The State Fair of Texas is an annual celebration of corn dogs, deep-fried delights and a five-story cowboy named Big Tex.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/26980853

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.

      • School_Lunch@lemmy.world
        10·
        4 months ago

        Though statistically, guns kept at home are more likely to be used in an accidental shooting or suicide than as protection from a home invasion.

        • RadicallyBland@lemmy.world
          8·
          4 months ago

          Gun nuts hate when you say this. But… think about it, how likely is it someone is going to break into your house to hurt you? Pretty low. Now on top of the low chance that someone is going to break in, while you’re home with the intent to hurt you, you also need to be able to access your gun and use it safely. Unless you’re waiting on the couch with a loaded pistol when someone busts in the front door, that doesn’t seem very likely. You’re probably just going to kill your wife, kid or dog or neighbor. Someone breaks in and they’ve got the element of surprise, how the hell are you going to get to your (hopefully locked up and unloaded) gun in time? You’ve gotta run across your house with someone chasing you and unlock and load that gun, and then also use it successfully. You’re not trained in close quarters pistol combat. You’re not John Wick. You are going to be jittery from adrenaline, while someone is coming at you and you have seconds to react or they’re on you and you’re wrestling for that gun. On the other hand… “would you rather be armed or unarmed if someone breaks in?” is an obvious answer it’s just that so many people think they’re gonna be a badass and that’s not likely. What’s more likely is that that gun that’s sitting there every day all day is going to get used in domestic violence, suicide or an accident, or get stolen.