If editorial cartoonists have an index of national stereotypes; “religion” and “guns” have to be high up for the United States. But what to do when those two sides can’t get along? Oh nooooo!
From the New York Times:
The United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, in Atlanta, heard arguments last week on a lawsuit brought by a central Georgia church and the gun rights group GeorgiaCarry.org claiming that a state law banning firearms in places of worship violates their constitutionally protected religious freedoms.
The article outlines all the puzzling positions in this conflict. Like, for one, if you’re writing a law that allows people to carry guns around, why exclude churches? One argument in favour of the ban that’s brought forth is from a Lutheran minister, who says, “I think that by continuing to arm ourselves, we’re perpetuating this cycle of violence that only ends up hurting the whole society.” That sounds an awful lot like a religious freedom argument, so they should be covered even if the ban is lifted.
But then, what part of religious freedom should allow someone to carry a firearm into a church? Where does someone’s faith intersect with them wanting a handgun on them while they’re praying?
There’s a good reason so many places frown on people carrying firearms around with them: it’s a bad idea. When you a series exceptions to your law like the one this has — that churches or government buildings or whatever — you’re admitting guns are supes dangerous. So why not keep them out of groceries stores as well as mental institutions?