Bobby Jindal Signs 'Guns In Church' Bill Into Law

Carcharodon

Article by Jason Linkins of the Huffington Post. I just find this so funny for some reason, what was the impetus for this that they had to spend time and money to put this bill through ?


If you're like most Americans, there's probably been a time in your life when you've been sitting in church, listening to a particularly ennui-inducing homily or enduring another warbly version of "Holy Holy Holy" and thought, "Man! I could really reach for some steel right now, squeeze off a few rounds, and let these fools know what the score is!" Well, in Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal has recently signed into law a measure that would allow you to at least feel comforted by the presence of your gun in the house of the Lord. From the New Orleans Times-Picayune:

Gov. Bobby Jindal has signed into law one of the more controversial bills from the recent legislative session, one allowing guns to be carried into houses of worship.


[...]

[State Representative Henry] Burns' [R-Haughton] bill would authorize persons who qualified to carry concealed weapons having passed the training and background checks to bring them to churches, mosques, synagogues or other houses of worship as part of a security force.

I am only too sure that a law allowing mosque-goers to carry guns to service will not rile up Louisiana's paranoiacs at all!

Some restrictions apply. The "head of the religious institution" would have to "announce verbally or in weekly newsletters or bulletins that there will be individuals armed on the property as members of the security force," and those lucky individuals would have to receive "eight hours of tactical training each year."

So, why is all of this necessary? Basically, Representative Burns is concerned about a possible "First Sunday scenario":

Burns contended that religious institutions in crime-ridden or "declining neighborhoods" need the added protection to ward off thieves and muggers.

The Times-Picayune notes that the same law permitting houses of worship to gun up also allows them "hire off-duty police or security guards to protect congregants" which, on balance, would seem to be the saner option.

Denerick

Good old America. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Overheal

This has been SC law for a while already.

I dont see the problem. -

Amerika

Denerick wrote: »

Good old America. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Me either... WWJD (Who Would Jesus Drop)

Carcharodon

Overheal wrote: »

This has been SC law for a while already.

I dont see the problem. -

I don't have a problem with it, just questioning the need for it,it wouldn't be America without these laws sure. By SC law do you mean South Carolina or am I totally missing something.

Manic Moran

Several comments here.

1) I am surprised that LA had a prohibition on carrying guns in churches. Most states do not. (In Georgia, it used to be mandatory). Here in California there is no such prohibition.

2) Is there any practical reason that anyone can propose why persons should be safer in a church than anywhere else?

3) In answer to '2' above, see http://www.denverpost.com/ci_7682958

Jeanne Assam is often reported in the media as being a security guard (Churches have security guards?) but she was actually just a member of the congregation who had a concealed weapons permit, and carried her gun into church. Note that 12 hours earlier, Murray had killed two people at a different church, but left unopposed. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/us/11churches.html

NTM

Nodin

I really was born in the wrong country....

Mjollnir

Carcharodon wrote: »

Article by Jason Linkins of the Huffington Post. I just find this so funny for some reason, what was the impetus for this that they had to spend time and money to put this bill through ?


If you're like most Americans, there's probably been a time in your life when you've been sitting in church, listening to a particularly ennui-inducing homily or enduring another warbly version of "Holy Holy Holy" and thought, "Man! I could really reach for some steel right now, squeeze off a few rounds, and let these fools know what the score is!" Well, in Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal has recently signed into law a measure that would allow you to at least feel comforted by the presence of your gun in the house of the Lord. From the New Orleans Times-Picayune:

Gov. Bobby Jindal has signed into law one of the more controversial bills from the recent legislative session, one allowing guns to be carried into houses of worship.


[...]

[State Representative Henry] Burns' [R-Haughton] bill would authorize persons who qualified to carry concealed weapons having passed the training and background checks to bring them to churches, mosques, synagogues or other houses of worship as part of a security force.

I am only too sure that a law allowing mosque-goers to carry guns to service will not rile up Louisiana's paranoiacs at all!

Some restrictions apply. The "head of the religious institution" would have to "announce verbally or in weekly newsletters or bulletins that there will be individuals armed on the property as members of the security force," and those lucky individuals would have to receive "eight hours of tactical training each year."

So, why is all of this necessary? Basically, Representative Burns is concerned about a possible "First Sunday scenario":

Burns contended that religious institutions in crime-ridden or "declining neighborhoods" need the added protection to ward off thieves and muggers.

The Times-Picayune notes that the same law permitting houses of worship to gun up also allows them "hire off-duty police or security guards to protect congregants" which, on balance, would seem to be the saner option.

Perhaps they're looking for quicker solutions to the Catholic sex abuse scandals?