Comment on Camden: Why Habib skipped address

Among the differences between the state House and Senate chambers — beyond the most obvious that there are twice as many representatives and thus twice as many desks on the House floor — is the rule about guns in the gallery. Ordinarily, it doesn’t make much difference; last week, it did. Much of the Capitol, like most of the state, is “open carry” so it’s not unusual to see people walking around the grounds, gathering on the north steps of the Legislative Building or meandering into the domed structure with a rifle in arm or a handgun at the waist. There are some who consider this a bit unusual because protesters with picket signs must remove the sign from the stick and leave the latter outside before entering the building.