Florida enjoys high levels of gun ownership, and  nearly 8.2% of that state’s population of 19.89 million have some form of concealed carry license.

The Sunshine State simultaneously enjoys that state’s lowest recorded level of firearm violent crime.  Ever.

Florida firearm violence hits record low; concealed gun permits up

(Naples Daily News) – In the so-called Gunshine State, home to the most gun permits in the country, firearm violence has fallen to the lowest point on record.

As state and national legislators consider gun control laws in the wake of last month’s Connecticut school shooting, Florida finds itself in a gun violence depression. The Firearm-involved violent crime rate has dropped 33 percent between 2007 and 2011, while the number of issued concealed weapons permits rose nearly 90 percent during that time, state records show.

“We’re happy to have facts and statistics put into these debates, because every time they do, we win,” said Sean Caranna, executive director of Florida Carry Inc., a pro-gun-rights advocacy group.

What else does Florida have besides great beaches, lots of sunshine, and lots of good guys carrying guns?

It has a 10-20-Life law when it comes to using a firearm in the commission of a crime.  In a nutshell, this law imposes additional time in prison for those who use a firearm in commission of a crime.

• If you produce a firearm in the commission of a felony crime, you get an extra 10-years in prison, minimum.
• If you fire your firearm, you get 20-years in prison, minimum, on top of the sentence for whatever felony you were committing.
• If you wound or kill someone with a firearm, the minimum sentence is 25-years in prison and the judge may impose Life in prison.
• It also has a lesser known provision that felons merely possessing a firearm get an automatic three years in prison, no ifs, ands or buts.

Contrast all that with Chicagoland.

There’s a paucity of good guys with guns, thanks to decades of anti-gun laws that made gun ownership difficult bordering on impossible for the average person.

And the criminal justice system?

Homicide cases (and shooting cases) simply aren’t being solved.  Chicago Magazine featured a major story on this sad fact not long ago:

Chicago’s Criminals Are Getting Away With Murder:  Only 132 of Chicago’s 507 murders were solved last year. Why is the Chicago Police Department struggling to bring so many killers to justice?

And when there are arrests?

From Second City Cop, a Chicago police blog:

2 people shot 3000blk of Lexington, car chase with offending vehicle 2 guns tossed out of car (great job of pursuing vehicle to see it and call it out, both recovered), 1 M4 (Editor:  That’s a type of AR-15 rifle) still in vehicle after it crashes near ogden and California, 3 offenders bail and are taken into custody inside the park. Great response by police from 010 and 011 (Editor: Those are police districts in Chicago). 3 weapons recovered from a vehicle and offenders who had just tried to add plenty of extra holes in some not so upstanding citizen (over 20 shots fired from all three weapons). Great case right? Attempted murder? Agg discharge? Multiple AGG UUW (Editor:  That’s Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons) charges for all involved? Not here in crook county! Each of the passengers only got 1 charge of AGG UUW, and the driver of the shit show only got a charge for AGG Fleeing and eluding. Funny thing is the driver will probably the only found guilty and do any time. Just as the media is calling for more action to stop the violence the beautiful people at Anita’s office (Editor:  That’s Anita Alvarez, the Cook Co. State’s Attorney) are afraid to do their part in putting the bad guys in prison…..

In Florida, each of those individuals in the car would be looking at going away for twenty years on top of the sentences imposed for attempted murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm and the other charges.  Not in Cook County.  In Cook County, they are probably out on bail already.

Does Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel rail against his fellow soft-on-crime Democrat State’s Attorney for failing to charge and prosecute violent criminal predators?

Nope.

In the Chicago Tribune:

After 14 shot in 15 hours in Chicago, mayor says gun laws must ‘reflect the values of the people’

Hey Mayor:  We know you weren’t the smartest ballerina when you were younger, but don’t assume the average American is as stupid as those in your circle of friends, okay?