A Florida Senator Is Giving Away An AR-15

At this point it's a well-known fact that it's not too hard to get your hands on a gun in the United States. However, thanks to Greg Evers, a state senator representing Florida's second district, it just got even easier. In an appalling announcement given just over a week after the mass shooting in Orlando, the Florida senator announced he's giving away a gun to one lucky constituent as part of his United States Congress election campaign — all Floridians have to do in order to contend for the gun is "like" or "share" Evers' congressional campaign Facebook page.

That's right, an elected official is enticing voters with the promise of a weapon, in Florida, eight days after 49 people were shot dead in Orlando — it's hard to believe.

The gun in question is not just any gun, either. Nope, it's a semi-automatic rifle called an AR-15. According to the Associated Press, AR-15 style guns were used in the mass shootings in Aurora, Newton, and San Bernardino — and the rifle Omar Mateen used in the Orlando shooting was a similar model. Furthermore, the rifle Evers is giving away is called the "Homeland Defender," and is meant to underscore the importance of the Second Amendment — the Second Amendment is actually engraved on the gun.

According to ABC News, Evers announced the giveaway in a press release saying:

With terrorism incidents on the rise, both at home and abroad, protecting our constitutional rights has never been more important. With all that's happening in the world today, I've never felt stronger about the importance of the Second Amendment in protecting our homeland than I do now.

AP reported that Evers is a proponent of the Second Amendment, and has an A-plus grade from the National Rifle Association — meaning he consistently votes against gun control measures.

Evers' gun giveaway may seem appalling in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando; however, a recent Harvard Business School study found that gun laws often loosen after mass shootings — and defenders of the Second Amendment are sure to feel extra defensive.

Perhaps shockingly, Evers is not the only American politician enticing voters with guns this election season. According the the AP, a Tennessee state representative is auctioning off two rifles at a campaign event next weekend.

Unfortunately, Evers' gun giveaway is emblematic of the dominant political stance on firearms in America today: 49 people were shot to death in Orlando on June 12, yet four gun control bills failed to pass the Senate this week. If Evers is elected to Congress, he'll certainly help continue this anti-gun control political trend — not to mention the fact that yet another American will be in possession of a semi-automatic rifle.