Some time ago, the Bella Vista Police Department held a community meeting on church safety in one of our churches and several hundred people attended. This was in response to the number of "active shooter" situations in churches across our country. I thought the presenters did a pretty good job for that particular time, although there are much better presentations available now. I was discouraged with the response from those in attendance. One attendee reflected the thoughts of many others when he suggested that, under the circumstances, perhaps the best way to prevent a tragedy in our churches is for everyone to obtain a concealed carry permit.
Encouraging people attending a church service to obtain a concealed carry permit and to carry a loaded concealed weapon while going to church is both unnecessary and frightening. At the very least, who really wants to attend a church worship service attended by a lot of people who are carrying lethal weapons? And, to be honest, should something happen, who wants all of those people pulling out their guns and to start shooting.
As I have written before, there are numerous ways to protect your church without having to resort to carrying a gun. Security cameras, ushers/monitors, closed sections of the church during worship, learning how to spot suspicious behavior before anything happens, and so on are all things to consider. However, for this article, I want to speak more directly to people who have a concealed carry permit.
Almost every state in the United States offers a concealed carry permit through its state police and, while there are a few differences between the states, reciprocity is generally accepted throughout the country. Some even have an "enhanced" carry permit. What this means is that an individual wishing to carry a concealed weapon has the opportunity to take a short course on gun safety and prove to his instructor that he/she has the ability to safely handle a gun and hit the target a few times at 15 feet (much more difficult for enhanced permits). Following a background check, the permit is generally issued without many questions. While this is somewhat oversimplified, it is generally understood that it is fairly easy to obtain a concealed carry permit.
In addition, several states including Arkansas have what is called an "open carry" law which allows someone to carry a loaded pistol visible to anyone around. However, my experience suggests that our law enforcement departments do not like this law and always keep watch on someone they see carrying a weapon very closely. I don't blame them and follow their example.
So what does a concealed carry permit allow someone to do? It most certainly does not allow someone to go around shooting people. Generally, it means that if you or someone around you is confronted with lethal force (notice the word "lethal"), you have the opportunity to defend yourself by using a handgun (not an assault rifle). However, too often it is left to the courts to determine whether your situation is actually a lethal situation or one you just "thought" was lethal. When I teach gun ethics, I like to point out that you really have just "one" shot, since you may be sure you're going to be sued and end up in court regardless of the circumstances. This means you had better be really sure that you are faced with a lethal situation before you shoot.
Florida has what is called a "stand your ground law" which means a person who is threatened does not have to just run away but may confront his or her attacker with a gun or anything else that is available. (Arkansas just defeated a similar law this year.) In the Florida situation, a man knocked a guy down to the ground, and the guy pulled out a weapon and shot him dead. Because of the law, the authorities did not charge the person, but now several months later he has been charged with manslaughter and had to post a $100,000 bond to get out of jail. A jury recently convicted him of manslaughter, and he will spend some time in jail. Since his attacker was walking away, maybe there was another way to handle the situation.
Recently, the state of California passed a law which greatly restricts the right of law enforcement personnel to use deadly force, something that almost every officer relies upon. How that will turn out remains to be seen, but suffice it to say that if a law enforcement officer is restricted from using deadly force, then someone with a concealed carry weapon is going to be even further restricted. I should also point out that it is becoming very difficult for law enforcement agencies to hire good officers today since the occupation has become very dangerous and their ability to enforce the law has been restricted.
All of this is to simply point out that obtaining a concealed carry permit is not always the right thing to do, even though it is legal. The decision to use or not to use deadly force is something everyone must consider, and the litigation following a wrong decision is costly. We in the United States have to learn how to handle dangerous situations better. Carrying a weapon may be legal, but it does not necessarily make you a safer or better person.
Robert Box is the former chaplain for the Bella Vista Police Department and is currently the Fire Department chaplain. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Religion on 09/11/2019