We can all feel relieved that Rep. Mickey Gates will no longer be afraid in Arkansas’ Capitol (see blog entry for 7 III 2017). The newspaper reports that Arkansas’ governor has signed a bill that will allow concealed handguns in the Capitol, in public buildings, in state colleges, and certain select saloons. Finally!

The same paper reported another manifestation of Arkansas’ refinement. Next month Arkansas will be executing eight men within a 10-day period. Why the rush? One of the three ingredient chemicals used in executions is about to expire. Some fear that due to the rapid succession of the executions the prison staff is likely to botch a few of them, due to stress or inexperience, and leave the victim on a gurney for a lingering death. No need for all this. They should have Rep. Mickey and his friends in the legislature shoot the prisoners. Surely a bullet in the brain is a quicker and less humiliating death than unreliable chemical injections, with all the ghoulish rites that attend them, and if he has a pistol with an 8-round magazine, just one legislator could do this job, and in a lot less time than two weeks.