DALLAS (AP) — The State Fair of Texas is laying down a new rule before millions of visitors flock through the gates for corn dogs, deep-fried delights and a friendly wave from a five-story cowboy named Big Tex: No guns allowed.
But that decision by fair organizers — which comes after a shooting last year on the 277-acre fairgrounds in the heart of Dallas — has drawn outrage from Republican lawmakers, who in recent years have proudly expanded gun rights in Texas. On Wednesday, the state’s attorney general threatened a lawsuit unless the fair reversed course.
“Dallas has fifteen days to fix the issue,” said Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, “otherwise I will see them in court.”
Tensions over where and how gun owners can carry firearms in public are frequent in Texas, but the standoff with one of the state’s most beloved institutions has moved the fight onto unusual turf. The fair has not backed down since cowboy hat-wearing organizers announced the new policy at a news conference last week.
The fair, which reopens in September and lasts for nearly a month, dates back to 1886. In addition to a maze of midway games, car shows and the Texas Star Ferris wheel — one of the tallest in the U.S. — the fairgrounds are also home to the annual college football rivalry between the University of Texas and University of Oklahoma. And after Big Tex, the towering cowboy that greets fairgoers, went up in flames in 2012 due to an electrical short, the fair mascot was met with great fanfare upon its return.
It’s almost like they WANT an incident
I was there the night of the incident last year. I was afraid of a stampede BEFORE the shooting, it was that crowded. Yeah, guns need to be banned or Paxton needs to provide a realistic solution.
Bans like this are straight silly. How exactly do we propose to stop anyone from carrying? Maybe some TSA style security theater? We going to scan thousands of people coming into fairgrounds?
Now people like me will obey the law, and some will not. Now I am unarmed, and they are. People planing mayhem, or people who prone to it, will simply ignore this. And in some states, it’s perfectly legal to carry on private property even if the owners ban it, you can only be forced to leave under threat of trespass. In others, you’re going to jail if caught.
Being a gun nut, I’m leaning towards the latter. If a property owner says, “No.” (to anything), I’m inclined to side with them.
metal detectors? pretty easy since it’s a ticketed event
How do you “simply ignore” the security screening? Have you never been to a festival or event?
Well, you’ve obviously not been. There are ALREADY metal detectors and you get scanned going in.
Stop being afraid!
You know, like people wearing masks trying to avoid COVID. Turn that saying inwards, snowflakes.
Is the fairgrounds privately owned or state owned? It affects the law.
It’s not that they want one, it’s that their symbols of “freedom” are worth more than the lives of people.