Purplehood wrote:It is akin to making us drink from a separate drinking-fountain. The folks running the fair don't want to make us feel welcome, but they don't want to get hit with a legal suit. So they contrive conditions for our safety and others. Deja vu.
CHL's are not a protected class. While this type of discrimination is disgusting, in the eyes of the law, it isn't discrimination
It is certainly inequality in the worse sense of the word. But they may very well have found a grey area.
Isn't the protection of our rights the main reason that we join these organizations?
Those are the two groups that should be pursuing to speak to the Fair with a collective voice. While I applaud gemini for his efforts that go much further beyond what would be expected, he is a single person. The groups that represent us should be on top of this.
While it is possible that they are and we haven't heard - it would nice to hear something from them.
If the second amendment were interpreted correctly and adhered to as our founders intended we wouldn't need no stinkin' CHL card to carry a gun, inside the State Fair or out. I posted an article a while back on my blog letting folks know that they can carry with CHL at the State Fair (You oughta see the hissy-fit one reader threw in the comments section about how paranoid I must be to want to tote a gun at the fair). Now I need to go amend it with the information I've found here...that while they can still carry there, they are subject to delay, extra scrutiny, and forfeiture of personal information regarding their identity and property upon entry.
I'll say it again...I HATE the fact that I have to pay money to get a little card from the State of Texas to avoid being thrown into jail for exercising a constitutional right. That's all CHL was, a fee you pay the state to keep them from tossing you in the slammer if you're caught toting a gun. Now it's also a method for "private entities" to collect your personal information before you can partake in a traditional "public" activity.
"Soft" tyranny, my monkey's uncle! It's hard tyranny. We are already at the mercy of a tyrannical government which can do to us as it pleases...the only reason we don't realize it is because not enough evil people have reached the top offices yet to take advantage of it.
But they are climbing those ladders, you better believe it. I love my country; it's the government I'm afraid of.
I just sent an email off to the State Fair, State Rep Laubenberg, State Ag Comm Staples, TSRA, and NRA.
I wonder did oprah's security detail have to give up their information, in case they lose thier pistols.
I know the Ag Comm, might at first glance sound a little different, however consider that the fair is majoir agriculture event with interests of the Southwest Diary Farmers and Texas Beef Council.
I don't hold a lot of hope that the TSRA and the NRA will do much. It seems that these days they are more about collecting money then anything else. I really don't like saying that as they have done great things in the past, and maybe they will return to their roots.
We will see if anything comes out of the efforts of so many.
Has anyone spoken with anyone with TSRA directly? I would be interested in hearing what the president of TSRA has to say about these unlawful activities. Where is the ILA from the NRA? Has anyone spoken with anyone at NRA in any capacity, just to get the ball rolling.
joe817 wrote:Excellent article tfrazier! A well written article. Thank you for doing this!
Thank you, sir. It's what I do when something REALLY riles me up...after all, we're only "preaching to the choir" here; when I publish there it has the potential to reach hundreds of thousands who might respond even though they aren't big enough gun-nuts to read TexasCHLForum every day! (Plus I get paid )
I'm going this Wednesday regardless, promised my kids so it's my choice ...or in this case, burden. I'm from Ft. Worth and never been so this battle will have to wait until a later date and maybe after the dust clears our advocacy organizations will speak up?
I wonder why there were no issues the first 1/2 of the fair and now they changed the rules on us? Guns will always be a "hot button" topic so even if there was 1 incident with someone leaving their gun on a ride it's 1 time too many, just like with firearm safety, there's NO room for error. I'm not saying that I feel it's a valid reason to abuse the spirit of the law but the gun issue will only become even more volatile in the years ahead so this is a good test of how to be professional and direct. Thanks to all the CHL advocates who have, and will continue to, bring this to the politicians and the public's attention.
Hos wrote:
I wonder why there were no issues the first 1/2 of the fair and now they changed the rules on us?
I went the very first Sunday and was required to give my CHL info or be refused entrance. Since my girlfriend and I had already been looking forward to the day, I did so reluctantly.
Oh, ok, thanks. I've just read another thread about the fair on this and other forums and got the wrong impression that everything was ok the first few weeks. It may of just been this selective enforcement. I like the poster's idea a few pages back about picking the line where the attendent seems the most disinterested.
Fisherman74 wrote:I don't hold a lot of hope that the TSRA and the NRA will do much. It seems that these days they are more about collecting money then anything else.
+1 I was thinking last week about renewing my TSRA membership, but with absolutely no visible action on such a high-profile item, I really don't have a lot of confidence that they would be doing the right thing with my dues.
Guys, are you really going to forget everything TSRA and the NRA were involved in last legislative session and assume they are not in high gear rolling with legislative actions at this very moment over more strategic issues?
This nuisance and infringement is very frustrating and serious, but it is also near bottom of the pyramid as far as what the NRA and TSRA should focus on right now when there are bills to present that would eliminate this problem simply by domino effect. My assumption is there are plenty of legislative ideas on the runway that would stop this nonsense at the State Fair being prepared, proposed and supported by the NRA and TSRA.
It's a little short-sighted to expect them to jump in and focus on the hassle we're getting entering a seasonal amusement park when were it not for them (TSRA/NRA) we wouldn't be able to carry concealed handguns anywhere...much less the state fair.
Don't renew your membership if you REALLY think they aren't getting you any bang for your buck...but at least go research and see how much work both organizations did last session...and the one before that, and the one before that...etc...to enhance and preserve gun owner rights.
Last edited by tfrazier on Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.
TSRA should be all over this. I may reconsider what I am getting from them in regard to my needs -vs- their needs and crys for additional funds....... 
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