Bill Would Allow Guns In OK State Capitol

by Tom Knighton: Politics has always been tense. It’s the reason it’s not a topic to be brought up in polite conversation.

Because of the obligatory contention that sprouts out of politics, many state houses are off-limits to people carrying guns. However, we live in different times when lawmakers and lobbyists may well soon become the target of political violence to an even more significant degree than what we’ve already seen. People may well be shot inside state capitols, regardless of what the law means, and these people will be powerless to defend themselves.

In Oklahoma, lawmakers are looking at a bill that would prevent that situation from arising.An Oklahoma lawmaker wants to allow those with a valid handgun license to carry guns in the Capitol, something that is currently prohibited.

Senate Bill 38, authored by Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, would allow individuals with a valid handgun license to proceed through a security checkpoint with a weapon after presenting the license.

“Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize a peace or security officer to remove or inspect any weapon or restrain any person carrying a properly concealed loaded or unloaded handgun without probable cause that a crime has been committed,” the measure states.

… Bullard said his measure was designed to increase the safety of those in the Capitol. He said it is a common-sense gun bill that would let people protect themselves.Precisely.

More than that, it allows those same people to protect themselves as they go to and from the Capitol.

Even if they were perfectly safe inside the building, it’s the trip to and from the Capitol that may cause issues in most instances. That’s where they face being mugged while pumping gas, or being caught inside a convenience store during a robbery. It’s walking down the street a block or two away when they face the possibility of a gunman demanding their wallet.

By allowing those with concealed carry permits to carry, these potentialities can be avoided.

Honestly, there’s absolutely no reason to forbid the carrying of a firearm inside the Capitol. If someone wants to harm another who is inside the building, they’ll find a way, even if it’s just as simple as waiting for them to exit the building. This isn’t protecting a soul.

Oh, it sounds good, and any anti-gun lawmakers in the state will probably feel nice and secure hiding behind a barrier of security that the people they want to disarm won’t enjoy, but you can’t stay behind that security forever.

And that’s giving that same security the benefit of the doubt by assuming they actually will stop any attackers from bringing weapons into the building.

That might be too generous on my part. Nothing against the guys doing the work, but no security is completely secure.

Open it up, allow armed citizens to enter, and there won’t be a problem going forward.

Besides, the truth is, the onus should be on the government to provide a compelling reason for Second Amendment rights to be curtailed, and there isn’t one.
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Tom Knighton is a Navy veteran, a former newspaperman, a novelist, and a blogger at Bearing Arms. He lives with his family in Southwest Georgia and also contributes to PJ Media.

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