Florida House refuses to debate guns, declares porn dangerous
The Florida House of Representatives was in session on Tuesday considering several issues. These included a motion to debate a bill banning the sale of assault weapons in the aftermath of the mass shooting that killed 17 people last week at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., and a resolution declaring pornography a public health risk.
The House chose not to consider the gun-control bill.
It later passed the resolution claiming that porn is dangerous.
“Unfortunately, just five days after 17 people were gunned down at a Florida school, the Florida House just passed a bill that declares pornography a ‘public health risk,’” state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D) told the Independent. “Basically, what they have determined is that these are the Republican priorities in 2018: Wasting our time with debate and legislation that declares porn as a health threat. Meanwhile we can’t even get a single debate, vote or hearing on anything related to assault weapons.”
“That’s really sad,” he added.
Tuesday’s session opened with state Rep. Kionne McGhee (D) asking for a procedural change to allow the House to consider the bill banning assault weapons, which was assigned to three committees but had not yet been scheduled for a hearing.
“I ask that you keep this bill and the conversation about the solution to combat mass shootings alive,” McGhee declared. “The shooting at Parkland demands extraordinary action.”
The House voted down the motion 71 to 36 within three minutes as survivors of the shooting watched from the gallery of the Capitol.
“It was just so heartbreaking to see how many [voters’] names were up there, especially after it was my school,” Sheryl Acquaroli, a 16-year-old junior at Stoneman Douglas who was watching, told CNN. “It seemed almost heartless how they immediately pushed the button to say no.”
“They had a chance to stop it today. If there is another mass shooting it’s going to be their fault,” she added.
Less than an hour later, state Rep. Ross Spano (R) presented his resolution, arguing that viewing porn can lead to both “mental and physical illnesses” along with “deviant, or problematic sexual behaviors.”
Smith asked Spano questions, among them whether anyone has ever been “been physically handicapped” by porn, or if porn had ever caused any first responders to seek therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Do you believe that identifying porn as a public health risk is more important than identifying gun violence as a public health violence, especially after the events of this week and the events of June 12, 2016, when 29 people were murdered by gun violence at Pulse?” Smith asked.
While there is some evidence that pornography can be mentally damaging, there is also support for the argument that it leads to greater sexual satisfaction. No scientific consensus exists on its overall positive or negative effect.
The House approved the resolution by a voice vote, to the chagrin of many House Democrats.
“He was saying porn as a health risk was more important to address here in the Florida legislature than the epidemic of gun violence,” Smith later told the Associated Press. “These are their priorities. I don’t understand the politics, to be honest, if I’m being honest. I’m not aware there’s a base of voters who are losing sleep every night over the epidemic of pornography as a public health crisis.”
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Once again, the Floriduh legislature exposes its own bias and revenge motivations. They don’t want to prevent gun crime against children, they just want to punish so-called sex offenses more and more. Voters should actually watch The Floriduh Channel to see what a circus the lawmaking process is and keep track of how their mis-representatives vote.
Make War, not Love! …..oh wait……I’m being told that’s not how that goes….
Tbey couldn’t possibly agree to debate any gun control measures because all of them are funded by the NRA and other gun lobbyist. You cant say crap when they donated millions of dollars to their campaigns. Did anyone really expect them to
Btw be on the lookout for more sex offender legislation that’s another way for politician’s to deflect from real issues
“They died from watching porn,” says no headstone ever………I’m so glad that people in this state and the country are finally seeing just how utterly stupid and defiant those ignorant assholes over in Tallahassee are. Beginning with the chief asshole poltergeist preacher himself, Gov. Prick Scott. You know what else is a public health risk? Lawmakers who get caught having affairs with lobbyists in Tallahassee. If the capitol bldg got attacked by a gunman, there would be a vote within hours!! Oh yeah, and/or a sex offender bill.
Would really like to know how Lauren Book voted on these twp instances.
So do I.
I have been watching the news with all these kids from everywhere and from all these different schools across the state marching on the capital and speaking their voice to both law makers and to people watching on the news and NOTHING !!!….
Sex will kill you, but not guns. It’s ridiculous.
Where is Lauren Book with her protect the children crap ?? Why is she not doing anything to protect these kids from guns ??? How come no laws proposed with the names of some of the kids that were murdered by an assault weapon ???
But if this were a mass sex crime instead of a gun assault murder on those kids, 50 laws would pass in a single year with Lauren Book at the front of that parade waving her baton… Pathetic !!!
Hahaaha!!! That is awesome! I’ve always wondered if the majority of the lawmakers had their heads stuck in the sand. (I’m being nice)
Things such as this makes me very impatient to get my right to vote back. It’s maddening knowing that these clowns are not only passing
(more) absurd laws but they’re getting paid to do so while blatantly refusing to discuss matters of truly great public importance.
I don’t mean all of those in office are a waste. One of the e-mails I’d sent regarding the 5 to 3 day registration change was replied to, within hours, very positively. Whether that was lip service or not remains to be seen however.
Can you please post that reply from your representative here??
On Tuesday, February 13, 2018 11:57 PM, “Stewart, Linda (Web)” wrote:
Good evening,
Thank you very much for reaching out to me and expressing your thoughts regarding CS/SB 1226: Sentencing for Sexual Offenders and Sexual Predators. I am sorry for your situation. I will consider your request should SB1226 come before me for vote. Thank you again and I hope you have a great week.
Sincerely.
Senator Linda Stewart, District 13
[email protected] | http://www.flsenate.gov
I sent her the link to the Salon piece afterward in hopes that she would not only read it, but also inform other colleagues as well.
Perfect! This is the type of activism that it takes to make a difference!
Not to rain on the parade, but that looks like an autoreply.