Arkansas House passes bill to allow guns in churches

[OakRidgeStars]

From Yahoo! News

LITTLE ROCK, Ark (Reuters) - The Arkansas House of Representatives approved a bill on Monday to allow concealed-carry permit holders to take their weapons into churches, and it is expected to be signed into law by the state's governor.

The Church Protection Act would allow individual places of worship to decide whether to allow concealed handguns and who could carry them. The Republican-controlled House passed the bill 85-8 with bipartisan support. The measure previously passed the Republican-controlled Senate 28-4.

Arkansas joins a handful of other states, including South Carolina, Wyoming and Louisiana, that allow guns in churches, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Gun control and gun rights issues have dominated the public conversation since a gunman shot dead 20 children and six adults at an elementary school December 14 in Newtown, Connecticut.

Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, a Democrat, was expected to sign the bill into law. His spokesman, Matt DeCample, said that Beebe "wants to continue the discussion with lawmakers and church leaders this session."

"We've had members of the faith community reach out to us with concerns, particularly liability concerns for churches," DeCample said.

Nicholas Stehle, a member of the board of directors of the advocacy group Arkansas Carry said that it was a smart bill.

"It was past time for the legislature to get out of the business of our churches, and it appears that at least 113 legislators agree," Stehle said. "This pro-First Amendment bill gives churches that can't afford private security staff the ability to provide a safe environment for their congregants."

Read more: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/arkansas-house ... 26007.html

[mrjam2jab]

Never understood how any State could prohibit carry in a church by statute. A church is a private business. State shouldn't get to decide.

[totes6]

Never understood how any State could prohibit carry in a church by statute. A church is a private business. State shouldn't get to decide.

These kind of laws are actually Jim Crow Laws. They were passed to keep the Blacks disarmed in certain places they tended to congregate. If you think about it, it allowed the racists back then to pretty much attack congregations as they pleased. If someone in the Church congregation ended up having a gun to defend themselves and the other members, well the Sheriff would magically appear and arrest the person. If you look back at a lot of laws like these, they were passed in order to pretty much make the Blacks in the community defenseless.

I personally hope this bills makes it to the Arkansas Governor's desk and that it is signed, striking yet another Jim Crow Law off the books.

[scott9050]

Never understood how any State could prohibit carry in a church by statute. A church is a private business. State shouldn't get to decide.

These kind of laws are actually Jim Crow Laws. They were passed to keep the Blacks disarmed in certain places they tended to congregate. If you think about it, it allowed the racists back then to pretty much attack congregations as they pleased. If someone in the Church congregation ended up having a gun to defend themselves and the other members, well the Sheriff would magically appear and arrest the person. If you look back at a lot of laws like these, they were passed in order to pretty much make the Blacks in the community defenseless.

I personally hope this bills makes it to the Arkansas Governor's desk and that it is signed, striking yet another Jim Crow Law off the books.

Most gun laws are actually racist in origin. Thankfully, it is not just the rural whites that appreciate gun rights as the far left would try to have people believe.

[HEX]

Praise the Lord and pass the ammo.....take what you need and leave not Christian behind. Or God sayeth to all Politicians that it be easier for a politician to pass through the eye of a neddle than the gates of Heaven.

P.S. Some ask when will Jebus bring the Pork Chops.