My longtime friend and confidant Harley Purvis, he of the booth in the back in the corner in the dark at John Wayne Culpepper’s Lip-Smackin’ Bar-B-Que House of Prayer and Used Light Bulb Emporium in Watson, had a term for the Louisiana House of Representatives passage of HB 602 yesterday:
Bats**t crazy.
And truly, that’s the only appropriate description of this house of morons who can’t seem to pass a budget but can agree that anyone with a concealed permit may enter any public school in Louisiana locked and loaded.
To give proper credit, there were 37 MEMBERS who voted nay on the bill authored by Rep. Blake Miguez (R-Erath) and Sen. Neil Riser (R-Columbia) and another nine didn’t vote.
So, what’s so terrible about HB 602 that it’s got my shorts twisted in a knot?
Well, quite simply, these two idiots think it’s perfectly okay for anyone armed with a concealed weapon to enter a school building in Louisiana—so long as they have a concealed carry permit.
And if you two idiots think you can come after me for libel for correctly calling you idiots, then bring it on, ass clowns. As for me, I’ll shout it from the highest building in Baton Rouge that you never quite completed your potty training before being elected to the Louisiana Legislature.
What person in his right mind, after the horrors of Sandy Hook and Parkland and Columbine, to name only three of the number of school shootings for which we long ago lost accurate count, would ever suggest that it’s okay for anyone, permitted or not, to enter a school building armed?
Somehow, I suspect that this has the fingerprints of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), and certainly the NRA, all over it.
Do take a careful look at the vote to see how your representative voted. Out where I live, Rogers Pope did not vote but I have every confidence that had he been present, he would have voted against the bill. He’s a former teacher and the retired Superintendent of Livingston Parish Schools.
Valerie Hodges, from further north in Livingston Parish, voted for the bill but that’s no surprise. She’s the one who voted to give state financial aid to religious-affiliated schools a few years ago and then blew a gasket when an Islamic (yes, Valerie, Islam is still a religion) applied for funding.
From Lincoln Parish, where I grew up, I’m proud to say that Rob Shadoin had the good sense to vote no.
As for Neil Riser, I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, His sponsorship of such an asinine bill is a blatant conflict of interest: He owns two funeral homes.
If I’m reading this bill correctly (and it’s pretty straightforward), it does not permit teachers, administrators, school employees, or students to arm themselves on campus. Well, thank God for small favors.
The bill also says, “Nothing…shall limit the authority of a school board or school to prohibit a person from carrying a firearm, or to regulate the carrying of a firearm, in certain venues or facilities within the school district or an individual school unless the person is otherwise authorized to do so by law.”
So, I suppose the bill still gives the locals some say-so as to the prohibition of weapons on school campuses and in school buildings.
That being the case, what is the purpose of the bill in the first place? Apparently, to open the door (so to speak) to concealed carriers should local school districts or schools fail to expressly prohibit weapons in schools or on campuses.
Present law provides that a concealed handgun permit “does not authorize nor entitle the permit holder to carry a concealed handgun in certain places, including into a school, school campus, or a school bus,” the bill says.
The bill proposes to remedy that by repealing the exception “relative to schools, school campuses, or school buses, but provides that if the concealed handgun (permit holder) is a teacher, administrator, or employee of any school acting within the course and scope of his employment or is a student of any school,” the provisions of the proposed law “shall not be construed to authorize the teacher, administrator, employee, or student of the school to carry a concealed handgun into any school, school campus, or school bus unless specifically authorized to do so by law.”
This, folks, is insanity, pure and simple.
If you have children, grandchildren or if you have a loved one who is a teacher or staff member at a school in Louisiana, I implore you to first, ask yourself what possible reason could someone have to enter a school building with a loaded gun? After you’ve pondered the logic behind that warped thinking, call your senator and demand that this irrational, this madness, be stopped in its tracks.
Call me a bleeding heart, I don’t mind. I’ll take that any day over reading or writing about bleeding children and teachers.
Louisiana Voice 
No one expects loony liberals to get it. To you, guns are icky. Concealed-weapons- permit holders are the cream of the crop when it comes to individuals. They are professionals, business owners, and even grandmas. Trust me when I say you want me being able to defend you against those that wouldn’t get a permit and probably obtained their gun without a background check. Criminals are not the ones that abide by the rules. That’s something that liberals have yet to figure out.
Well, some of the ones I’ve seen who have concealed permits are most definitely NOT the ones I want defending me. Once in the grips of panic, the last thing we need is for two morons spraying bullets around. Frankly, I don’t know you, but I would hazard a guess that you are not a “professional.” You’re just a John Wayne wannabe.
And by the way, I am a staunch conservative Republican, so I fail to see what “loony liberals” have to do with this issue. Any time someone says something that makes sense with which you happen not to agree, you always haul out the “liberal” tag to attach to them—as if that validates your argument.
Grow up.
Thank you, Oliver Winchester.
You hit on all points. Well said. Some people are out of touch with reality. I believe in the 2nd amendment but let’s face it, when it was written it allowed you to carry the latest and greatest single shot ball and powder at the time. Kind of hard to mass shoot with those. Back then you may have been allowed to carry a sidearm in a school but don’t recall in history of lunatics going in and shooting up teachers and students. Unfortunately these times dictate that we have to protect our kids at all cost while in school. Let’s use some common sense on these issues for Gods sake.
Well said!
Well stated Oliver Winchester.
How old are you, Ben? Icky?
This loony liberal does not find guns icky – the handguns I own are tools to be used to defend myself and loved ones against people and other creatures (poisonous snakes, etc.) who mean me harm. This political liberal comes from a long line of law enforcement officials, educators, and elected judges and representatives – and those are the people who taught me proper strategic and tactical use of weapons. When I took the one-day course required for a concealed carry permit, it was appalling to see the women and men in the class who had never held a gun before and had no understanding of the mental preparedness one needs to safely use a deadly weapon in defense, and who would soon be allowed to carry a concealed gun. Just because one has a permit, does not mean that person actually knows how to use a gun. Such a person can be very dangerous, shoot unintended people, or have the weapon taken from them.
You should be aware that sweeping generalities indicate a level of ignorance. Lots of conservatives do not own guns and many liberals do. It’s just that many liberals revere human life over unfettered reverence for the second amendment.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/30318/bombshell-parkland-shooter-was-assigned-obama-era-ryan-saavedra?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=062316-news&utm_campaign=benshapiro
So, it’s back to dredging up the Obama name again. Don’t you ever get tired of the same old worn out strategy?
Try this: The Ft. Hood shooter was active military who had been declared a security risk but the Bush administration took no action until 13 people were dead.
Unlike you with your indictment of Obama, however, I don’t place the blame for the shooting at Bush’s feet. That’s a childish argument. With more than 300 million people in this country, there will be those who get through. We just have to do more to make it more difficult for them to get assault weapons.
Hopefully, the Senate will stop this insane bill. No conceal/carry is allowed by law in the Louisiana State House or at the National NRA convention while Pence is speaking, but in schools, the more guns the merrier. The hypocrisy & stupidity of those in the back pocket of the NRA is astounding.
Let’s let the Legislators have their concealed carry in schools AFTER they permit same in the legislative chambers. Not one second before. If it’s good for the goose—!
Mr. ben is Icky, Mr. Oliver and Mr. Educator are so correct. thanks tom, great sensible article. This gun idiocy will never go away, but there is hope, Russia will contract with somebody other than Eric Prnce and the NRA will hire Bobby Jindal to further promote America First. ron thompson
Why don’t we cease the emotional name-calling and offer up rational arguments? I’m also a conservative and a Republican and I happen to agree that we don’t need guns in our schools. Texas football coach Darrell Royal once said three things can happen when you pass and two of them are bad. A lot can go wrong when overly-excited people not accustomed to being thrown into escalating hazardous situations start shooting at each other. Sorry, but I can’t think of any scenario that might be good. One bad guy, one good guy and 30 kids running into the line of fire while trying to get out of the way. Not good odds by any stretch. Too many things can go wrong.
In the first place schools should not be gun free zones. Most mass shootings have occurred in gun free zones. I am for arming willing teachers and for allowing licensed concealed carriers to go onto school grounds. They have been vetted and trained. It is an insult to these fine people to trash talk what they “might do” in a chaotic situation. I’d rather for my grandchildren to know that somebody was on their side beside one resource officer way on the other side of the campus and not having to cower in a classroom corner waiting in horror as they hear the shots coming closer. I applaud the legislators who voted for this and am waiting for the Governor and the Sheriffs Association to strongly back this bill.
“Schools should not be in gun free zones.” By far, the most convoluted, senseless argument I have ever heard. Seriously, do you really think the shootings would not have occurred if the schools had not been gun free zones? Your saying most mass shootings occurred in gun free zones is like saying most drownings occur in no swimming zones or most fatal automobile accidents occur in cars. Totally nonsensical, sophomoric, unrelated, irrelevant gibberish.
An insult to trash talk what concealed carries might do in a chaotic situation? No more ridiculous than Ben thinking he can take down a shooter in that same chaotic situation when in reality, he’d probably be soiling his pants.
I’ve met some of these “vetted and trained” concealed carries and trust me, I wouldn’t want them anywhere near me in a shootout. The ones I know are truly more of a danger to themselves and to bystanders than they would be to a shooter.
You took debate in high school, didn’t you? I’m guessing you were a master debater.
My Rep. is Gene Reynolds, he is a former public school principle, and I might add rational and sane. He voted No! He posted it on Face Book and asked for input which we gave. I noticed with interest that it’s okay for anyone with a CC to be on school property, but not okay for school personal, to be armed, and also it’s not okay to roam at will with a CC on capitol property… it was sanctioned by the NRA, but it’s not okay at the Pence/NRA love-fest….their hypocrisy is blinding…..I have been done with them for decades…
Well Tom, it’s not surprising that Rob Shadoin voted the way he did. He is gonna vote the way it makes the governor happy, after all the governor stepped in to make sure the two big banks, Citigroup and Bank of America, were not mistreated in Louisiana after the stance they took on the second amendment a couple of weeks ago. Shadoin may have an “R” by his name but he is a loyalist to JBE who I’m sure will use his “veto” pen on this bill should it reach his desk. Should Shadoin have opposition next year, he can fully expect to have this issue to explain to his voters. Of course word is that he’s eyeing one of the two seats open for Judge in that district and he can explain sooner! Already signs out with his name “ANYBODY BUT “!!!
Hmm. I remember hearing he was pretty much a yes man for Jindal when he was governor. But deep down, don’t you know they’re all just trying to serve the people with no consideration to campaign donors? Democrat or Republican, they wouldn’t let special interests influence their votes….would they?
Tom, you would be correct on the fact he was a yes man for Jindal. That’s his problem, he’s too spineless to say no! BUT! As much as he works to be a water boy for Jindal and JBE he can’t seem to bring anything to his district! Of course he takes credit for the support the state gives La. Tech and Grambling but the leadership at those institutions are strong enough to get what they need and know how to do it without Shadoin. The governors office of course makes calls on his behalf to the local newspapers in his district to tell what he’s got done for both schools but you and I both know how that works. You only have to look no further than the itemized budget for the last few years to see how little comes to his district. I don’t disagree with your comments at all!
In the case of Rob Shadoin the “R” beside his name represents “REASONABLE.” Shadoin is a highly respected bi-partisan legislator respected by his peer on both sides of the aisle.
Regardless of your stance in this legal morase, take 10 minutes and watch this video. It is interesting and informative. Even an instructor’s oops is in the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QjZY3WiO9s
My opinion is that a student or school staff member with violent intent could likely quickly disarm a person he/she knows to have a gun in school and use it to create a disaster…
Just need a few black men to arrive on campus packing, and they’ll outlaw guns in a New York second
We might not be able to fix any real problems, but dag nab it, we can always scream Wheeeeee doggie! a little louder than ever before.
It’s not about guns at all. It’s about money. The politicians behind this have people behind them with money who promised to help them get reelected. Schools, colleges, universities, students, teachers, and professors cannot compete in lobbying with the gun industry. That is why we have this gun legislation and not tax reform that will re-fund the schools, colleges, and universities. Teachers, parents, and students have risen up in WV, KY, and AZ to protest the same sort of kleptocracy. Their state governments have given in to the demands for reform, at least in part. Maybe Louisianian’s need to do the same to take their society back from the corporate welfare bums, merchants of death, and other wealthy special interest groups.
I immediately checked with my Representative who voted yes on this bill. I asked him to explain his vote. I asked if his vote was influenced by NRA, ALEC or the Small Business group, specifically. He answered very quickly…however, his answer was a rambling discourse on why he is a licensed concealed carry person because of security at the capitol, etc. He repeated this several times. Then he launched on the part where any school district can opt out of this bill. He stressed this over and over. He never really answered my question and by not answering my question, he actually answered my question. His reasons for voting for this bill, according to his own response, has nothing at all to do with school safety. As far as I can tell, from his response, it has mostly to do with pleasing the NRA, ALEC and that Small Business group. He will not be getting my vote.