For most people considering what they will do if things in America truly go to hell in a handbasket, most figure, we’ll just go to Texas, one of the last bastions of seeming common sense and traditional American values such as toughness, self-reliance and common sense. That’s certainly what hundreds of thousands of Californians did during the Covid pandemic when it was clear their state was going to total, taxable crap. Well, now maybe we need to think about that. Seems, Texas may be going the way of the rest of softer America is going, which it feels like it’s going to hell in a handbasket.
Few things have highlighted this more than the recent decision by the State Fair of Texas to prohibit firearms on its fairgrounds, a move that has ignited a fierce backlash from Texas House Republicans and gun rights advocates, who argue that the new policy compromises public safety and infringes upon the rights of law-abiding citizens. The fair’s decision, which comes in the wake of a shooting incident at last year’s event, has been met with widespread criticism and threats of legislative action.
Last week, State Fair officials, in collaboration with law enforcement, announced the updated policy banning all firearms, including those carried by licensed holders, from the fairgrounds. This decision marks a significant shift from previous years when licensed concealed carry was permitted at Fair Park. The new policy, which also includes the installation of weapons detection technology at entrances, aims to enhance security following last year’s shooting, in which three people were injured at the fair’s food court. (Always somebody who has to ruin it for the rest of us.)
However, the ban has been met with swift opposition from 71 Texas House Republicans and Republican House nominees, according to The Texas Tribune. The Republicans signed a petition urging the State Fair to reverse its decision. The petition argues that “gun-free zones are magnets for crime because they present less of a threat to those who seek to do evil,” and criticizes the fair’s new policy as being unrepresentative of Texas values. As many as 98 percent of all mass shootings occur in gun-free zones. The lawmakers warned that if the ban goes into effect, they would consider pursuing legislative measures to protect firearm rights on publicly managed lands.
The National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) has also raised concerns about the legality of the firearm ban, given that the City of Dallas owns Fair Park, where the State Fair is held. According to Texas law, firearms prohibitions on government property are tightly regulated, and wrongful exclusions by state agencies or political subdivisions could result in fines. The NRA-ILA’s statement questioned the fair’s authority to enforce such a ban on government-owned property, despite the State Fair being operated by a private not-for-profit organization.
Texas Gun Rights, a prominent advocacy group, echoed these concerns, with President Chris McNutt stating that “Gun-Free Zones don’t work” and that the fair’s decision is a “feel-good attempt” that does nothing to improve safety. The group has called on the State Fair to reconsider its policy, emphasizing that it undermines the rights of law-abiding gun owners while failing to deter criminal activity.
As the State Fair of Texas prepares to open on September 27 in Dallas, the controversy surrounding its new weapons policy continues to escalate. With both sides entrenched in their positions, the issue is likely to remain a contentious topic leading into the next legislative session, where the potential for new laws addressing firearm rights on public lands could, and should, take center stage.
Ok, lets dispel this ‘but we got lots of cops so that makes everyone safe’ BS. Its a falsehood. There are literally hundreds of examples, collectively, nation wide daily where even police officers within close proximity to a victim and hearing and seeing what was happening could still not react fast enough to prevent the victim from being injured.
‘we got lots of cops’ didn’t help out at Uvalde and all they had to do was open the door (which wasn’t actually locked). The ~ 200 law enforcement at the superbowl didn’t help those victims … and the list of cops being around but victims still happen goes on and on. Look, bad guys are not afraid of the cops any longer and those that want to do something will still do it no matter how many cops are around. At the shooting at the Texas State Fair previously, they had lots and lots of cops there too but not a one of them were able to stop the injured victims from being injured. And that’s the point, the cops are never there in that imminent moment to stop injury or death from happening, its just you and the bad guy in that moment and very few people have the skill or physical ability to actually overcome and stop an attack with just hand to hand combat.
For example : It takes, on average, ~ 2 seconds for an attacker with a knife to fatally stab a victim AFTER the victim is aware of the incoming attack, a police officer arriving 3 seconds later is too late as the injury already happened – that’s a few precious seconds pre-stab a victim could have used to defend their self from the incoming attack if they had a firearm. ‘but we got lots of cops so that makes everyone safe’ BS – It is an excuse, a falsehood. A victim is not safe if they were already injured or the crime committed before the cops arrived and the cops didn’t save them, the only one that can save you in that imminent moment is you and if you are disarmed by some policy or bureaucratic BS no matter how many cops you have at the fair you can’t save yourself or family from serious injury or death.
These days, I don’t care what the event is, it could be the Second Coming, but I’m NOT going to go where there are crowds. Especially if I’m told I can’t be armed. I go to grocery stores in the early morning and avoid doing any business in the closest city after noon, which necessitates getting up at dawn. From late afternoon to early morning, the closest city to me is a Bedlam of shootings, knifings, fights, drunk driving, road races, and all other sorts of mayhem, a large share of it instigated by, I’m gonna say it, NON-WHITES.
A State Fair? You want me to show up? Unarmed?? Not on your life. Or, especially, mine.
Iowa State Fair is same as Tx.
So you have to pay a fare to a fair that isn’t being fair.
Fair point
I like the idea of gun detection tech at the gates. If you’re over 18 years old, and aren’t carrying a gun, you shouldn’t be allowed in. Errr, actually, change that to 13 years old. Everyone carries, or no entrance for you!
We simply need a federal law that requires owners/directors/authorities having jurisdiction to carry liability insurance that will be immediately (within one week of filing) a damage payment of say $10,000 to each conceal carry citizen who was on the property during a violent felony. Imagine after say a shooting or robbery in a mall the ownership is approached by citizens identifying themselves as lawful conceal carry weapon citizens (constitutional carry might be a bit sticky) and they will provide information and the insurance will cover the 10K for each claim. Which will not interfere with any future damage payments. Oh and they don’t have to be endangered just on the property .
Imagine now a mall liability having to consider say 50 or 100 or more payments….ya think that might cause the insurance to rethink gun restrictions…Imagine further if we extend it to a city…say Neuevo Ork. suddenly the city starts paying millions a week for citizens who could not protect themselves.
The Texas gun myth is really just a pack of lies any way. I can name more than half a dozen states just off the top of my head that are more friendly to gun owners than Texas: Alaska, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Arizona, New Hampshire, …