Should the mayors and civic leaders of Arkansas be able to arm themselves in order to protect their lives? After studying past events from this summer, I say, "Yes", and the citizens of Fort Smith and the state of Arkansas should be able to arm themselves at these meetings, also.
After the June 7th, 2011 Fort Smith directors meeting, director Andre Good asked for police protection at future meetings. His reasoning?
"I don't want to call out any names or make it seem like I'm trying to get back at that person. At the time, I wasn't intimidated. I was more hurt in the way I was approached. I was told I was ‘despicable,' and there was more name calling."
At first, I simply shook my head at this statement. I umpire high school baseball, and it is a good night if the worst thing the fans call me is "despicable." However, after examining what is happening across the state, I say he has a point. For instance:
On June 15th, Everton, Arkansas mayor Bill Gerdes was shot at a residence.
July 28th, Gould, Arkansas mayor Earnest Nash was viciously attacked after a town meeting.
And this past Tuesday evening, after the Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting, Mayor Sandy Sanders and citizen Eric Arthur were involved in an altercation in the parking lot outside the meeting.
Cooler heads must begin to prevail in this state. It is obvious these unarmed citizens and public officials are taking us back to the dark ages of civilization.
Noted author Robert A. Heinlein once wrote:
An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.
I believe it is time the citizens and public officials of Arkansas learn some manners,and arming ourselves may be the only solution to this problem. But could it work? The State of New Hampshire seems to think so. The carry of handguns, both open and concealed, by all legal citizens into public meetings has been allowed in that state for years. They also passed a law in January allowing the open carry of firearms into the State House. Public meetings in the "LIve Free or Die" state, while they may be heated, seem to not reach the uncivilized ends we have come to in Arkansas.
However, Arkansas's concealed carry law currently does not allow the carry of firearms into public meetings:
5-73-306. Prohibited places.
No license to carry a concealed handgun issued pursuant to this subchapter authorizes any person to carry a concealed handgun into:
....
(8) Any meeting place of the governing body of any governmental entity;
It's time this law is changed. Police protection cannot be everywhere, and cannot be guaranteed.
In the meantime, arrests have occurred, accusations have been made, and statements have been made public.
The unarmed governments and unarmed citizens of this state are obviously returning us to the "Wild West".
Comments