by David Safier
I'm going to try and present this item with as little comment as possible, to avoid getting in the way of the narrative.
Louisiana passed a law allowing guns in churches for people who have concealed gun permits. Training sessions have begun in Shreveport. Said one trainee from the Elm Grove Baptist Church,
"I'd rather be proactive than working after the fact. We're all in God's army, and you don't see any army going to war unarmed."
The author of the bill stopped by to thank them.
"Each and every one of you here are patriots because you care to provide protection to the innocent," said state Rep. Henry Burns, the author of the legislation. He visited the class to thank them. "We should be able to worship our Lord without fear."
Churches will be safer, a trainee said.
"If I were a criminal and was trying to make a statement, I'd pick a school or a church, somewhere that's a gun-free zone," Boyter said. "People are going to think twice if they know a church is armed."
INDULGE ME, PLEASE: I tried to hold back commentary, I really did. But I have to say three things.
- The term "God's army" is usually used metaphorically in this country. We spend lots of time criticizing those who equate religious zeal with arms.
- I'm not sure I would consider it "worship without fear" if I knew there were a dozen people in the pews packing heat.
- People who go on shooting sprees aren't like bank robbers who plan to escape. Most of them expect to be captured or killed. I'm not sure many of them would be deterred by the thought of going out in a blaze of glory.