FRANKLIN – Community leaders attending the St Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast Wednesday, took an opportunity to sound off on constitutional gun carry and the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.

Their comments came in the wake of Gov. Jeff Landry signing the bills into law, one that will become legal on July 4, (constitutional carry, that will allow the carrying of a concealed gun by a non-felon without a permit), and the other, which has a final target date of Jan 1, 2025, (states that a copy of the Ten Commandments must hang in every public school classroom statewide).

State Rep. Beryl Amedee , R-Gray, who pitched a synopsis of what the legislature as a whole accomplished, jumped to answer their concerns.

Amedee represents District 51 which includes parts of Morgan City, and all of Siracusaville and Amelia, which comprise the tip of the east end of St. Mary Parish.

Iris Sharpe, a member of the St Mary Chamber staff, posed the first set of concerns.

“Can you tell me why, in this shoot-em-up world that we live in, would you all pass a law that allows an 18 year old to have a gun?”

“We’re supposed to be taking guns off the table. Why would you all allow 18- year-olds to carry a gun, especially without training?” Sharpe said.

Amedee said the constitutional carry law was passed, so that state law would mirror what federal law states, according to the constitution.

Amedee said, “right now, criminals don’t follow any law we write.”

“And so, we can say an 18 year old is not mature enough to handle a gun, but frankly, there are 65 year olds who right now, handle weapons illegally. It is not a maturity thing, it is a mental health thing.”

Sharpe then directed her comments to the Ten Commandments.

“I’m hoping you all are going to have a class to explain to students about what the Ten Commandments mean. Are you going to explain to a third grader what adultery is?” she asked.

Amedee answered, “The reason that the language is in the bill the way it reads, is because that same language is used in other places where the Ten Commandments are displayed, such as the hallways in the U.S. Supreme Court Building.”

“The bill also allows for the display of certain other historical documents.”

Franklin Mayor Pro Temp Lester Levine then chimed in.

“If you put something in my kids classroom, you need to teach them what it is about. “

Amedee said, “One of the goals with our session was to take out mandates that teachers must follow. The Ten Commandments are part of the foundation of our nation’s laws, so they will be taught through existing curriculum standards through the teacher’s social studies’ curriculum standards in grades K-12.”

She further explained that lawmakers did not want to add anything extra for the teacher, by giving them a how and when instructional guide on the Ten Commandments.

However, Franklin Councilman Joe Garrison disagreed.

“Our nation’s laws are one thing, but Biblical Principles are another. In short, the Ten Commandments have nothing to do with American History,” he said.

“Not every home teaches Biblical Principles, and that’s unfortunate, but to say the Ten Commandments line up with the Bill of Rights, well that’s not a comparison.”

State Rep. Vinny St Blanc, R-Franklin, said he and Amedee both serve on the legislative education committee in the State House.

“We debated this for two and a half hours, but it passed the committee, then it passed the house and the senate. It was debated heavily, but I want you to know that it was not taken lightly,” St Blanc said.

Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna said the Ten Commandments have been around since the beginning of time.

“This is what we learned when we were younger. But it is not everyone’s fault that everyone’s kids are being taught at home. Still, I want to commend you for voting for this and fighting for the majority. I commend ya’ll for doing it.”

Beverly Domengeaux, director of the St Mary Council on Aging, said she supports the Ten Commandments in School.

“I’ve lived by them for 89 years. And this is what today’s youth needs.”