Cross-posted at www.PoliticalReformer.com
In modern day Louisiana, there are very few places where a person is not legally permitted to carry concealed firearms. One such place is the church. However, if Republican state legislator Henry Burns has his way, that law will change in the very near future. With Louisiana under constant threat of hurricanes, oil spills, and political corruption scandals, and negative stereotypes, Representative Burns is sponsoring legislation to protect the state's residents from terrorist attacks. "We should not be sheep for the slaughter," he told Times Picayune reporters, shortly after introducing the bill, known as HB68, earlier this year.
Just in case observers didn't catch the logic in Burns' message, his legislative spokesperson, Dodie Horton, sought to clarify the issue for Talking Points Memo by saying that "God gives us locks for our doors" and "we buy fire extinguishers in case of a fire." Therefore, according to Horton, what the church gun bill would essentially do is offer parishioners "the final stage of security."
And after all, isn't that one of the most important things that we really want out of church services?
If the church gun bill passes this year, it might have a sister piece of legislation to keep it company. SB81, a bill that would do away with the current state law which prevents people from carrying firearms within 1,000 feet of a school, has been approved by committee and is headed to the floor of the State Senate. Meanwhile, the church gun bill is scheduled for floor debate in the House today.
According to the latest data released by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- the rate of death from firearms in Louisiana is the highest in the nation -- 19.58 per 100,000 people -- nearly double that of the national average.
Let us pray.
Read the full text of HB68.