Arkansas House Bill 1237 is being debated a bill removes “any church or other place of worship” from the list of places that a person with a license to carry a concealed handgun is not allowed to carry a gun under state law.
Grant Exton, president of the state’s Concealed Carry Association, has been working with lawmakers on a bill that would allow people licensed to carry a concealed handgun to take their guns to church. He cites the December 2007 shooting at New Life Church in Colorado Springs as support for the bill.
We interviewed Pastor Barry Boyd on the incident. A mentally ill man walked on the church campus after a service killed two people and shot four others. A female church security volunteer, shot and wounded the gunman who then killed himself. Boyd praised the volunteer, but didn’t advocate getting all his parishioners hand guns.
This is insane. Churches are sanctuaries. Having the members packing guns won’t stop mentally ill people from coming on the church grounds.
If someone wants to worship in an armory, they can find a David Koresh-like sect. The more hand guns in one place, the larger the likelihood that one gets used.