The things that come out of the Arkansas legislature. This gem is from Rep. Beverly Pyle of Cedarville whose bill to allow guns in churches stalled today when it failed to make it out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The guns in churches bill generated national attention and not the kind you want (at the 5:57 mark). It also got a rousing endorsement from John Brummett who argued that since we’ve already said the 2nd Amendment allows you the absolute right to bear arms no exception to that can be employed.
Uh, okay. I guess we better say damn you to those that voted in favor of the Gun Free School Zone Act of 1996, too. Here’s an idea: Stop and think about the practical safety implications of people bringing guns into another place where lots of children congregate. I spoke to one state representative who did just that and it was the rationale behind his “no” vote in the House. No doubt someone will try and vilify him in the next election as a result, because that’s what we do here.
Earlier: commentary from Steve Harrelson and former Arkansas governor Jim Guy Tucker. The bill is down, but not out.
Also on the gun front, and as expected, a bill was filed today to close the names of concealed weapons holders from public inspection. Mad Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times has been on this issue for a while, even venturing into KARN-land to take calls from listeners about his position in favor of inspection. This led to, among other things, threating letters to Mr. Brantley and his family.
And we wonder why the national jokes continue. You stay classy, Arkansas.
[...] Notorious Arkansas Political Figure Runners-Up State Rep. Beverly Pyle, guns in church enthusiast. Arkansas GOP Chairman Doyle Webb for his offensive and discriminatory comments about State Rep. [...]