Open Letter to Florida State Senator Anitere Flores

Florida –-(Ammoland.com)- Dear Senator Flores,

You claimed in July 6, 2016 that you supported the 2nd Amendment and that government had no right or authority to infringe upon those rights. You very own words state that.

“I have always been and will continue to be a fierce defender of our constitutional rights, the Second Amendment, in particular, guarantees a fundamental individual right to keep and bear arms that government has no right to infringe upon. During my years in public service, my record shows that I have acted in accordance with these beliefs and values. It is with that in mind that I humbly seek to be re-elected into the Florida Senate so that I may continue to be a strong advocate for our rights in Tallahassee.” ~ Anitere Flores – July 6, 2016 Letter to NRA Executive Director Marion P. Hammer when asking for NRA Endorsement and Support for her 2016 Election.

But the very day before (July 5, 2016) you voted ‘Yes‘ for a Special Session for Gun Control after the Pulse Nightclub Terror Attack. You sided with Democrats and wanted to go after Floridians’ gun rights and you have the nerve to send a letter the very next day stating that government has no authority to restrict the 2nd Amendment.

What shame! As a Floridian and a Voter, I feel betrayed. I once lived in your district and when you ran for Senate. I proudly supported you.

Furthermore, I have spent my hard earned vacation time at the Capitol this year fighting for better gun rights. Not as a Lobbyist but as a private citizen. I’ve had to take time off from work so I can voice what so many fellow Floridians think. WE WANT BETTER GUN RIGHTS! And when I go to your office. I get nothing. Not even thirty seconds of your time to meet with me and answer my questions. You’d rather go on Facebook with Ms. Tia Mitchell (a paid reporter) then meet with me. An actual voter. For shame Senator…. FOR SHAME!

You have claimed to speak for your voters. Then why aren’t you listening to them? Why the two-faced answers to the media? Senator, your statements to the media show your true color. You’d violate your oath as a Senator and flip-flop to stay in power. Your actions speak louder than words and so far Senator, they are deafening! Here are your own words Senator.

“I feel that what I’ve done is reflective the views of my community, reflective the views of the people who elected me, and reflect the views of a lot of people in the State of Florida that want to feel safe and the debate on whether or not inserting more guns makes us safer, that’s not final.” ~ Anitere Flores – March 9, 2017 (The Florida Times-Union) interview with Tia Mitchell

“The 2010 district was different than the 2012 district, and the 2012 district was different than the 2016 district, so it’s obviously very different. But my stance since I’ve been in the Senate on guns has been, I think, rather consistent, in that I reflect the majority of my constituents.” ~ Anitere Flores – March 9, 2017 (WFSU News)

“First and foremost, I think the way the NRA and some of your supporters have categorized my position. Yesterday made it seem like it was a surprise. Or that I had shared with them that I would be voting for these bills and all of a sudden I flipped. Um, but if you look at not just you know my career. You look at what’s happened particularly in the last year. Um, through my public statements you’d know that I have been very consistent.” ~ Anitere Flores – March 9, 2017 (The Florida Times-Union) interview with Tia Mitchell

“Listen, when there was a call for Special Session over the summer about gun legislation. I was the only Republican that said ‘Ya, you know what. I’m not afraid to talk about it and discuss these issues.’ So I think to say that it came as a surprise to the NRA, um, I’m surprised that they’re surprised.” ~ Anitere Flores – March 9, 2017 (The Florida Times-Union) interview with Tia Mitchell

“On background, I started in the legislature in 2004, representing a very homogenous group of people that was very, very conservative in the House. I got elected to the Senate in 2010 under one district, that district changed in 2012, and that district changed really dramatically in 2016. And so particularly since then I’ve had to go out and earn votes of brand new members and voters in a district that changed very dramatically. The district went heavily for Hillary Clinton, yet I won and outperformed Hillary Clinton by about 10 votes, err 10 points. Why did that happen? Because an issue like gun issues is somewhere where I was able to say ‘you know, here is where I can reflect my constituents’”. ~ Anitere Flores – March 9, 2017 (The Florida Times-Union) interview with Tia Mitchell

You would rather sell out the Self-Defense Rights of all Floridians for the Tourist Industry.

“And so, let’s take Open Carry for example. I represent all of Monroe County. Monroe County depends heavily on tourism. And the tourism industry in Monroe County; several individuals have said ‘we have some concerns if open carry is allowed because people get a little scared, people start to worry’.” ~ Anitere Flores – March 9, 2017 (The Florida Times-Union) interview with Tia Mitchell

Worst though is as a member of the South Florida Hispanic Community and as a Cuban American, your actions insult those that fought against the Despotic Regime in Cuba. You have slapped the face of the fine men and women in our ‘Patria‘ that have struggled to fight and flee the death grip of Castro’s Communist Oppression. You state that government has no right to violate, regulate, control, and infringe upon the rights of Floridians and yet there you are in the Senate spouting such statements like these!

“We see now, with this latest attack, that we need to take a comprehensive look at gun laws in the state of Florida and find the best way to balance the individual rights of the people to own guns versus public safety.” ~ Anitere Flores – January 13, 2017 (Miami Herald) when calling for a special session for gun control.

“I do not support guns on campus; I don’t support having guns in airports; I don’t support having guns in school zones. I don’t support these things.” ~ Anitere Flores – March 7, 2017 (Florida Senate Judiciary Committee) while debating SB 616.

You claim to be open to debate and yet you then say nothing shall pass while you’re in office. Which is it Senator? Are you for open debate or are you like the Castro Regime and will do anything in your power for true open debate and the free exchange of ideas?

“Guns issues will continue to be debated, I don’t know if they’ll continue to be debated in this committee. These are bills I wouldn’t be in support of.” ~ Anitere Flores – March 7, 2017 (Florida Senate Judiciary Committee) while debating SB 616.

“It doesn’t mean a blanket ‘no’ to everything; it doesn’t mean a blanket ‘yes’ to everything. It means that I’m open to debating the issues.” ~ Anitere Flores – March 9, 2017 (Miami Herald)

Senator, you campaign as someone that wants to protect women. Yet here you are against Campus Carry. When I was at the Capitol on March 7, 2017 I met with your office. Your office knows of Ms Shayna Lopez-Rivas.

She was there with me in your office that day. She told her story, that she was the victim of a violent sexual assault and rape on the campus of FSU and yet you have the nerve to say this two days later.

“And so even with guns on campus is the last couple of years. I have statements that I said I’m not comfortable with guns on campus. I represent a State University; I still represent that same State University; FIU. ‘Go Panthers’. And now I represent two different community colleges. One’s in Miami the other in Monroe. My point in saying all of this, is that I really don’t think that it should be a surprise.” ~ Anitere Flores – March 9, 2017 (The Florida Times-Union) interview with Tia Mitchell

So instead of allowing women to defend themselves on Campus, you’d rather they be victims of violent sexual assaults and worse? You bring up FIU. It isn’t the first and sadly the last time a woman has been found dead on FIU’s campus. Back in 2011, the body of 29-year-old Lisbel Garcia was found on the west side of the five-story Red Parking Garage on FIU’s Modesto A. Madique Campus.

You state that your word is sacred Senator. You said it yourself.

“Anything that goes beyond that (checking firearms at the courthouse door) I will not allow in the Senate. My word and my commitment is something that I hold to be very sacred.” Anitere Flores – March 11, 2017 (Tallahassee Democrat)

So far all I’ve seen from your words is two-faced hooliganism that can be compared to a Government Official of the Castro Regime spouting webs of lies. You flip-flop faster than a snowbird sunning themselves on South Beach. You pose and smile with Michelle Gajda of Moms Demand Acton (a known Anti-2nd Amendment Organization) all the while you campaigned less than 6 months ago that you were a “fierce defender of our constitutional rights” and begged the NRA for an endorsement and support of your campaign.

Well, Senator Flores. I can thank you for one thing. You have encouraged, no, dare I say inspired me…. to do everything within my power to fight for my and my fellow citizens’ gun rights. And I’m going to do this running for the 2018 Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association. Floridians and Americans all alike need strong voices in the NRA to keep people like you from using such a fine organization for your own twisted ill-gotten political gains. And just to make it clear. I didn’t say we because you clearly aren’t part of that group of citizens that actually care about the Constitution and the Rights of the People.

In the end Senator, I will spend every day, hour, and the minute I have at the Capitol this Legislative Session speaking the truth of your two-faced lies. I will spread the truth via every means possible. Because ‘En boca del mentiroso, lo cierto se hace dudoso y Al mentiroso le conviene ser memorioso’ (In the mouth of a liar, what is certain becomes doubtful & Liars must remember the untruths they have told, to avoid contradicting themselves at some later date).

I want to let every voter know that what you say cannot be trusted. You can count on that Senator.

Luis Valdes
Cuban-American
Voter
Constitutionalist