Louisiana Welcomes Guns In Church

Governor Bobby Jindal (R-LA) signed into law on Tuesday a bill that extends conceal-and-carry laws to places of worship. Under the new law, if a church, synagogue, or mosque decides to allow weapons, then guns can be brought on the premises. Standard conceal and carry licensing applies, as well as 8 hours of training held by the Church (or synagogue or mosque...). The goal is to allow the church to bring in armed “forces” to protect worshipers from violence, particularly in more dangerous neighborhoods.

This is a logic that makes sense on the surface, but that, once examined, I have no sympathy for. While the representative who sponsored the bill has voiced concerns for church-goers in dangerous neighborhoods, the bill does not stipulate that the person carrying a gun is acting in an official capacity to protect people at their place of worship.

The goal of this law is simply to expand gun rights (in gun lobby parlance), even to places we often consider havens from violence like bars (don’t mix guns and alcohol) and church (a sanctuary?). Guns in a church, synagogue, or mosque not only bring the threat of violence there, but expand the use of guns outside the building, in the streets, and to and from church. If Louisiana’s poor neighborhoods are so dangerous that church-goers feel threatened, arming citizens or vigilante self-protection is not the best way to go. Serious problems need to be dealt with through law enforcement and broader community support. I don’t buy the argument that adding more guns to the equation stems violence.

Louisiana isn’t alone in expanding conceal and carry laws. Earlier this year, Virginia lawmakers approved a bill allowing conceal and carry permit holders to bring their guns into bars. In light of the recent Supreme Court Decision extending the right to bear arms to local laws, a Wisconsin District Attorney has decided to stop enforcing many gun laws, including a ban on conceal and carry. It's one of many efforts across the country to take down gun laws and expand gun rights. The expanded presence of guns will likely have a human cost, and the legal framework available to take down those laws could become very weak.

Pema Levy is a staff writer for Campus Progress.