Pistol Packing Judges?

No this is not a scene from Judge Dread. In fact, it is not a fantasy at all, at least not in the State of Kansas.

Like many Americans, I watched the news of things to come in the new year. In the news, there was talk about some new laws - Laws Of The weird - that were signed into effect for the new year. Some of these laws, like the California law that punishes people for taking too many copies of a free publication, were just plain dumb; however, it was a new law in Kansas which grabbed my attention.

Judges in Kansas are now allowed to carry firearms into the court room. That's right, you heard me, the bench is now packing heat. More over than that, it is now legal to do so in the State of Kansas.

Ok, I will be the very first to admit that I am not the most astute person when it comes to matters of the court room, but I always thought that the purpose of the bailiff was to maintain order in the court. Is this new law saying that the bailiffs are lacking (a pair of pebbles), so now the judge must come packing? I mean let's be realistic, most courts houses are equipped with metal detectors, security cameras, armed security, and other security features. Well, let me say that any court house I have ever been in has those features.

I am not saying that it is wrong to arm judges, but I am concerned that the State of Kansas may set into motion a chain of event that could become detrimental to the effective administration of justice. I am sure that there are pros and cons to this new law. For Instance:

Pro: People will be less encouraged to become aggressive in the court rooms.
Con: What if the judge thinks he is John Wayne, and forgets where he is?

So, can we expect to see signs like "Leave Your Attitude At The Door, Kansas Don't Play That!", or "Screw The Dog, Beware Of The Judge!" on the doors of Kansas court rooms? Will the only respected law firm be the law firm of Smith and Wesson? I guess only time will tell.