From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:
Sheriff Gahler, Senator Wayne Norman and Delegate Kathy Szeliga announce bill aimed to protect church parishioners during worship.
Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler will announce Tuesday his legislative partnership with Senator Wayne Norman and Delegate Kathy Szeliga through the introduction of the Parishioner Protection Act of 2018. The legislation will permit the wearing and carrying of a concealed handgun on church owned property by any “law abiding” member of the congregation providing they have written permission from the governing body of the church and are legally able to possess a firearm in the State of Maryland.
Sheriff Gahler stated “Giving churches the ability to permit congregation members to wear and carry a firearm will save lives and allow citizens to protect themselves in our houses of worship.”
Now they can shot the Devil and say the Devil made me do it
Get Real
WOW the 3 stooges hard at work
Wait does it say Obama, Hillary and Bernie up there somewhere?
Nope, they are not politicians
christain.
I thought it would be legal already if the church permitted me to carry? I guess not so thank you for making sure we are allowed to protect our families and friends from attack.
So refreshing to see all other problems solved and we are just down to this matter of business.
Gahler needs to focus on running his agency. He loves to have his name in the spotlight. What a great idea putting untrained armed civilians in churches. Great job Jeffy boy
Where do I sign up for the Gahler Fan Club? He understands that criminals like an easy target and prefers we don’t give them one with our families and children. You think that everyone sitting there waiting to be shot is better than having law abiding citizens armed? That is the logic of a fool and I am sure a democrat. Thank you sheriff!
You hate Gahler because he stands up and takes positions on those things he promised to stand up and take a position on if elected. Guess what, that is why he gets the attention he does! For being a man of his word unlike others that have sat in his chair before. Sheriff Gahler – please run for Governor!!!
Go shelter in place and let me know how that works out for you ….asshat.
The Republicn answer to everything: more guns, lower taxes, more guns, fewer regulations, more guns. Bring back Charleton Heston, John Wayne, and Elmer Gantry.
And don’t forget for Roy Moore.
Sign me up!
#MAGA
Me too
Good for Gahler for being the one person who will stand up and allow people to have the ability to defend themselves. I got an idea, lets pass more bs gus crap and free more criminals and be shocked when someone shoots up a defenseless congregation! I say Gahler for President!
I don’t feel comfortable with easy gun access unless the parish can decide on a case by case basis.
This should end well after that moron in Texas shot his wife in church while showing off his gun.
It was Tennessee and the guy was 81 years old, but yes, 100% in the wrong and should be held accountable. One example of someone being reckless should not offset the need for everyone else to be allowed to protect themselves from felons and terrorists.
How many church attacks have occurred in Maryland?
None but it’s an election year and the legendary Jeff Gahler, his chunky boy Wayne, along with that fool Kathy, want to play to their constituents. Three losers
Oh, I bet no one told the Sheriff it couldn’t happen here. I am sure once he learns that it can’t happen here, he will retract his letter. Thanks for being right on top of things like they are in Baltimore City. It is good to know that things are well in hand under the control by the democrats.
That would never happen in Harford . Gun nuts in Harford are more saftey-minded ! Gahlers extreme right wing-nut solutions to everything are just silly goon squad political tactics. Every time there is a mass shooting he hollers “more guns, not less”. Remember —Guns dont kill people…its the bullets!
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/first-united-methodist-church-couple-accidentally-shot-tellico-plains/
Harford county citizens have a far greater chance of winding up in a wheelchair with a dribble cup due to Gahlers non enforcement of current distracted driving laws than being shot in church. Leave it to jeffie to give the ammo sexual limp dicks of HAHA county to dream about blowing away goofball Dylann Roof
I couldn’t have said it any better- Dilly Dilly!
Hold the phone libtards. I am not a big fan of Sheriff Gahler one way or the other but……………………..ask the folks at the recovery church on Churchville Rd in Fountain Green, all 40 plus of them, who were robbed at gun point during their meeting how they feel about the idea. Liberals sitting on their couches watching liberal tv in the safety of their own homes oplnlon are not really that important to me. Ask those 40 people who were in church that day how they feel. So………libtards it does happen in Harford County.
Trumpanzee opinions are as useless so don’t waste your time posting your BS.
Omg so let’s arm the parish so when the heroin addict comes in to rob them they can spray bullets about the church, like untrained minions. Good work Sheriff
OK TOOLBAG. I guess you want all of the parishioners to just sit there and be slaughtered. News flash: People who are issued concealed carry permits have to qualify and be proficient. Sadly Libtards have no clue about the perils of the real world. Keep watching MSNBC.
Better get a clue. The Republicons don’t own the 2nd amendment. You all sure talk the talk. Perhaps too much fox news?
Mr. Facts, Can you cite any facts to support your statement? How much is enforcement up or down compared to last year or the last sheriff? I bet it is up in both. Please cite the reference for your claims or we will all know your true colors.
2 can play that game numbnuts cite all the facts you have to prove me wrong. Next time you think about posting something…. your lack of thought in your post shows.
There is a serious 2 car accident on 23 right now, one patient is in cardiac arrest, it is on a straight stretch of highway, I’ll bet it wasn’t because someone was trying to shoot up a church.
What many people fail to realize is just because concealed carry could be permitted, it does not mean it will be permitted. One deterrent is the fact that criminals may here about the new law and realize that someone “could” be carrying in the church and that would deter their unlawful actions.
State which allow all law abiding citizens the right to concealed carry have lower incidences of crime/assaults. Criminals do not know who is and who is not carrying, so they do not take as many chances. The same cannot be said for Maryland where over 99% of people are unarmed in public, and thus easy pray for criminals.
There is a better chance of a nut bag fellow parishioner going off than there is of an outsider attacking a church. This law will harm more than it helps.
Where is your proof? Not asking for your thoughts or feelings, but actual proof? Otherwise your assertion is worthless.
There is a serious 2 car accident on 23 right now, one patient is in cardiac arrest, it is on a straight stretch of highway, I’ll bet it wasn’t because someone was trying to shoot up a church.
opps wrong place
There was another one last night up in Darlington. One dead
Truth does not jibe with Just the Facts!
http://lawcenter.giffords.org/dangers-of-permissive-carrying-concealed-weapons-ccw-laws-statistics/
That is absolutely untrue and you have no facts to support your claim.
John Doe said it correct.
Churches can really be a safe zone for a criminal. Open doors, visitors welcome, everyone staring at the front while people walk in the back of the auditoreum. A bad guy could have full control of the unarmed group before they even knew they were in trouble. Churches with CCW are usually well armed. There have been times when a church has been attacked and the armed citizen responded by stopping the bad guy, not randomly putting bullets in the air. When I lived in an actual free state, I carried in church frequently. What a surprise, I never shot anyone. This is a great idea and I support it wholeheartedly.
I have to ask. What free state are you talking about? Open carry states require that your weapon be visible by using a holster. You can NOT carry concealed in an open carry state without a permit. So please, what free state are you talking about? What state allows you to carry a concealed weapon in public without a permit? We are not talking about wearing a side arm in plain view. We are talking about concealed carry and that means your weapon is NOT visible while carrying…….
West Virginia allows permitless concealed carry for anyone 21 and over, just passed in 2016.
There are a few other states that are similar.
Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are the only states that allow concealed carry without a permit. As you just stated, West Virginia’s law is new and I was talking to someone about the “free state” they were referring to that they used to live in. Furthermore, only eight states of the fifty allow this and I doubt the reciprocation if they cross state lines while carrying. Since the person I was typing to said that the “free state” he used to live in allowed him to carry in a church, I doubt he was referring to West Virginia as it has been less than a year since the law was enacted. Once again, what “free state” are you referring to?
And before the conversation degenerates, remember most of the states that I listed have rules about the carrying concealed weapons in public within a populated area. Even in a “free state”, there are normally rules of concealed carry within city or town limits that deter the concealed carry rules you refer to within those limits. In Arizona, you can carry concealed until you reach town or city limits. Then you must have your weapon holstered and on your side so the law knows what you have. I know this for a fact because I had a bounty hunter get hemmed up in Arizona once and it took over a week to get him released from jail. However, this law may have changed in the last 12 years since the incident occurred. You will find that a lot of theses “free states” are not as “free” as you think. Also, some of those states only allow their own residents to carry concealed. If you are from another state, that right doesn’t apply to you. Be very careful when carrying a concealed weapon in ANY state as you may find yourself not being “free” in that “free state”.
Soul Crusher,
Do me a favor and let me know where I discussed open carry. I was discussing concealed carry in church. I’m most familiar with Michigan. The state Supreme Court ruled that there could be no local rules that superseded state law. Carry was allowed in church with permission of church leadership. I know many people who carry in church. State Police even offer security advice in where to locate armed members. You may want to review some laws before pontificating. About 40 states are what’s known as shall issue. CCW laws are constitutionally sound and allow citizen carry. That’s what a free state does. Since personal freedoms are so restricted here I don’t expect you to understand that idea. Lifelong Marylanders have been conditioned to accept such infringements. (I seem to recall that you mentioned a felony conviction a few hundred times on The Dagger, so you’d be ineligible anyway)
I fully support this proposal.
You didn’t mentioned open carry, I did. You said you used to live in a “free state”, I merely asked which one you lived in, so I could research the laws of that “free state”. I now assume you mean Michigan. So in your opinion, a “free state” is a state that allows you to carry a concealed weapon anywhere you like. In my opinion, a “free state” is a state that follows the Bill of Rights and whatever rights are also guaranteed by the state’s constitution, to guarantee liberty to all the people. Michigan my friend, is littered with civil rights violations and I would hardly consider it a “free” state. However, you did no better by coming to Maryland because Maryland is by no means a “free state” either. The issue of carrying concealed in a church in Maryland is moot. I’m not so sure it’s a bad idea, but I know this state well and if you think this legislation will pass in Maryland, you literally have no idea what your talking about. Now, I know you’re a liar because you are the same “idioso” that uses the term “pontificate” or “pontificating”. No one uses that term except the Dagger Trolls of this website. We’ve tangled before so I’m going to let this go. In closing, CCW laws might be constitutional, but probably are NOT. Carrying in a Church is probably NOT the greatest idea I’ve heard, but if it makes cowards feel safer in the house of God, then so be it. Guns don’t make you a man and if carrying a gun makes you feel like a man, then you are a woman. I have never been lawfully convicted of a felony, however I have been persecuted by the terrorists of Maryland twice, resulting in a false felony record. This is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God…..
What could possibly go wrong? Sigh.
The Democrats answer to everything: crap all over the Second Amendment, more “fees”, gun confiscation from legal law abiding citizens, more regulations, more taxes, sit by idly while the NFL craps all over our Flag and our Country, sanctuary cities for terrorists, mixed gender rest rooms. Bring back Weinstein, Weiner, Lauer, Franken, etc., etc.
Dude….turn off Fox news it’s making you look crazy
Too late he’s wack jobbed.
@Just the Fact,
You made an outright claim. I offered speculation as in I would “bet” and not that I know. Back up your statement if you can.Down to name calling. As I said, colors are showing!
So you admit you have no idea what you are typing.
Typical
I do not believe in god and don’t go to church but it sure does sound like dangerous place if you need a gun.
I wonder what kind of gun Jesus would use to shoot people.
Ok. Now, I don’t think guns are an appropriate item to carry in church. However, in light of some of the crazy actions we have seen lately, I guess it should be allowed. Remember, gun rights were originally granted to protestants by the King of England, for their security, in the first place. The real shame of everything is that someone actually needs to carry a gun to feel safe in the house of God. That in itself is a crime. NO ONE should feel unsafe in a church. Historically, churches have always been considered areas of refuge for any and all who have crossed into God’s threshold. People should feel safe in the church’s hallowed grounds for sanctuary. Now, even hallowed ground is considered fair game in the eyes of total nut farmers who seek to end our way of life. If carrying a gun in a church makes the members of the congregation feel safer, then so be it. However, always remember the words of Ben Franklin, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety”. What a dangerous game we have ALL been playing with our liberties……Such a shame.
I would only add legislation obsolving anyone who shoots an armed criminal at a church cannot be sued in civil court and have the right to their name can not be made public should they have to eliminate an armed criminal with deadly force.
I propose legislation that will permit the wearing and carrying of a concealed handgun IN HARFORD COUNTY MARYLAND by any “law abiding RESIDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY providing they have written permission from the SHERIFF OF HARFORD COUNTY and are legally able to possess a firearm in the State of Maryland.
Jeff Gahler is the most arrogant politician cop you will ever meet. Cocky as hell and that Lyme disease went to his head. He would screw his own family over to better himself
I saw his face was droopy, but I wasn’t sure what happened to him. This all makes sense now. Sorry this happened to him but I have to agree he has gotten a lot more arrogant since he was first elected. You are better than this Sheriff
Interesting notion from our Elected Officials, however; all they are doing is writing a Bill that brings current laws back into the forefront of society. Weapons are not banned in said areas when they are a licensed Law Enforcement Officer. Average citizens permitted to carry a weapon under current laws choose to not carry them into places of worship is out of respect to their Religion. The actions of these Elected Individuals is atypical of a situation that happened when it shocks mass society from an area when under normal conditions one does not expect to see carnage. There is nothing anyone can do to predict when a person will go off the deep end after they have legally obtained their weapons. We are of a Country where the majority of the society does not believe the laws pertain to them and believe they are above the law, while the minority follow and respect the law.
Actually Carrie, average citizens that are granted a concealed carry permit are only allowed to carry their weapon for the use it was granted. If you obtained a gun permit for business use, you are only allowed to carry your weapon for the purposes of the business you were granted. You can not carry your weapon anywhere you wish. I don’t recall protecting yourself in a place of worship being a valid reason as listed by the Maryland State Police to carry a firearm. I suspect the legislation will ONLY apply to citizens that already have obtained a concealed carry permit and I do NOT think that this legislation will apply to all gun owners or it probably won’t make it through our legislature in Annapolis. Maryland has worked very hard to disarm its citizens since the creation of the Brady Bill. Why do you think most misdemeanor crimes are punishable by more than a year in jail here in Maryland? To take away gun rights, plain and simple. Legislation such as this, is totally opposite of what the Maryland government wants within its borders. Remember, government does not really care about you or your safety or what you want. Government cares about its continued existence and complete domination of its citizens. If you believe otherwise, I’m very sorry, but you are mistaken…….
Great – just what we need is more weekend warriors carrying their guns into a church.
But how do you know or not know if people are already carrying their guns into Church?
Unless they are law enforcement, I doubt any members of a congregation are carrying inside their church. They simply are not allowed to carry unless it applies to the reasoning their permit was granted in the first place. An owner of a business who has been granted a CCW permit may only carry for the purposes of that business that are stated on the back of that CCW permit. Ordinary citizens are not allowed to carry in a church unless it states that permission on the back of the CCW permit. I do not think that I have ever seen or heard of CCW being permissible in a church, unless we are talking about a law enforcement officer who does have unrestricted carry permission…..
You really need to read state laws. One state requires extra training, seven require permission from church leaders, 41 states treat churches no different than other places a concealed weapons permit holder may carry. Please quit giving your own opinion as fact. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ammoland.com/2017/11/the-state-of-concealed-and-open-carry-in-churches/amp/
In this part of the thread, we are talking about Maryland. Not Michigan or any of the other “free” states you refer to. At least that was what I intended. If you construed it any other way I’m sorry, but I’m sure the “Harford Citizen” was talking about the “weekend warriors” carrying in Harford County. Harford County is in Maryland. Maryland law would apply and not the law of any other state. Did you think that the “Harford Citizen” was implying anything else?
I have heard of Federal CCW permits that allow carrying anywhere, but we are not talking about that.
“Federal CCW permits” Eh, LEOSA?
If someone is “Federal’ and “carrying” on credentials they obviously work for an Alphabet Agency.
No such thing otherwise.
I’ll just stop here. That’s all I need to read to not continue this conversation.
No, you are wrong about that. Federal CCW permits have and are still issued to members of active and former military, depending on the reasoning. They are also issued to former Federal Police officers. You don’t have to be a member of an “Alphabet Agency” to have a Federal CCW permit….. I have also heard of holders of Federal Firearms Licensees to be issued CCW permits as well. You know, certain gun store owners. You must also be aware that there are instances of FFL’s being able to possess fully automatic firearms. Are you as informed as you claim to be?
I’m not informed of anything.
I’d love to see an example of a Federal Concealed Carry Permit. LOL
There is No such license, except for qualified active duty or retired law enforcement officers. They also consider former MP’s to be retired law enforcement as well. http://www.gunlawsbystate.com/national-carry-permit/
I think this article explains it all better than the first website I listed. http://concealednation.org/2015/12/federal-concealed-carry-permits-do-they-exist-for-citizens/
Dude, you keep saying “I heard.”
Basically Retired or active cops and certain qualified law enforcement military can get a LEOSA license.
We’re talking about the same thing
Yup and everyone I’ve ever heard this from are retired military and cops. I even know one that has a fully automatic weapon with the suppressor. I’ve watched him shoot it in his back yard right in Baltimore County. A LEOSA license is a Federal CCW permit. Doesn’t it suck when someone “twists” the law and the wording of the law to fit their own purposes? Now you know what I’ve gone through for the last 8 years.
Idiots! Bad guys don’t have permits but they do have guns! They carry anywhere they want and shoot whomever they choose. Pay attention to the society around you! Over 1000 people shot in Baltimore so far this year but not a single shooter had a carry permit. Bad guys carry guns and shoot people regardless of laws. Gahler is just trying to give regular folks an option besides dying on their knees if some bad guy tries to take advantage of a church full of helpless parishioners.
Pennsylvania lets law abiding citizens carry concealed weapons – cant recall hearing of any saloon shootouts lately in PA maybe people are a little smarter and more responsible than Liberals give them credit for.
Finally, someone has gotten it. Criminals don’t care about legally possessing a gun. Quite frankly, a smart criminal wouldn’t use a gun obtained by the correct legal process because it is tied to them thru documentation and ballistics. This legislation is nothing but a political ploy to garner the vote of a bunch of mindless citizens that actually think gun ownership legislation matters. Look, gun ownership legislation was introduced NOT to protect the public, but to make it harder for the public to purchase, carry and possess a gun for their own protection. That is it, nothing else. Maryland has been trying to disarm the lawful public for as long as any of us can remember and there is nothing our legislature can do to prevent criminals from obtaining guns because criminals are NOT following the prescribed methods of gun ownership. The state has already stolen your rights to own a gun and now certain elected officials want you to believe that they will give you a portion of your stolen rights back if you vote for them. What have you learned about past campaign promises? You should’ve learned that those promises are meaningless and were used to capture your vote. Do you really think that the Democratic dominated legislature of this state will actually vote in favor of this bill? That same legislature has already voided most of your rights and if you think they will give your rights back to you, I’m afraid you are mistaken.
That’s why I stopped going to church. I feared it was too dangerous!!!