The spokesman for the group discusses the crucial victory in the GOA v. Del Toro case, which moves Florida one step closer to welcoming those that practice Open Carry.
Even though Florida’s ban on Open Carry citizens was mostly done away with in September, there were still certain cases being unfairly moved forward against those that carry a gun merely for the sake of protection. However, one big one just got settled, resulting in a major victory for gun rights group Gun Owners of America.
A settlement has just been reached thanks to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, surrounding the case of GOA v. Del Toro. With it, “Defendants agreed not to enforce Florida’s ban on open carry, and acknowledged that law enforcement agencies must align their practices with the right to keep and bear arms protected by the Second Amendment.” The settlement made it clear that Open Carry of firearms “presumptively protected by the plain text of the Second Amendment”.
With that, Luis Vales, who serves as Florida State Director for the GOA, noted, “This is a major victory for Florida’s gun owners. After decades under Janet Reno’s 1987 open-carry ban, Floridians can finally exercise their Second Amendment rights without fear that a briefly exposed firearm could lead to criminal charges. This settlement moves Florida closer to earning its ‘Gunshine State’ reputation.”
What does this say for the ongoing fight for gun rights with the new year coming? Stephen Willeford, the 2017 “hero with a gun” who serves as spokesman for the group, joins us now to discuss the significance of these nominees. We welcome him to the show!
Q&A:
- How crucial a victory would you say Gun Owners of America received with this fight against Florida’s previous Open Carry ban?
- Do you believe this will continue to move the state forward as becoming more friendly to private gun owners looking to protect their rights?
- Is there a possibility other state leaders will learn from this? Or will some continue to push for unnecessary gun bans?
- Speaking of which, where do you see the argument surrounding gun rights going as 2026 approaches?
- Do you believe the Department of Justice’s new Civil Rights division will make a difference when it comes to certain cases involving gun rights?
- You recently wrote a book called A Town Called Sutherland Springs: Faith and Heroism Through Tragedy, revolving around your 2017 “hero with a gun” situation. Tell us more about how this came together, and why it’s such an important read right now.
- Where can people find your book?
- You can purchase the book here on Amazon, both in paperback and Kindle format.
- Where can we learn more about you, as well as Gun Owners of America?
- You can learn more at http://www.thebarefootdefender.com. You can also read more about the Gun Owners of America at https://www.gunowners.org/.
About Stephen Willeford…
Stephen represents Gun Owners of America and is known around the country as the “good guy with the gun” for helping stop the largest Texas mass shooting in the history of the state in 2017. He is available to speak about all gun rights issues, as well as the importance of Gun Owners of America. He is the author of the book A Town Called Sutherland Springs: Faith and Heroism Through Tragedy. You can read more about him at http://www.thebarefootdefender.com.
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