Guns 'n Bars

Arizona's new law allowing guns in bars went into effect today.

Since it is obviously a state that holds individual responsibility in high esteem, I humbly propose that Arizona amend its capital punishment law to include cases of fatal shootings in bars. These cases should be fast-tracked through the appeals process in order to reduce the costs of the process, thus likely reducing state budget costs and public tax rates. Proponents of the new gun law would surely have to agree since guns and capital punishment and taxes are perhaps the ultimate symbols, positive and negative, of respect for personal responsibility. Right?

Arizona's capital punishment statute defines capital homicide to include, among other kinds of aggravating circumstances, cases in which, "[i]n the commission of the offense the defendant knowingly created a grave risk of death to another person or persons in addition to the person murdered during the commission of the offense." (ARS 13-751, F-3).

A public barroom is clearly one such place. And simply bringing a gun into a bar satisfies the "knowingly" qualification in the statute.