Guns + Church = ?

jeron1

Has there been a spat of church violence recently that I missed, that would require actions like this[^]?

Rob Graham

There were a couple of recent ones (last year anyway), but nor in AR.

Lost User

Stupid ass legislation. I mean honestly, sometimes a piece of legislation can be so stupid, it's a wonder how it gets considered at all.

jeron1

Right on, I mean how many of us have sat in church wishing we had our pistol? ...and I don't mean so we could shoot ourselves, thusly ending the pain of the neverending sermon.

Dan Neely

was there a spate of law abiding people taking guns to church and shooting innocents with them in the past to justify the line item being written in the 1st place? Even if you think a criminal will obey the gun free zone law and not use one on consecrated ground, by banning them in parking lots you've also disarmed anyone on their way to/from...

Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall

jeron1

Exactly, just further confirmation that our legislator types would rather concentrate (and I use the term loosely) on just about anything other than what would do a bit of good.

Rob Graham

Well, the same way that the legislation banning carrying the concealed weapons in a Church got considered, would be my guess. Since the last big church shoot got ended by a church member who was an off duty (woman) cop, who happened to be carrying (she shot the heavily armed perp, who had some long standing issue with the church), perhaps the legislator though this was a good thing, and banning had been a bad thing.

Rob Graham

I don't think you understood dan's question...

Oakman

Rob Graham wrote:

I don't think you understood dan's question

Yah think? ;)

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Algoraphobia: An exaggerated fear of the outside world rooted in the belief that one might spontaneously combust due to global warming.

Oakman

Do you find people with guns to be scary?

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Algoraphobia: An exaggerated fear of the outside world rooted in the belief that one might spontaneously combust due to global warming.

Lost User

I find legislation allowing concealed weapons in a place of worship scary. Just what the hell is going to happen when you're in church? Is the British going to invade and you need to immediately create a militia and defend the church doors? legislation like this is just a waste of time, money and effort.

Rob Graham

Was the legislation that prohibited it in the first place a waste of time as well? The motivation to repeal came from this incident.[^]

wolfbinary

If a church puts up a sign banning concealed weapons, like other places, the effect would be the same. At least that's how it would work where I live. The state may allow them, but any building can have it banned. Some towns you drive through used the opt out clause. I had a coworker who has the weapons permit explain it to me. I thought there was an old tradition of no arms in places of worship? I'm not sure where I got that idea from though. It's seems like a very old tradition though.

Rob Graham

Yeah, but crazy people rarely observe tradition. If some law abiding citizen feels safer carrying a weapon in, I don't see the harm. Sure helped in the incident I linked to. Laws like this (and traditions, and gun free zone signs) only stop people that wouldn't have been a problem in the first place. Someone intent on harm, will ignore all of them, and there won't be anyone to slow them down or put an early stop to them.

thrakazog

Just trying to put the shotguns back into shotgun weddings?

Oakman

"Burn their f---ing churches to the ground, and then tax the charred timbers," wrote "World O Jeff" on the JoeMyGod blogspot today within hours of California officials declaring Proposition 8 had been approved by a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent. Confirmation on voter approval of amendments in Florida and Arizona came earlier. On a blog website, "Tread" wrote, "I hope the No on 8 people have a long list and long knives." On the "Queerty" website, "Stenar" asked, "Can someone in CA please go burn down the Mormon temples there, PLEASE. I mean seriously. DO IT." On yet another site, "Americablog," "scottinsf" wrote, "Trust me. I've got a big list of names of mormons and catholics that were big supporters of Prop 8. … As far as mormons and catholics … I warn them to watch their backs." Another even listed addresses of Mormon facilities. Mormon, Catholic and other religious groups were active in supporting the marriage definition. "I do not openly advocate firebombing or vandalism. What you do with the information is your own choice," wrote Jeremy.

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Algoraphobia: An exaggerated fear of the outside world rooted in the belief that one might spontaneously combust due to global warming.

wolfbinary

Rob Graham wrote:

Laws like this (and traditions, and gun free zone signs) only stop people that wouldn't have been a problem in the first place. Someone intent on harm, will ignore all of them, and there won't be anyone to slow them down or put an early stop to them.

That maybe true, but if they use them in a place that does, even in a circumstance like this, they can still be prosecuted for breaking the law. It's a catch 22 I guess.

Rob Graham

There is something innately wrong with settling for punishment after the fact when prevention or at least amelioration was an option. How sensible is it to prosecute your neighbor who sat quietly through the service with a 45 under his jacket, but was discovered on his way back to his car? I have no idea what laws like this expect to prevent, or why anyone would think they are good and sensible.

Dan Neely

but he put up such a nice straw man[^] to aim his barbs at.

Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall