A look at the petition for open carry at the GOP convention.
(Editor’s note: This article was a submission from freelance writer Jordan Michaels.)
The petition calling for open carry at the Republican National Convention has gained tens of thousands of signatures in the last several days. The most recent articles report over 35,000 signatures; as of 10:00am EST on Monday, that number is up to +42,000. That’s nearly 10,000 signatures in three hours, and the number is climbing every minute.
Anti-gunners, predictably, are using the petition’s popularity as an opportunity for insults and condescension. One petition commenter, Jeffrey Thomas from San Francisco, said, “I signed it because I believe in Natural Selection. I’ve got my popcorn ready to sit back and watch the fun.” Another, Larry Gassan from Los Angeles (notice a geographic pattern here?), said, “I think that a hastily-brokered convention with a floor-fight can be solved with lots of guns.” Brilliant, Larry.
The GOP convention is set to be held in July at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The petition, published by Change.Org user Len Davies, calls Quicken Loans Arena’s gun-free zone “a direct affront to the Second Amendment and puts all attendees at risk.”
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addressed the petition on ABC’s This Week, but hesitated to offer his support: “I have not seen the petition. I want to see what it says. I want to read the fine print.” Senators Ted Cruz and John Kasich—the two remaining GOP candidates—have yet to comment.
As the petition points out, Ohio is an open-carry state, but Quicken Loans Arena strictly prohibits firearms of any kind on the premises. Though the Secret Service is working with Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and state and federal authorities to bolster security, petitions signers believe these measures are insufficient to keep convention delegates safe.
The GOP, of course, doesn’t control the gun policy at Quicken Loans Arena. Also inconvenient for gun-grabbers: the Secret Service, not the GOP, makes the final call about whether or not guns will be allowed at the convention. The Service just released a statement, in fact, saying that they won’t.
But if you’re an anti-gun liberal, details aren’t your strong suit. The primary argument from the left-leaning, gun-grabbing camp accuses the GOP of hypocrisy. Most of the top petition comments, like this Think Progress article, propose some version of, “If the GOP wants guns in schools, they should have guns at their convention! Oh! Burn!” It would be funny if it weren’t so inane.
It’s quite possible the petition is nothing more than an anti-gun plant. Though the rhetoric of the petition itself is pro-Second Amendment, every top petition comment is from an anti-gunner, and criticizing the pro-gun GOP for something it can’t control is #1 in the gun-grabbing playbook.
Either way, the situation demonstrates once again the hatred anti-gunners feel towards supporters of the Second Amendment, and the (il)logical leaps they’ll take to accuse us of hypocrisy and ignorance.
With all of the anti-gunners there is very little thought that they have. If they had a thought ,why do they think this country got its freedom ? Perhaps they think we talked our way out of England’s authority or perhaps we used bow and arrows against them and every country who tried to take over, or what was used by our marines when we kicked the crap out of the Islamic pirates way back when at Tripoli where do you think the marines got their song ? Perhaps throwing sticks.
As a freedom loving liberyarian, I don’t care who started the petition; it is right when standing on principal. We rail against gun free zones otherwise, yet accept it in this case. The private property argument does not fit because that stadium is massively subsidized by our tax dollars. Either gun free zones on public property are okay, or they are not. Choose.
This is part of a vast left-wing conspiracy!
Guys…this was started by a Hillary straw man who is very anti-gun. This jerk did it to foment problems and to try and attack gun supporters. Don’t fall for this gimmick…it’s not pro gun and it’s just make to hurt our cause.
Straw man?? Just another Republican attempt to slur Dems.
The guy has ALWAYS been clear that he did it to show up the hypocrisy of the Republicans – and the gun issue is a great way to do that. If Republicans are so Pro-2 and claim that people who lawfully carry guns are so safe (which, statistics show, they actually ARE. In full disclosure, I’m a liberal with a Texas CHL and 11 Class III ATF licenses and support the 2nd – completely).
http://www.newsweek.com/gop-convention-open-carry-petition-441808?piano_t=1
I think that a lot of Republicans are angry about the petition because it shows, exactly, the hypocrisy that the Republican Party embodies.
And – btw, guys – great job on getting the most unliked presidential nominee in 46 years nominated (yes, it will happen, thanks to the rule that Romney got put in where ONLY candidates that won a majority of the delegates in at least 8 states are even allowed to be considered. Republicans feel free to change the rules every little time that they feel like it – just like EVER current candidate now saying that he won’t necessarily support the GOP candidate. Perhaps it’s because 2 Trump staffers have assaulted women and not been immediately fired? Nope; Republicans love that stuff! 😉
Please, please – change to Dem and help Bernie get the nomination; HRC is to the right of Reagan (although, she doesn’t consult a seer, like Reagan did, every time she needs to make a decision or overthrow 3 Democracies or trade missiles for hostages or start the vast importation of cocaine to fund deathsquads) Nope; I’m pretty sure that HRC can do that on her own.
Larry, absolutely no one can slur Dems more so then Dems themselves. This effort is a Dem-inspired anti-gun plan that will badly backfire on the most deserving Dem Party. You’ve obviously overdosed on the Dumbascrap Koolade. Seek psychiatric help immediately.
I appearentaly you did not watch the video if you are calling that assault or you are just a plain idiot. Bill Clinton did far worse by throwing his DNA juice all over and in Monica Lewinsky. What a wonderful example for the kids, American’s so called future.
Ok I just got what you was saying about overthrowing three Democrats. That’s makes since now. I will. It made nothing g but this whole situation worse than it ever had to be. There is no excuse I got that. I dont know what the hell I was thinking
The first mention of this petition my brother and I just looked at each other and said “I bet it’s all a anti-gun agenda setup”. How many would be willing to bet that at least 85% of the names on that petition are either liberal ant-gunners and or made up!
I would agree/.
If you support the 2A it would follow that you should have reciprocal support for all Constitutional Rights. Those must include the rights of private property owners and in this case the property owners say no guns with exceptions for LE. The Petition is without merit addressing the Quicken Arena and six unlisted other entities. Is the RNC or remaining candidates listed? Do those 42,000+ signatories have a vested interest in pushing for OC at the Event, are they going to attend?
Wether this Petition was started by pro or anti gun folks; it is not worth consideration or further debate.