn’t adopted.

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Bad bill for tourism."