Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just dropped the hammer on spineless Republican lawmakers in his own state, and let’s just say, it was long overdue.
In a fiery video released by Florida Gun Rights, DeSantis didn’t hold back as he lit into members of the GOP-controlled legislature for dragging their feet on open carry legislation. “Are we Florida or are we San Francisco?” he asked, clearly exasperated. And frankly, it’s a good question.
You’d think in the state that prides itself on freedom and common sense, the right to open carry a firearm would be a no-brainer. But apparently, some Florida Republicans still need to be reminded which side they’re on: the Constitution or the woke mob.
DeSantis made it crystal clear back on February 1, 2025, when he publicly called on the legislature to pass an open carry law. Florida may have joined the ranks of 25 other states last year by enacting constitutional carry, but there was a catch — it only applied to concealed carry. That’s right: Florida became the 26th state to allow permitless concealed carry, but open carry? Still illegal.
We could not agree more with @GovRonDeSantis. It is an embarrassment that Florida cannot pass simple pro Second Amendment legislation like Open Carry. It is entirely unacceptable, and every Republican in the legislature should be ashamed of themselves. As the Governor said, "Are… pic.twitter.com/Tlom9Ozfvo
— Florida Gun Rights (@FLGunRights) April 1, 2025
Now, let’s pause and consider the absurdity of that.
You can carry a firearm in Florida, but only if you hide it. If you dare to exercise your Second Amendment rights openly and proudly, suddenly you’re a criminal. That’s not freedom. That’s not constitutional carry. That’s a half-measure masquerading as liberty.
Gun Owners of America saw the problem, and on August 5, 2024, they did what spineless lawmakers wouldn’t: they filed a lawsuit. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, points out that banning open carry is a blatant infringement on the Second Amendment. And they nailed it.
“This blatant infringement of the Second Amendment right to ‘bear arms’ runs counter to this nation’s historical tradition and would have criminalized the very colonists who openly carried their muskets and mustered on the greens at Lexington and Concord to fight for their independence,” the GOA lawsuit reads. Amen.
So here we are, in 2025, in a red state led by a conservative governor with a legislature dominated by Republicans—and yet we’re still asking for basic constitutional rights to be respected. It’s outrageous. DeSantis is right to put these lawmakers on blast.
The irony? These are the same people who get on stage at campaign rallies, thump their chests about supporting the Second Amendment, and beg for your vote by promising to fight for gun rights. But when it comes time to actually legislate? Silence.
DeSantis’ frustration is justified. He’s not some squish trying to score political points. He wants real results. He knows that the right to bear arms doesn’t end at the edge of your waistband. And he knows that caving to leftist fearmongering is not an option in the Free State of Florida.
It’s time for Florida lawmakers to get off the fence. Either they stand with the Constitution, or they stand with the anti-gun radicals trying to turn every red state into a blue state.
DeSantis made his position clear: stop playing games, pass open carry, and stop pretending that freedom means concealment.
